Bible prophets. Prophet Hosea - Biblical Prophet

In the Old Testament, it is told that God conveyed his instructions to people through the prophets. Perhaps everyone heard about Moses and Noah, but if you believe the Bible, then in fact there were many more prophets. They will be discussed in our review.

1. Strange prophet

It's no secret that the Book of Ezekiel is one of the strangest books in the Bible. Given the prophet's strange visions and the overtly sexual overtones of his exposition of the text, some rabbis felt that this book should be banned from reading by Torah followers under the age of 30.

Ezekiel is the heir of the tribe of Levi and was among the 10,000 Israelites taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. God called him to be a prophet around 593 BC. During his visions, Ezekiel saw shining chimeras of 4 creatures - a man, a calf, an eagle and a lion. At the same time, these creatures possessed human hands and wings.

Ezekiel also dreamed of strange crystal structures in the sky, and his visions were so clear that some modern researchers suggest that he had schizophrenia or some other form of psychosis. Also, the style of Ezekiel's sermons was as unusual as the content. After the prophecy, he allegedly slept on a brick for 430 days to symbolize the number of years the people of Israel and Judah had spent in sin. He also shaved off his hair and beard "by order from above", and once even ate cakes baked from human excrement to symbolize the state of despair that the Israelites would come to.

2. Naked truth

Isaiah is considered one of the greatest and most influential biblical prophets. But few people know that God once told him to undress and wander around Jerusalem naked and barefoot. The Prophet had to do this for three whole years. It is believed that God similarly, through Isaiah, warned of the coming invasion of the Assyrian Empire and that the people of Judah should rely on the protection of Egypt and Ethiopia.

3. Doubting Prophet

The typical image of a prophet implies unbending faith in the will of the Lord. But the prophet Habakkuk often asked himself the question: what did God really mean? While most of the prophets brought the word of God to the people, Habakkuk was more concerned with referring people's questions to God. The Little Book of Habakkuk begins with the prophet's question, "How long, Lord, must I call for help before you listen to me? ... Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate obvious guilt?"

God spoke to Habakkuk, but completely ignores his questions, and warns that the Babylonians are going to devastate this region. Avvakum does not get tired of repeating his questions again and again, but in response he hears only that each person makes his own choice in life and for everyone the day of judgment will surely come.

4. Doomed Prophet

The Book of Hosea is not the most popular part of the Bible because its contents can be difficult to understand. In it, God orders Hosea to marry the "most wicked" woman he can find. Hosea dutifully marries a harlot named Homer, who is believed to be the most sinful in history. Homer gave birth to three children (moreover, the Bible indicates that Hosea was the father of only the eldest of them).

It turned out that through the Hosea family, God decided to express his displeasure with the Israelites. Therefore, he ordered Hosea to name the eldest son Jezreel, which means "I will break the bow of Israel." The youngest daughter was named "Lo-Ruhamah" (meaning "unloved") because "God did not want to show his love for Israel anymore. The youngest son was not much more fortunate - he was named Lo-Ammi (meaning "not my people") .

True, it ends on an optimistic note, as God calls the prophet to forgive his wife. The couple reconcile and pledge to be faithful to each other.

5. Pagan prophet

Elijah is one of the most famous biblical figures. He was the first prophet to resurrect a dead person and ascend to heaven alive. There are references in the Bible that Elijah may not have been of Jewish origin.

6. Prophetic Spirit

The story of King Saul and the Witch of Endor is a biblical passage that raises more questions than it answers, giving rise to all sorts of theological and moral disputes. After the death and burial of the prophet Samuel in Ramah, the Philistine army gathered to attack Israel. Frightened, Saul turned to God for advice, but received no answer. After that, he ordered his servants to find him a soothsayer, but they also failed, since Saul had previously ordered the expulsion of all witches and magicians from Israel.

As a result, Saul found the sorceress from Endor, who summoned him the spirit of Samuel, who foretold the death of the king. Soon Saul and his family were killed by the Philistines. The reason for this was (as the later books of the Bible said) "the iniquity that he did before the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord and turned to the sorceress with a question." Of course, the Bible forbids witchcraft, but what remains unclear is how the witch was able to summon and subdue the spirit of Samuel.

7. Xenophobe Prophet

Nehemiah was governor of Jerusalem during the Persian rule in 444 BC. The book of Nehemiah is a testament to how the governor tried to restore Jerusalem physically and spiritually. One of his main achievements was the construction of the city walls in just 52 days. Shortly after the walls were completed, Nehemiah left for Persia to report to King Artaxerxes. Upon his return, Nehemiah discovered that during his absence, some of the Israelites married foreign women, and as a result, their children could not even speak Hebrew. Outraged by these marriages, Nehemiah cursed the perpetrators.

8. Offended prophet

Moses is an amazing person. He cheated death as a child, grew up in the pharaoh's house, became a cupbearer - a special close associate of the pharaoh, and then fled to return some time later and challenge the pharaoh himself.

