Don't be Gomer

“And Jehovah said to me, Go again. Love a woman beloved by a friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of Jehovah toward the sons of Israel, who turn to other gods, and love raisin-cakes of grapes.” (Hosea 3:1)

This was the lot of Hosea. It was God’s will that he marry a harlot to illustrate Israel’s idolatry and for him as her husband to illustrate God’s love for her even though she sinned. “The beginning of Jehovah speaking by Hosea. And Jehovah said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of adultery and children of adultery. For the land has utterly gone lusting away from Jehovah.” (Hosea 1:2) In the small ancient world they didn’t have Facebook or social media, but it was soon known by all that Hosea had married an adulteress and that in spite of all her shenanigans, he loved her and allowed her back in his life. This illustrated God’s love, “...according to the love of Jehovah toward the sons of Israel...”

In the Old Testament there was no grace for sin. Punishment and consequences came fast and harshly. The Law was specific of the consequences. Gomer would normally not be allowed by the Law to return to her husband because it would defile the land. But in taking Gomer back, Hosea was illustrating how the Israelites committed idolatry, and the Lord received them again. “They say, If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him and will be for another man, will he return to her again? Would not that land be greatly defiled? But you play the harlot with many lovers; yet come back to Me, says Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 3:1) The children of Israel were treacherous with the Lord, worshipping other gods then when things got bad, returning to Him. “Surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so you have dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, says Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 3:20)

If we can see that to willfully sin is a betrayal to the Lord and His goodness, we’d be less likely to sin. When Judas betrayed Jesus, Jesus let him know that he’d considered him a friend. “And coming up to Jesus immediately, he said, Hail, Master! And he kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, Friend, why are you here? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.” (Matthew 26:49-50) How much more treacherous is it for the children born of His Spirit if he turns to sin.

Do believers sin? Yes, believers will fall into sin when the temptation of the flesh overcomes them in their weakness which could be sexual, greed, fame or pride.  “Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1John 2:15-17) Daily reading the Word of God, meditating on it and studying it can keep us from sin because the Word of God is alive and powerful able to transform our minds. “For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) And in another place, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, in order to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

Willful and continual sin will eventually harden the heart so that the Word of God has no effect, and God will leave the sinner to his sin and death. “And even as they did not think fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things not right, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; being full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, evil habits, becoming whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, proud, braggarts, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, perfidious, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous order of God, that those practicing such things are worthy of death, not only do them, but have pleasure in those practicing them.” (Romans 1:28-32)

A side note here. I have known about a few believers who had this happen. They said they were believers. They talked the talk. They worshipped. They even led worship or were part of the Worship Team. One was a pastor of a church. But I do wonder if they were ever saved. This is a warning. Did we merely assent to the Truth mentally but not accept it for ourselves and truly surrender our lives to Jesus. That is the key to becoming a true child of God, of being truly born again and being a true believer. It’s surrender. And many have accepted the Truth but have not surrendered our lives. They are still kings over their lives and never allowed Jesus to be the King of their lives.  They are like Gomer. She was married but went off to commit adultery.

When all is said and done, Gomer married Hosea, but didn’t give her life completely to him as his wife. The Israelites had not surrendered all to the Lord God. And backsliding Christians have not made Jesus King over their lives. As long as we reign over our own lives, we will sin. We will stray. And we will fall. We love the benefits of God, but don’t give Him full control of our lives. That’s Gomer. That’s treacherous Israel. Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life shall lose it. And he who loses his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39) We must lose our life or give up our life to receive His life for us.