The Run-Away Bride

Hosea 2:5 – “For their mother has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully.For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.'”

The “mother” referred to in this passage is Gomer, the harlot-wife of the prophet Hosea. She represents Israel. God saw Israel as a harlot, often turning from her true husband (God) and going after other lovers (other gods). Israel’s harlotry was compounded by her desire and lust for the things and pleasures of this world. Instead of trusting God for their needs, they joined with heathens and their gods in order to get bread and water, wool and flax, and oil and drink. Gomer’s and Israel’s eyes were on the things of this world and not on the God who made this world. How often do we, as believers, wander away from our true love, Christ Jesus, because of a desire to indulge in the material things all around us? How often do we put something above God, which in His eyes constitutes harlotry? God is a jealous God who wants and deserves our full attention, our complete love, our humble submission. He wants His bride back. The Lord commanded Hosea to go and buy back his bride, Gomer, from her life of harlotry, just as Christ bought His bride, with His own blood. And yet, still we wander away from so wonderful a husband as Christ, and think only of ourselves, our desires and wants.

Return to your first love – Christ Jesus, and determine to not let anything or anyone come between you and Him. We were once filthy harlots, but now we are His pure, white bride, and we need to act like it. Amen!