Moses was such a significant figure that usually everyone forgets that there were two more propoks who were directly involved in the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt - Moses' brother Aaron and his sister Mariam. According to the Book of Numbers, Aaron and Miriam one day murmured, crying out to the Lord: "Why do You speak only to Moses?"

9. Evil Prophet

The name "Jonah" means "dove" in Hebrew, but the prophet Jonah was actually not nearly as likable as is commonly assumed. He was a very strange biblical prophet because he rarely agreed with God's directions. According to the Book of Jonah, God ordered him to go on a mission to Nineveh, an Assyrian city notorious for its sinfulness. Jonah disobeyed God's command and instead tried to travel as far away from Assyria as possible. As a result, God sent a "huge fish" to swallow Jonah and not release until he repented. After Jonah finally arrived in Nineveh, his sermon was so touching that the entire city repented sincerely. But Jonah after this was sincerely upset that Nineveh and all its inhabitants, who repented of their sins, were not destroyed.

10. Prophet in dirty laundry

In the book of Jeremiah, God told the prophet to buy new and expensive linen underwear, but forbade the linen to ever touch water. After some time, the Almighty ordered the prophet to take off his dirty linen and hide it in a crevice near a rock near the Euphrates. Many days passed, and Jeremiah was ordered to return to the Euphrates and get what he was hiding. Linen, as expected, was in a disgusting state. When Jeremiah saw this, God told him that the pride of Jerusalem would be destroyed in a similar way, for "just as linen fits around the loins of a man, so the whole house of Israel stuck to me."

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BIBLICAL PROPHETS(in the Old and New Testaments) - characters bible, people endowed with a providential gift, called to proclaim the Divine word. The prophet is a charismatic person, chosen God to convey your will. At the same time, the content of the message and the very act of prophecy were placed in complete dependence on the will of God, calling the elect to the prophetic ministry. Both men (Enoch, Abraham, Aaron, Samuel, Solomon, Elisha, John the Baptist, etc.) and women (Miriam, Deborah, etc.) act as owners of the prophetic gift. IN Old Testament Mention is also made of students of the prophetic schools founded by Samuel (“sons of the prophets”), some of whom also became biblical prophets. Prophets played an important role in public and political life, giving advice and foretelling the future on behalf of God. According to the Bible, they were clearly aware of their destiny and therefore sought to influence the adoption of the most important political and religious decisions (for example, Samuel contributed to the accession of David, Nathan supported Solomon in his struggle for the throne). To fulfill their mission and affirm the greatness of God, the prophets could perform miracles (Moses used his rod to bring Egypt to "executions", Elijah resurrected the dead). At the same time, the biblical texts contain a sharp condemnation of sorcery, divination, divination - this activity is prohibited under the threat of the death penalty. Soothsayers are here contrasted with prophets as "imposters", false prophets who speak predictions without being called by God. Biblical legends assure that the prophets had the gift of clairvoyance and predicted the future (for example, Ahijah predicted the reign of Jeroboam when he was still a simple caretaker, Agav predicted famine, etc.). Because of their visionary ability, all prophets were originally called "seers." Later, this name began to be used only in relation to some of them - Zadok, Gad, Samuel, Ananias, etc. In the Old Testament, much more attention is paid to the activities of the prophets than in the New Testament, while the New Testament texts also testify to their great role in life. communities. Emphasizing the unity of biblical texts, the Christian tradition recognizes not only the New Testament, but also the Old Testament prophets, arguing that they predicted all the most important events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, the future of the Christian faith and the church, as well as the last fate of the world. A number of texts of the Old Testament are named after some biblical prophets. Since the Middle Ages, four prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) are called great or great prophets, and the remaining twelve (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) - small. The arrangement of the prophetic books in the Old Testament is fixed by the canon (minor prophets are placed after the major ones, while the order of the books of the minor prophets is not related to the chronological principle or their size). The earliest in time for the appearance of the book (i.e., those who were taken captive) are Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah; the latest - Jonah, Joel, Daniel; the rest of the prophetic books refer to the period of the Jews in the Babylonian captivity.

The Bible contains 16 books of prophets who lived at different times. John the Theologian with his "Apocalypse" from the New Testament should also be included here, but this is a special case, because. prophesies an event of a global scale - the end of the world.

For a person who believes or is limited in his ability to know, the passions in the Apocalypse, of course, are still the same. For a sane person who is able to clean the tex from any husk in the form of horses, mutant animals, troubadour angels, then there is nothing so “prophetic” and nothing. Everything has its beginning and everything has its end. Dialectics. There will come a time when the Sun will turn into a red dwarf staring sullenly at its own planets incinerated by it, and then the entire former solar system will disappear into some black hole. So John, from a scientific point of view, did not tell us anything new. I just want this end to come in its own way, and not we, the people, created it ourselves.

