Go and marry a prostitute (Its in the Bible)

I was reading my Bible Today and was reminded of a really powerful yet unpopular book nestled in the Old Testament. The Book is Prophetic and written by a man name: Hosea


 It opens with a strange request:


"Go and marry a prostitute so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel (God's people) has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods."


I just imagine a picture in my head of how this looked:

Hosea: I love you God, so much. I will do anything for you. I will follow you with my life.
God: Anything, are you sure?
Hosea: Yes, Lord. Anything for you!
God: Okay, go and marry a prostitute.
Hosea: mmmmmhh


That wasn't God right??!???

How would you respond and advise someone who says, "I think God is telling me to go to the strip club and marry one of the hookers"?

I would tell that person that there is no way they are hearing from God and then I would go and plan their intervention where I would bring in all their family to help them see the error in their way.


But this is what happened to Hosea and God tells Hosea upfront why he is to marry a prostitute. The reasoning behind marrying a prostitute is simple. The people of Israel, in the time, were unfaithful to God and so he wanted to demonstrate that He was faithful even when she was not.


So Hosea and Gomer are married. In what would have been the world's most awkward wedding.

"If anyone sees why these two should not be wed speak now or forever hold your peace."......


They are married, then they have babies, and then she goes back to being a prostitute.

So, reading this story: We would assume, "Okay, Hosea tried it, it didn't work, so now they should get divorce and he can be more "equally yoked."

Nope!!!

But isn't this how we see other people. Or maybe ourselves. Well, I let God down today. I sinned. Now, he won't love me. Or he loves me but that other person, over there, they have sinned WAY MORE than I have.

There is NO HOPE for them!

Thankfully God is better than that!!!!!

God tells Hosea in Chapter 3 to, "Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them."

So Hosea goes to her. Where? The Bible doesn't say. But im assuming its not a kid friendly place.

So Hosea pays for his wife.

Just imagining here: One can only assume she was with her pimp. Hosea tries to take her but the pimp says he has to pay like everyone else. And So he does. He pays for what is already his.



The picture is clear. Hosea is a picture of Jesus while we (no offense) are a picture of Gomer.

I don't know if you have ever thought of yourself that way. I know I have. I have been to dark places where only the grace of God could pull me out.

And I wake up the next day hungry for sin. Hungry for rebellion. And I ask the Lord, to come and rescue me. And guess what? He does. He doesn't say, "well, I would forgive you but you have reached your quota for the month......."


He is that Good. He is so much better than we think he is.

And no, I have not committed adultery, or murdered, but I have sinned. I have put myself before others. I have lied when it is convenient. And if we are being honest we have all done really stupid and selfish things.

But we are not left in our sin and shame. If we know God and we know how much Jesus was willing to pay for us: we can be free. Your price tag was the cross. That is your value. You are literally worth dying for.

We can know that even when we are rebellious that God's love is stronger.

This also changes how we see others: If God was willing to die for me and forgive me, then he was willing to die and forgive others.

So, as a Christian, I do not give up hope. Even for those that seem so against Jesus: Either by their words or by their deeds.

There is no hopeless situation. God is in control. God is in charge. And God is on his throne. He is a Good Father and He continues to display his goodness in my life.


I don't always see it. But God is giving me deeper revelation of His goodness. I pray that as you read this and as you live your life you will also come to a deeper understanding of the Goodness of God.