“I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God” (Hosea 2:23).

On a number of occasions the heavenly Father asked some faithful individuals to do things they could not understand at the time. Those who obeyed received a profound glimpse at the wisdom of God. One such individual was the prophet, Hosea.

The Old Testament book of Hosea shares the compelling story of a man willing to obey what he could not understand at the time. Why would God instruct him to do something that appeared to contradict the very Law he was commanded to obey?

“God said, ‘Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.’ So he … took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim … she conceived and bore him a son.

“And the LORD said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will punish the house of Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’

“Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the LORD said to him, ‘Name her Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.’

“When she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived and gave birth to a son. And the LORD said, ‘Name him Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God’ ” (Hosea 1:2-6, 8-9).

Hosea had a choice. Would he follow God’s instruction, or be paralyzed by the seeming contradiction? But the seeming conflict is missing. Hosea does not hesitate but simply obeys. His obedience likely created heartaches for him. But, in those heartaches he was to see that God’s commands are always righteous and meant to bless.

When giving His initial instructions, the Lord revealed why He wanted this arrangement. He said, “for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD.” He was indicating that the marriage of Hosea and Gomer was intended to picture the relationship between God and the Northern kingdom of Israel, where Hosea lived and served.

The difficulties of such a marriage depicted how Israel had betrayed her commitment to God. It is initially a sad story and Hosea could not have been pleased with a wife seeking other lovers. In human terms, God was saying that His heart too was pained by the idolatry and betrayal of Israel.

HEART LOYALTY

Heart loyalty cannot be forced. There must be commitment on both sides of a relationship for both parties to thrive and be blessed. Such unwavering commitment is one goal of God’s plan, not only for Israel, but for humanity. Had our first parents been deeply committed to God, they would never have followed the course they did. But only experiencing the pain and heartaches of disloyalty, will most learn the peace and joy of faithful relationships.

In this allegory, Hosea represents God.  The  woman  he married was named Gomer, meaning “Perfect.” She represents the 10-tribe Kingdom which had become idolatrous, even sacrificing their children in the fires of Molech. She was the daughter of someone named Diblaim. The name is significant. It means “A dual cake of pressed figs.” A fig tree is often used to represent the nation of Israel (see Jeremiah 24:5-7). The dual cakes picture the twelve-tribe kingdom of Israel united under Solomon before it was divided between Judah under Rehoboam, and Israel under Jeroboam, the first king of the northern 10 tribes.

As Gomer was born of Diblaim, so the dual fig cake gave birth to the 10-tribe kingdom after the death of Solomon. Gomer then had three children. God instructed Hosea to name their first son “Jezreel.” The name means “God will sow or disseminate and scatter.”

This predicted that at some future time, the 10-tribe kingdom would be scattered to the wind. And so they were. They were taken captive to Assyria, and have been dispersed throughout the nations of the world.

To see where Hosea fits into the history of Israel, see the accompanying chart. He lived from Jeroboam II to the time Israel was taken captive to Assyria. Remarkably, every king that ruled this kingdom was evil. How could the people thrive under such poor leadership?

GOMER’S CHILDREN

Gomer then had two more children. These two children were likely not fathered by Hosea, but resulted from her adulterous behavior, as suggested by the following verses. “And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink” (Hosea 2:4, 5).

Rather than valuing heart loyalty, Gomer sought prosperity. A prophet of God could not provide everything she desired. Her daughter was named Lo-Ruhamah, meaning, “not having obtained mercy.” Her second son was named Lo-Ammi, “not my people.” These names were prophetic of God’s great displeasure with Israel. Their disloyalty was to bring a time of punishment. God’s mercy would be withheld and, for a time, they would not have the protection as God’s people.

GOD’S PROMISE OF RESTORATION

Thankfully, the story continues. After naming Gomer’s children God says, “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ‘Ye are not my people,’ there it shall be said unto them, ‘Ye are the sons of the living God.’ Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel” (Hosea 1:10, 11).

This wonderful passage reflects the heart of God. Even when punishment is required, He gives hope. He takes great pleasure in blessing and making promises of good things to come. His words are a reiteration of the Abrahamic Promise. These comforting words assured Israel that God’s anger would not endure and that He keeps His promises.

For Israel, the divided kingdom will be reunited, and soon they will appoint Christ as their one head. Today, we are witnessing the work of regathering Israelites from all corners of the earth where they were dispersed.

God continues His promises to Israel in chapter two. “Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah. Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts” (Hosea 2:1, 2).

The names Ammi and Ruhamah look familiar. They are like the names of Gomer’s illegitimate children, but appear without the negative prefix, “Lo.” Rather than meaning “I will not have mercy,” He promises to have mercy. Rather than proclaiming, “He is not their God,” “He will be their God.”

PLEAD WITH GOMER

These children were instructed to plead with their mother to return to her first husband. Antitypically, this suggests that believing Jews of the restored nation of Israel will work to convert their unfaithful ancestors, pictured in Gomer. In the kingdom environment, she will come to realize that true blessings come only from God.

“Behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now. For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal” (Hosea 2:6-8).

Gomer finally comes to a remarkable realization. Her lovers could not give her what she wanted, and life with a faithful husband was better than life with those who only took advantage of her. It is a lesson many ancient Israelites will come to learn.

THE PURCHASE OF GOMER

Although Gomer repented of her sins, there was still a problem. She had become the slave of her previous lover. Another possibility is that she had to be bought out of prostitution. But in either case, her freedom had to be purchased. Gomer’s search for other lovers describes Israel’s pursuit of worldly desires which were never attained. Her actions however, revealed her unfaithfulness to Jehovah, her true love. Following the directions of God, Hosea responded. “I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley; and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man’s wife; so will I also be toward thee” (Hosea 3:2, 3).

Fifteen pieces of silver was one half the regular price of a slave (see Exodus 21:32). Apparently, Gomer was not highly valued. After paying the price of her redemption, Hosea said she was to “abide with me many days.” This was a trial period to see if Gomer would continue in her repentance. If so, she would be fully restored as his wife.

This process of restoring Gomer suggests a sequence of events. The purchase of Israel occurred at the First Advent when God, through Jesus’ death, provided the ransom. This purchase would release Israel from Adamic condemnation, as well as from the curse of the Law. But, after the First Advent, Israel was desolate for “many days,” shown by Gomer spending time deprived of a relationship with Hosea. Those “many days” represent Israel’s 1845 years of disfavor. It was a time Israel did not receive God’s protection as her husband.

Hosea, assisting Gomer

After her period of isolation, Gomer was restored as Hosea’s wife. Although Israel’s relationship with God has not yet been fully restored, the process has begun. Her full restoration will occur when the Ancient Worthies return, and the New Covenant is inaugurated. But what a thrill to be witnessing the progression of bringing her back to God.

THE CHARACTER OF GOD REVEALED

This unusual story, created at God’s command, reveals the character of God. His longsuffering is manifested, not only in the restoration of Israel, but in mankind’s long history. “Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it” (James 5:7). God wisely sees the benefits of adversity. He knows that the character fruitage it will produce will be strong, committed and faithful. It will be well worth the centuries of man’s isolation from God. But when Israel and humanity are restored to perfection, all will look back and see His marvelous work of educating the human heart.

“And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28).

God finally proclaimed His love for Israel. “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him” (Hosea 14:4 RVIC). The conclusion of the lesson reveals the loving and merciful heart of God, whose love is longsuffering and whose plan works for the blessing of His people.

— Tom Ruggirello

 

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