The prophets mentioned in the Old Testament, I am sure, in real life were good people, they did something to educate the morality and spirituality of people. Again, they warned of the consequences of unrighteousness. So their names were passed down from generation to generation, but their good deeds, unfortunately, were overgrown with speculation, lies so that already in the biblical texts we got sheer nonsense, stupidity and a contradiction to common sense. It is incredibly difficult for a simple person to “fish out” at least something digestible from there, and the church clergy twists, as it suits him.

Common feature: ALL prophecies are tailored to the character of the cruel, merciless, touchy and vengeful Jewish Old Testament God. Accordingly, the figures of many prophets are presented in an exclusively bad light.

We will look at some of them and analyze their prophecies.

Daniel. Key figure, CHIEF prophet.

The only one whose prophecies, according to the Bible, came true on the scale of human civilization. This refers to the collapse of the Babylonian kingdom.

But there is one "BUT". From the Bible we know that Daniel was under the most powerful king of that time, Nebuchadnezzar, something like a chief adviser.

48 Then the king exalted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and made him over all the province of Babylon and chief chief over all the wise men of Babylon.

The sovereign post is not frail, and even in a power of world significance. It would seem that the name of Daniel (Belshazzar in the local language) should have been heard in all corners of the ancient world. But it was not there! Not a word is mentioned about Daniel in the surviving historical documents of the 6th century BC and later. But his contemporaries were such outstanding personalities as Anaximander, Pythagoras, Thales of Miletus, Xenophanes, Anaximenes and others. There is no mention of him on clay tablets or anything else even in the Babylonian kingdom itself. The question arises: "Was there a boy?"

And in passing: where did the prophecies come from then, if the very existence of Daniel is in question? Aren't they "concocted" by the passage of events? Moreover, there are so many absurdities and obvious fabrications in the Book of Daniel that it causes only a condescending smile, and not the “reverent” awe of the lamentation of the “sacred” text.

Yes, let him, Daniel something. At least his Book looks at least somehow decent there, or something.

Here is the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel - this is still the “pearl”!

Ezekiel, along with Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah, is the most revered in Christianity.

Already from the first verses of the 1st chapter, the narration of the prophetic visions of Ezekiel, you cannot call them otherwise than delirium, unhealthy hallucinations. I suspect even by the standards of that ancient time. Judge for yourself:

(Don't read everything. So, fluently.)

“4 And I saw, and behold, a stormy wind came from the north, a great cloud and swirling fire, and a radiance around it,
5 and out of the midst of it is like the light of a flame from the midst of fire; and from the middle of it was seen the likeness of four animals, - and such was their appearance: their appearance was like that of a man;
6 and each has four faces, and each of them has four wings;
7 And their feet were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot, and shone like bright copper.
8 And the hands of men were under their wings, on their four sides;
9 and their faces and their wings are all four; their wings touched one another; during their procession, they did not turn around, but walked each in the direction of his face.
10 The likeness of their faces - the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side of all four of them; and on the left side the face of a calf in all four and the face of an eagle in all four.
11 And their faces and their wings were parted above, but each had two wings that touched one another, and two covered their bodies.
12 And they went, each one in the direction that was before him; where the spirit wanted to go, they went there; during their procession they did not turn around.
13 And the appearance of these animals was like the appearance of burning coals, like the appearance of lamps; fire walked among the animals, and the radiance from the fire and the lightning came from the fire.
14 And the animals moved quickly hither and thither like lightning.
15 And I looked at the animals, and behold, on the ground beside these animals, one wheel in front of their four faces.
16 The type of wheels and their arrangement is like the type of topaz, and the likeness of all four is one; and by their appearance and by their constitution it seemed as if a wheel was in a wheel.
17 As they went, they went to their four sides; did not turn around during the procession.
18 And their rims were high and terrible; their rims around all four were full of eyes.
19 And when the animals went by, the wheels also went by them ; and when the animals rose from the earth, then the wheels also rose.
20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, there they also went; wherever the spirit went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the animals was in wheels.
21 When those went, they went also; and when they stood, they also stood; and when they rose from the earth, then the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the animals was in wheels.
22 Over the heads of the animals was like a vault, like a kind of amazing crystal, stretched from above over their heads.
23 And under the vault their wings stretched out straight one to the other, and each had two wings that covered them, each had two wings that covered their bodies.
24 And as they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a great noise, like the noise of a military camp; A when they stopped, they lowered their wings.
25 And the voice came from the vault that was over their heads; when they stopped, then lowered their wings.
26 And over the dome that is over their heads, was the likeness of a throne in appearance, as it were, from a sapphire stone; and above the likeness of the throne was, as it were, the likeness of a man above it.
27 And I saw as it were a flaming metal, as it were a kind of fire within it all around; from the appearance of his loins and above, and from the form of his loins and below, I saw, as it were, a kind of fire, and a radiance was Around him.
28 In what form a rainbow appears on the clouds during rain, such was the appearance of this radiance around.

