by Mesu Andrews
As a lover of Historical Fiction I found this to be an excellent read! The book is described by the publisher to be an epic journey of intimacy, rejection , betrayal …and hope. Hosea is commanded by God to marry a prostitute in order to show God’s people the nature and depth of His love for Israel. This would be a difficult command to follow.
This is a fictional account of Old Testament times but the story of Hosea and Gomer is true. What I found so interesting was that as the reader I was learning about the world these characters inhabit. As we read the Bible, many of us do not understand the customs, living conditions and traditions of the peoples of Israel and Judah. Andrews tells the reader the politics of the time in a way that helps the story to come alive. At the time of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer the kingdom of Israel was split into two nations. Israel comprised the northern nation of the ten rebelling tribes, while the tribe of Judah formed a new nation with its capital in Jerusalem. The people of Israel had been drawn into worshiping pagan gods, stoking Yahweh’s wrath and breaking His heart.
It is in this setting that the story of Hosea and Gomer unfolds. The history of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer mirrors the marriage between God and mankind. Gomer is unfaithful, can not stop her worship of idols, yet Hosea continues to forgive her, love her and take her back. We are unfaithful but God is faithful and He keeps taking us back time after ttime. Gomer rejects Hosea’s love and runs from him whenever she has the opportunity. This leads to a life of misery and rejection, but the love of Hosea and his God are a constant in Gomer’s journey. Finally, Gomer can no longer ignore the love of God and is able to recognize we are all broken vessels, Redemption comes when we submit to Yahweh’s hands and are mended by His mercy.
There is much detail in this account of Hosea’s life that is fiction; however the Biblical account is historically accurate. What a treat, read a great love story and increase your knowledge about Old Testament times.
Other books by Ms Andrews in this series “Love Amid the Ashes”- Job’s story and “Love’s Sacred Song”-a book about Solomon.
Review by Linda Cliff
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