My name is Gomer. I stand humiliated, one of a group of women, hoping to be bought. I hope to become the bride of someone
that will love and cherish me. My youthful beauty has long vanished, leaving the tired, drawn, weathered woman that stands
before the crowd today.
The bidding, loud and furious, echoes all around me. One by one the women around me begin to disappear. It becomes clear
that I will be the last, the one no one wants. Tears begin to fill my eyes. I have never known such complete despair. I am
despised and mocked, I can only stare down at my dirty hands. My clothes, torn and filthy, offer little protection against
the blazing sun. My once beautiful hair, now matted and dirty, hangs loosely around my face. It is the only cover I have
to hide from the faces of the men that laugh and scorn me.
As I close my eyes, memories of the life I left behind begin to fill my mind. My heart cries out to return to the one who
loved me and cherished me, to return to the life that I threw away. If only I could open my eyes and see once again
the face of my beloved Hosea.
I was a harlot, a whore, common and despised and brought great shame to my family. Then he came, the gentle, loving, prophet
of Yahveh, Hosea. Against all odds he desired me. My father gave me to Hosea, to be his bride, grateful, no doubt, for the
chance to make an honest woman of me. Hosea took me as his wife and loved me as I have never been loved before. He was a gentle
man, loving and gracious, and he never even mentioned my past.
In time we had a beautiful son. We named him Jezreel, which means "Yahveh’s seed" in Hebrew. I had everything I desired. A
loving husband, a beautiful son, a home, food and clothing. Thing I didn’t deserve, things that were never
meant for a women like me. Again I gave birth, and this time to a beautiful daughter. Hosea was beside himself with pride.
His heart seemed to burst with love for his newborn daughter. He desired to dedicate his new daughter to Yahveh, so he took
her to the temple to ask blessings from the Father for her and to seek a name for his precious child. As he lifted her before
Yahveh he heard, "Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I should ever forgive
them."
Hosea knew that I had been unfaithful to him. The daughter that he so loved was not his. I had taken a lover. My heart
sought after the things that my new lover offered. I was drawn to the pleasures that he offered and I wasn’t going
to be restrained by anyone. Hosea was a good and decent man, but I wanted things my way. My greedy heart knew no limits. I
wanted it all, but Hosea continued to love me in spite of my unfaithfulness.
I had barely weaned Lo-ruhamah, when I again conceived and gave birth to a son. This time Yahveh said, "Name him Lo-ammi,
for you are not My people and I am not your Elohim." This child was also conceived with another lover. How it broke
Hosea’s heart. He had given me everything, asking only for my love in return, but his love and compassion only
seemed to fuel the rebellion in my heart. How could I be faithful to just one man? Why should I submit myself to him only,
when I could have it all?
I began to openly seek after other lovers. My heart knew no bounds. As expected, a great wall of division separated Hosea
and myself. He became a distant memory to me. The deeper I sank into my old ways, the more I forgot about Him, and his love and compassion for me seemed like a shadow, a veil that now covered my eyes. He sent our children to beg me
to return and repent. He threatened to expose me to the world as a harlot, to strip me naked before the world and put
me to shame, but the worldly pleasures of my new life drove the fear of exposure from me. I felt no shame for my sins and would
have no part of repentance. I didn’t need my husband anymore, I had my new lovers, fine food and wines, new clothing
and jewelry... anything I desired.
Years past. I sought after my new life with unquenchable lust. I felt that I had found the way to contentment. Pleasures
and possessions were the only way to go.
Day by day my youth began to slip away and my hard living began to take a toll on my body. My youthful lovers began to
leave me one by one. I no longer appealed to them. Without my beauty I was nothing to them. I soon found myself alone, the
riches that I accumulated vanished. Without someone to take care of me I knew I would soon perish. I tried to talk to the
men who promised to always love me, but they scorned me.
Hungry and alone, I knew that the only way I could survive was to go back to my husband. If only I could have my beloved Hosea back, I thought. My life was so much better when I was with
him, but that was long ago. I heard that he had dedicated his life to the ministry. Surely he has forgotten me.
I decided to offer myself on the auction. Gentlemen with thirty pieces of silver come to buy wives at the auction, brides
to love and cherish, and here I stand, alone and miserable. All the other women have been bought. I can see them smiling
and talking with their new husbands - hope and joy on their faces. If only I could experience the pure, simple pleasure
of being desired by someone - belonging to someone. I have given up
hope. The day was growing long. The sun made my dirty, leathery skin even more repulsive and I was beginning to think
that I was all alone and doomed.
Then the auctioneer points in my direction: "You, come, you have been purchased." I strain to see the
buyer among the crowds of people. Finally I see a man approaching the auctioneer with his money in his hand. He pays the price
for me and then turns his gaze towards me. My heart nearly stops beating. There, standing before me, was my beloved Hosea.
His eyes filled with tenderness, he gently took my hand and led me away from the awful site of the auction. "Come home with
me", he whispered. "I forgive all that you have done. Return with me and be my beloved. I missed you."
Conclusion
The heart of a harlot beats in each of us. We all have turned our backs on Yahveh and sought after the
things of this world. We have played the harlot and worshiped other ‘gods’. Bowing ourselves to pagan traditions,
we have forsaken the commandments, the Torah of our King. We gave ourselves over to lying spirits who convinced us that Yahveh
abandoned His own Word, that Yashua came to separate us from the Torah and start a new religion. We tried to do things our
way, thinking we can choose on what day we will worship and what feasts and traditions we will keep. We have become
that lonely broken harlot. Alone and naked before the world. The elaborate schemes that have been set in place by the adversary
have blinded us to Yahveh’s Truth. We have become mighty in our own eyes, yet we are blind to so many things.
Awake O’ Israel! Awake O’ Christian! Yashua is waiting to forgive and to bless! Let us turn away from the things
of this world and give our whole heart to Him alone. Let us embrace the Torah as a drowning person clings to a life
preserver.
"For straight are the ways of Yahveh; the righteous shall walk in them, while the sinners
shall stumble in them." Hosea 14:10