And imagine what it all means! Please:

“1 Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw this, I fell on my face.”

Still not to fall. Here it is time for a normal person to start moving his mind. Even evil spirits are sometimes more attractively described.

And theologians, sweating, for centuries looking for a hidden meaning, the “wisdom” of this, wrote mountains of “dissertations”, treatises, articles and thick books. The clergy, accordingly, rub this nonsense to gullible people, passing it off as the "word of God."

“3. and said to me, Son of man! feed your belly and fill your insides with this scroll.”

Then, after breakfast or dinner with this scroll, God gave Ezekiel a bunch of instructions, just as bad as his, in the visions of the prophet, "glory." For example, to lie on one side of this loser for 390 days for the "sins of Israel" (I wonder how many millennia would have to lie for the current ones?), And 40 days on the other side for "the iniquities of the house of Judah" - these, you see, were less fined.

Well, it’s still wherever it goes, you can lie down if you don’t do it. But further...

"12. And eat like barley cakes, and bake them in front of their eyes on human feces.

I can help the "interpreters" of this: it was the first attempt to introduce waste-free production, a closed cycle, so to speak

And now - I ask all these nasty atheists to shut up: the Old Testament god is GOOD, there is proof:

15 And he said to me, Behold, I permit you, instead of human feces, cow dung, and cook on itbread is yours."

In the future, according to the text, curses common to the Old Testament, calls for murder, CANNIBALISM

« 10. Therefore fathers will eat sons among you, and sons will eat their fathers” (ch. 5), various threats, intimidation (and rightly so - there is no braver fighter in the world than a frightened Jew). This is for all 48 chapters.

And God forbid that your minors children read chapter 16! It is disgusting for an adult to read it. The same applies to Chapter 23, where the porn is even worse.

Theologians argue that these allegories are such as to show the dysfunctional affairs in Israel. Well, of course, allegories, but why so swine?

The Book of the Prophet Hosea.

This pepper He was a Samaritan, but somehow he "believed", cut the end - and became a Jew. Well, he, this Hosea, is not very authoritative in Christianity. Let's understand why later.

God taught him to be obedient in an original way:

"2 ... And the Lord said to Hosea: Go, take for yourself a wife, a harlot, and children of fornication (ch. 1)"

He did just that. And what? The boss ordered...

And his god also ordered him to FORMUDE with a married wife:

«… go again and love the woman your husband loves.” (Ch.3, Art.1)

I forgot, the old smoking room from the Sinai volcano, that he himself gave the 7th commandment: "Do not commit adultery!" And Hosea is glad to try, such a stalker.

Theologians present this story as an example of obedience to God, but it seems to me that they just found such a cool excuse for this lecherous male Hosea in his dissolute adventures.

This one proved to us that in addition to the fact that the people of Israel were rather depraved, they also drank desperately:

“5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep and weep, all you drinkers of wine, for grape juice, for it has been taken from your mouth!” (ch.1)

Elijah is also not in the forefront of the prophets, probably because of this kind of “prophecy” that makes you hangover at the seams ...

In general, there is something wrong with these prophecies in the Bible. Please:

"19. And they reported to Saul, saying, Behold, David is in Nawath, in Ramah.
20 And Saul sent servants to take David, and When When they saw a host of prophets prophesying, and Samuel ruling over them, the Spirit of God fell on Saul's servants, and they began to prophesy.
21. Reported about it Saul, and he sent other servants, but these began to prophesy. Then Saul sent third servants, and these began to prophesy. (book 1 Kings, ch.19)

It turns out that it, this prophecy, is like some kind of sticky infection, God forbid ...

I repeat myself, but I emphasize: the prophets mentioned in the Bible, of course, were good people in life, but how they are presented is a balancing act of human imagination. And the saddest thing is that all this is rubbed into gullible people like reality. You should be ashamed, "rubbing" ...

In conclusion, I will quote Edmond Goncourt, a French writer highly respected by me (he also has a brother): “If God exists, then atheism should seem to him less of an insult than religion.”

Prophet Hosea- biblical prophet (the first of 12 minor prophets), the author of the Book of Hosea. He lived and prophesied in Samaria (the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) during the time of King Jeroboam II until the death of Israel in 722. BC. Hosea was a younger contemporary of the prophet Amos.

Northern Kingdom of Israel- one of the two Jewish states that emerged after the collapse of the Israeli kingdom, founded by the prophet Samuel and King Saul in the XI century BC. e .. After the death of Solomon (928 BC), the united kingdom of Israel split into two kingdoms: Judah (in the south, with its capital in Jerusalem) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (the territory of the ten tribes of Israel). According to the Old Testament, the kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel retreated from serving the One God of Israel, first erecting temples with golden statues of calves, and then even worshiping the deities of the Phoenician cult. From the biblical point of view, none of them was a "godly king." In this northern kingdom of Israel, the ruling dynasties have repeatedly changed as a result of coup d'état. In 722 B.C. e. The northern kingdom of Israel was captured by Assyria. All ten tribes that inhabited the Northern Kingdom of Israel were taken into captivity and their further fate is not known.

