Hosea And Gomer

Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the LORD.

Hosea 1:2

Church history is filled with examples of couples who served the cause of Christ together: Martin and Katharine Luther, Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, Adoniram and Ann Judson. Each of these couples demonstrated what should characterize every marriage that is centered on Christ: sacrifice and commitment.

No story illustrates sacrifice for and commitment to the will of God more than that of Hosea and Gomer in the Old Testament. The northern kingdom of Israel was in a state of moral and spiritual degeneracy. In order for God to demonstrate His love for Israel, He told His prophet Hosea to take for a bride the morally and spiritually degenerate Gomer. Her adultery was a picture of Israel; Hosea’s sacrifice and commitment to her, a picture of God’s love. Hosea’s actions were aimed at Gomer’s reform and restitution, just as God’s actions in judging Israel were intended to produce Israel’s reform and restitution.

Are you and your spouse willing to sacrifice your comfort to serve God in whatever He calls you to do?

No sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him who gave His life for me.

C. T. STUDD