Old Love Songs #3 - Of Minor Prophets and their Prostitute Wives by Pedro the Lion ~ Bread for Beggars

Our final Old Love Song is a nineties throwback to the indie singer-songwriter David Bazan and his Pedro the Lion project. The story in focus is the Old Testament prophet, Hosea, and his wife, Gomer. The song in focus is Pedro the Lion’s “Of Minor Prophets and their Prostitute Wives” from his 1998 album, It’s Hard to Find a Friend.

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The brilliance of “Of Minor Prophets and their Prostitute Wives” (from here on out to be referred to as “Of Minor Prophets”) lies in its familiarity. Bazan takes a rather peculiar story from the Old Testament and sings it as almost as if he’s singing any other pop song of unrequited love. But under the approachability of a catchy melody and a bouncing vamp lies the profundity of God’s grace.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story of Hosea and Gomer, I’d recommend reading it in Hosea 1-3. In short, God tells his prophet, Hosea, to marry a prostitute named Gomer. Even after they marry and have children, she continues her adulterous life. Each time she leaves Hosea for another man, God instructs Hosea to take her back. It’s a tragic story on the part of Hosea, but when you see the bigger picture, it’s actually quite beautiful.

God intended the relationship between Hosea and Gomer to illustrate the relationship that he had with his people, the nation of Israel. Though God loved and protected Israel, over and over again, his people left him to follow the trendier pagan gods of neighboring nations. Each time they left, God called them back through a prophet. They’d return, but only to soon leave again.

I can tell you the story, but Bazan puts you in the story. Through his use of first person narrative, Bazan allows the listener to feel the pain that Hosea feels as he watches his wife and the mother of his children one more time give intimacy to a man who only wants her body. In lines like “You think without me you’ll get on much better/ But you don’t even know your own heart” and “But you’re still playing for a love you’ll never find/ Outside these arms of mine,” Bazan diagnoses Hosea’s pain as more than the hurt of infidelity. His pain is a sadness—almost a pity—for a woman who can do no differently. She walks a path of self-destruction as she tries to find fulfillment. But where it is that she hopes to find fulfillment, she doesn’t know.

Meanwhile, Hosea does his best to protect her, but she only pushes back:

I treated you as if you were a princess

You treated me like a cop.

I gave you boundaries to save you from certain death

Dangling from the end of a rope.

The message of “Of Minor Prophets” gets gritty pretty quickly when we remember that the whole story of Hosea and Gomer is actually about the relationship between God and the sinner. Between God and us.

The infidelity of Gomer is our infidelity. When we pursue selfishness and indulgences, we’re leaving the side of our groom. When we set out and trust solely in our own abilities and capacity to do good, we throw off the protection and care of our groom. When we make anything else our priority besides Jesus—financial security, achievement, even family–we’re calling something else our beloved.

The punishment demanded of Gomer is the punishment demanded of us.Bazan describes in verse three the conviction and sentencing of Gomer by her peers and the law:

The whole town is one step behind you
With the hang man on call
They’ve got the judge
And you’re convicted without a plea

Each sin for which we’re culpable is a legitimate piece of evidence that corroborates our conviction. One piece of evidence would have been enough to solidify the condemnation to punishment, but we face a mountain.

The acquittal of Gomer is our acquittal. But our husband, as much as we’ve scorned and abused him, steps up to advocate for us: “Darling, they will listen to me.” Jesus is our only defense, and he’s a sure defense. Without any reason to be acquitted of the condemnation of sin, we will walk free because Jesus has already paid the punishment for us. Our defense is his substitution.

Once more our Savior bids us to “come home, darling… all is forgiven, so come home quickly.”

Do you hear the one who loves you with unrestrainable love and commitment calling you back? If you don’t, hear his voice in the Gospels: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30). He invites you to find freedom from your guilt and release from the burden of trying to prove your worth.

Redemption, acceptance by God, forgiveness, and safety are all waiting with arms open. No matter how often or badly you’ve broken the intimacy that God created with you, he longs to restore it. Go back to your husband. He wants you.

For more on the bride/groom relationship of Jesus and the church, read Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-9, and Revelation 21:2.

For more on the justification God gives for free to sinners, read Romans 3:9-26.