Of the life of Hosea we know almost nothing; he entered Old Testament history solely as the author of his Book, which is called the Old Testament Gospel.

Personality of the Prophet Hosea

Hosea was from the tribe of Issachar. According to some assumptions, he was a Levite or a priest: he is well acquainted with the life of the clergy. But from the way Hosea speaks about the priests, one can conclude that he belonged to the religious opposition, to people who realized the spiritual crisis of Israel and did not want to put up with the stagnation and degeneration of the faith.

Knee of Issacharovo- one of the tribes of Israel, the descendants of Issachar, the son of Jacob. It was the third largest among all the tribes (Num. 26:25).

Hosea was married, by the command of God, to a dissolute woman named Gomer, whom he loved very much. They had children. However, his family life was unhappy: the unfaithful wife brought him severe suffering with her betrayals. According to custom, Hosea could appeal to the court, which severely punished unfaithful wives, but love did not allow him to do this. Hosea did not want to bring his unfaithful wife to justice and was ready to forgive her.

Gomer - Hosea's wife

This life drama gave the prophet the subject for a parable in which Israel is presented as an unfaithful wife. It was quite in the spirit of the prophets. They often used symbolic acts to draw the attention of the people to their sermon. The harlot Gomer is the people of Israel, the children of the harlot are the contemporary generation of Israel to the prophet. Gomery's life of crime the name means - the complete perfect daughter of voluptuousness) - the image of the idolatrous life of Israel, the symbolic names of her children - Jezreel ( God will scatter, God will sow), Loruhama ( Unpardoned), Loammi ( not my people) - a prediction of the future fate of the people of Israel, a gradual falling away of Israel from God.

Hosea was not able to put up with the fall of his wife for a long time and returned her to the house. Thus, the gap between the spouses ended in reconciliation. Hosea also saw this as a symbol of Israel's coming reconciliation with God.

Hosea preaching

Prophet Hosea lived in a rebellious and disastrous time for his country, a time of palace coups (the prophet survived several kings), corrupted morals, idolatry, lies, deceit, theft, oppression, debauchery, etc. Under King Jeroboam II, the ten-generation Northern Kingdom flourished and became one of the strongest in the Middle East. The peak of power and prosperity came as a result of the victory over the Syrian kingdom, the annexation of Moab, and the mastery of trade routes. The economy flourished, ties with the Phoenicians strengthened. The king launched an extensive construction activity. But despite external prosperity, Israel experienced a huge religious and moral decline. King Jeroboam II was an atheist, introduced the cult of calves for political reasons. This suited many: the aristocrats felt the stability of their well-being, the clergy of Jehovah, while maintaining prosperity and honor, made indulgences in their religious life, artisans had constant orders, ordinary people with pleasure forgot themselves in noisy orgies, pagan priests had a good income for worship.

And then Hosea appeared with his sermon with a call to repent and return to the One God. Exposing the iniquity of the inhabitants of Israel, the prophet announced the coming disasters from foreigners and the resettlement into the captivity of Assyria. Hosea directly said that the Lord would turn away from the Jews and call the Gentiles who believe in him into his Kingdom. It is Hosea who owns the phrase, which has become especially famous, reflecting the belief in the resurrection and salvation of people through the atonement of their sins by the Son of Man: "Death! where is your pity? hell! where is your victory?(Hosea 13:14). But the prophet did not want to listen.

Hosea's sermon

When Jeroboam II died (about 748 BC), the seeming stability collapsed. Anarchy began in the country, kings changed, a civil war broke out. The new rulers came to power for a short time and spent their time in noisy orgies at the court. All this led to the fact that Israel lost its independence, falling under the rule of the Assyrian king Tiglathpallasar III (about 745-727). But the main trouble is the withdrawal of all the inhabitants of the land of the tribe of Naphtali into Assyrian captivity, where an unenviable fate awaited them: women will be sold into harems, men, who are lucky, into the army, the rest into servants or slaves.

He is called the prophet of God's love. The moral suffering that the prophet went through not only influenced his Book, but also became an inner experience of the soul. He was given to experience the personal tragedy of unrequited love, the tragedy of betrayal and loneliness in order to comprehend the mystery of Divine Love and Suffering. Through the painful experience of his personal tragedy, he understood the drama "God is a man": how the Lord feels, who is betrayed by His people.

Elijah and Amos went to Israel with the preaching of the God of justice, Who requires fidelity and truth from a person, and does not spare his people when they deviate from His Law. But the prophet Hosea speaks a word that has not yet been heard by the human ear: he first revealed to the world that God is not only a formidable and punishing Judge, as was thought before, but, above all, a Father full of love and mercy. The same quality - mercy - is required from a person. The prophet Hosea expressed the most important thing about God and man: "For I want Mercy, not sacrifice" (Hos. 6:6, cf. Matthew 9:13). God is love. This New Testament truth was first spoken eight centuries before the Good Shepherd came to earth.

Hosea did not overthrow dynasties, like Elisha, did not fight with the priests of Baal, like Elijah, but acted only as a religious teacher. Like Amos, Hosea spoke out against the idolatry that had taken root among the Jews, turning their hearts to the Lord.

Book of Hosea

The book of the prophet Hosea is a summary of his speeches without following any system and not in chronological order.

The book of the prophet Hosea consists of 14 chapters. Its content can be divided into two parts:

First part (chapters 1-3) is symbolic. Chronologically, apparently, it refers to the beginning of the ministry of the prophet under Jeroboam II. It could be titled Hosea's Family Life Lesson and divided into subtopics:
- wife and children: a parable of condemnation (Hos.1:2-11, Hos.2:1)
- unfaithfulness and punishment: reconciliation and restoration (Hos. 2:2-23)
- return of love (Hos.3:1-5).
In this part of the book, through symbolic actions (marriage with a harlot, the birth of children with "speaking" names), the prophet Hosea proclaims to Israel the rejection of God for their sins. Second part (chapters 4-14)- this is actually the prophetic part of the book. In clear and direct speeches, the prophet denounces the sins of the people of Israel, speaks of the future judgment of God, captivity and the return to God of the remnant. Almost a thousand years before the coming of the Savior, the holy prophet, at the instigation of the Holy Spirit, predicted that the Old Testament sacrifice would cease and there would be no Aaronic priesthood (Hos. 3:5) and that the true knowledge of God would spread throughout the earth (Hos. 2:19-20) . Hosea also spoke of Christ, that He would return from Egypt (Hos. 11:1; cf. Mt. 2:15), rise three days (Hos. 6; cf. 1 Cor. 15:4) and conquer death (Hos. 13 :14; cf. 1 Cor. 15:54-55).

The main theme of the book of Hosea is the covenant between God and Israel. The covenant is presented as a marriage union. Hosea was the first to introduce the symbol of marriage into the biblical tradition to reveal the mystery of God's relationship with man. There is both duty and obligations in marriage, but its essence lies in the mysterious unity of two beings, which is based on LOVE. God made this alliance with Israel out of love, which He repeatedly proved by deeds: God brought the Israelites out of Egypt (Hos.2:1), gave them the law (Hos.8:12), saved them from enemies (Hos.7:13) gave prophets (Hos.11:2), poured out other graces (Hos.12:19). God remained faithful in everything. Israel violated the marriage union, became a fornicator (chapters 1-3), almost immediately after the conclusion of the union turned to idols (Hos.4:17), worshiped Baal-Pegor (Hos.2:15, Hos.11:2), brought sacrifices to idols (Hos. 8:2). The apostasy of Israel is a betrayal of God, like adultery. This "fornication" inevitably entails punishment. Divorce is the symbol of the breaking of the covenant between God and Israel. The people (the unfaithful wife), having fallen away from God, will be ruined and expelled from the boundaries of the land of the Lord. But the love of God is stronger than human sin. Just as a loving husband opened the door to a repentant "harlot wife," so the Lord will accept Israel after repentance. Forgiveness will be marked by the restoration of the Covenant. People will no longer seek salvation in idols, in earthly politics, for the mercy of the Lord will return to them again. Even nature will be transformed and become, as in the days of Eden, friendly and meek (Hos. 2:18).

So is religious faith. It is based not so much on duty or obligation as, above all, love for God. But this love requires moral service, which cannot be replaced by rituals and gifts. "For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings"(Hos. 6:6). Christ the Savior repeated these words (Matthew 9:13), pointing to the central foundation of man's spiritual life. It is mercy in relation to the people around us - people of all nationalities and religions - that the Almighty wants from us, and without this it is useless to go to the temple, put pood candles, bow and even beat our forehead on the floor. All this was done by the Pharisees and hypocrites, whom Christ severely condemned. Unfortunately, there are many of them among Christians. The prophet Hosea makes us once again critically assess our path and spiritual state.

Prophet Hosea lived for many years, his prophetic ministry lasted for more than 60 years. According to legend, he died in Babylon and was buried in upper Galilee. He died in extreme old age 820 years before the birth of Christ.

son of Enos, grandson of Seth, father of Maleleel, descendant of Adam

- son of Cainan, descendant of Seth

father of Enoch, descendant of Seth

- son of Jared, was lifted up to God without dying

son of Enoch, grandfather of Noah

Noah's father, Methuselah's son

- the last of the ten antediluvian patriarchs and the hero of the flood

Shem is the eldest son of Noah, and the ancestor of Israel. Direct ancestor of Abraham

Cain line

• Adam's firstborn son killed Abel
• Enoch - son of Cain
• Irad - son of Enoch
• Mechiel - son of Irad
• Methuselah - "man of God", a descendant of Cain
• - the fifth tribe in the line of Cain. The first polygamist in the Bible.
• - the son of Lamech, the last of the tribe of Cain.

Biblical Characters: Patriarchs After the Flood

Patriarchs in Holy Scripture are called biblical characters who were the pious ancestors of the people of God (Jewish), who lived before the law given on Mount Sinai.

• - the third son of Shem, the grandson of Noah, was born two years after the flood.
• Eber is a descendant of Shem, an ancestor of Abraham, the last of the pious patriarchs before the dispersion of nations.
• Peleg - the son of Eber, the ancestor of Abraham (and Jesus), is recognized as the progenitor of all the Semitic peoples of Mesopotamia.
• - son of Harran (Aran), nephew of Abraham.
• - father of Abraham, his religious practice is hotly debated to this day
• - "father of the multitude", the first Jewish patriarch, the son of Terah, a descendant of Noah. Originally known as Abram.
• - the only son of Abraham by Sarah and the patriarch of the people of Israel
• Jacob is the ancestor of the Israelite people and the ancestor of the 12 tribes of Israel. Son, younger twin brother of Esau, husband of Leah and Rachel. God changed his name to Israel.

Twelve Tribes of Israel (sons of Jacob, aka Israel)

• Asher is the eighth son of Jacob and Ziltha (Leah's maid), the ancestor of the tribe of Asher.
• Benjamin - the twelfth and last of the sons of Jacob; founder of the Benjamin tribe. Saul, the first king of Israel, was from the tribe of Benjamin.
• Dan is the fifth son of Jacob and the firstborn of Jacob by Bilha. Founder of the tribe of Dan.
• Gad is the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, the founder of the tribe of Gad.
• Issachar - the ninth son of Jacob, the fifth, born of Leah; founder of the tribe of Issachar; little is known about his personality.
• Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob. His offspring was divided into 2 tribes: the tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Manasseh. Joseph was taken to Egypt as a slave and was the Pharaoh's interpreter.
• Ephraim - the second and youngest son of Joseph, the founder of the tribe of Ephraim.
• Manasseh – son of Joseph, founder of the Manasseh tribe.
• Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and the ancestor of the tribe of Judah. King David was from the tribe of Judah.
• Naphtali is the sixth son of Jacob from Wallah, the ancestor of the tribe of Naphtali.
• Reuben is the first son of Jacob and Leah, the ancestor of the tribe of Reuben.
• Simeon is the second son of Jacob by Leah.
• Zebulun is the tenth son of Jacob and the sixth son of Leah.

From the formation of a nation to the creation of a kingdom.

• Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and the progenitor of the tribe of Judah.
• Esrom is the great-grandson of Jacob, the grandson of Judah, the ancestor of King David.
• Aminadab - father of Nahson, ancestor of David and Jesus
• Nahson - the name means "snake"; leader of the tribe of Judah in the wilderness.
• - hero; Boaz married Ruth and became the father of Obed (David's grandfather)
• Obed - son of Boaz and Ruth, father of Jesse, grandfather of King David
• Jesse - this name means "courageous"; father of King David, lived in Bethlehem, had eight sons (of which David was the youngest) and two daughters.
• - the name means "beloved" or "beloved"; the first king to unite Israel and Judah, reigned from 1005 to 965 BC. e.

Bible Characters: Bible Prophets

Great Prophets

• Isaiah - relatively little is known about this biblical character. Prophet of the Kingdom of Judah. Was a prophet during the reign of the Jewish kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah; biblical author.
• - belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; prophet in Judea until its fall in 586 BC. e.; known as a weeping prophet, author and.
• Ezekiel is a Jewish priest and prophet. He was taken captive to Babylon in 597 BC. e.; had a thorough knowledge of the Jerusalem temple. Author .
• - a man of extraordinary wisdom and righteousness; member of the Jewish nobility, driven to Babylon in 597 BC. e. Author .

Twelve Minor Prophets.

• Hosea - carried out prophetic ministry during the period when Assyria established a new regime of domination in the East. His predictions are recorded in . He was married to a harlot, often referred to as the "prophet of fate."
• Joel is the son of Bethuel; lived in Jerusalem, is mentioned by name only once in the Old Testament - in the preface to.
• - a prophet who lived around 750 BC. e., preached in the northern kingdom; was a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea, was called to remind people of the punishing justice of God and call them to repentance; opposed the gap between the very rich and the very poor.
• Obadiah is the fourth of the minor prophets; probably a contemporary of Jeremiah and Ezekiel; little is known about his personality. Author .
• Jonah is the son of Amathine; prophet of the northern kingdom (about 800 BC). Author
• Micah - prophesied around 737-696 BC. e. in Judea. A contemporary of Isaiah, Amos and Hosea; condemned king Ahab; prophesied about the future destruction of Jerusalem and the future restoration of the Jewish state; predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
• Naum - very little is known about his personality; wrote about the fall of the Assyrian kingdom; may have written his prophecies around 615 BC. e.
• Habakkuk is believed to have lived in Jerusalem, and was probably a contemporary of Jeremiah and Zephaniah.
• Zephaniah - prophesied in the days of Josiah, king of Judah (641-610 BC), a contemporary of Jeremiah, with whom he has much in common; boldly opposed religious and moral corruption.
• Haggai - Jewish prophet during the construction of the second temple in Jerusalem; work on the restoration of the temple resumed thanks to him and the efforts and the efforts of the prophet Zechariah.
• Zechariah - was a contemporary of Haggai; played a significant role in the restoration of the temple.
• , the author of the Old Testament, about which almost nothing is known.

Biblical Characters: Biblical Kings

United Monarchy (Israel and Judah)

• Saul - the first king of Israel, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin; anointed king by Samuel, ruled from 1020-1000 BC. e.
• - ruled from 1005-965 BC e.
• Solomon is the tenth son of David and the second son of Bathsheba; third king of Israel, reigned 40 years around 1000 BC e.

Rulers of Israel (Northern Kingdom)

• Jeroboam I - son of Navat, king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel after the uprising of ten northern Israeli tribes against Rehoboam, which put an end to the United Monarchy; reigned 22 years from 922 BC. e. 901.
• Navat - the son and heir of Jeroboam, the second king of Northern Israel, reigned for two years from 901 to 900 BC. uh..
• Vaasa - reigned for 23 years (about 900 - 877 BC). Came to power by killing the previous king Navat.
• Elah is the son of Baas, who succeeded him as the 4th king of Israel, he reigned approximately in 877 - 876 BC. e.; was killed (along with his family).
• Zimri - King of Israel for seven days around 876 B.C. e.; the murderer of King Ila, was burned alive.
• Thamnius, son of Gonathov; ruled from about 876 - 871 BC. e.;
• Omri - reigned 12 years (approximately 876 - 869 BC)
• Ahab - reigned for 22 years (from 869 - 850 BC), married Jezebel (daughter of the king of Tyre), sought to spread the worship of Baal.
• Ahaziah is the son of Ahab and Jezebel; reigned from about 850 - 849 BC; historical documents record that the Moabites rebelled against him. Ahaziah died when he fell from the roof of the gallery of his palace. Didn't have sons. Ahaziah was succeeded by his younger brother.
• Jehoram is the son of Ahab and Jezebel and the brother of King Ahaziah; reigned 12 years (approximately 849 - 842 BC); worshiped Baal; killed by his own commander Jehu with an arrow in the back.
• Jehu is the son of Jehoshaphat; reigned from 842 - 815 BC. e. after the murder of Jehoram.
• Jehoahaz, son of Jehu; reigned for seventeen years (approximately 815 - 801 BC).
• Joash is the son of Jehoahaz; reigned for 16 years (approximately 801 - 786 BC).
• Jeroboam II - son and successor of Joash; ruled for 41 years (approximately 786 -746 BC), defeated the Syrians; encouraging the worship of golden calves; reigned during the time of the prophets Hosea, Joel, and Amos.
• Zechariah - son of Jeroboam II; ruled for 6 months (746 - 745 BC);
• Sellum - originally a captain in the army of King Zechariah, he conspired against Zechariah and killed him; reigned "a month of days" before another captain from Zechariah's army put him to death and reigned in his place.
• Menaim - reigned 10 years (approximately 745 - 736 BC) after the assassination of Sellum. Scholars believe that Menaim died of natural causes. His son succeeded him on the throne.
• Fakiya - the son of Menaim; reigned for 2 years (approximately 742 - 740 BC) Was killed in the fortress of the royal palace in Samaria.
• Fakey, the son of Remalin, captain in the army of King Phakia, whom he killed to become king; reigned for several years (approximately 737 - 732 BC (the date of his reign is still being discussed)); was killed by Hosea, who seized the throne.
• Hosea is the son of Elah, the last king of the kingdom of Israel. Ruled approximately 732 - 721 BC. e.

Kingdom of Judah (Southern Kingdom)

• Rehoboam is the son of Solomon, the grandson of David; was the king of the kingdom of Judah, reigned from about 932 - 915 BC. e.
• Abijah is the son of Rovam, the grandson of Solomon, the great-grandson of David; the fourth king from the tribe of David and the second ruler of the kingdom of Judah; had 22 sons and 16 daughters from 14 wives; fought with King Jeroboam I in an attempt to unite the two kingdoms.
• Asa is the son of Abijah; reigned 41 years (913-873 BC); was zealously devoted to God and tried to rid the country of idolatry.
• Jehoshaphat - the son of Asa, reigned for 25 years (approximately 871 - 849 BC).
• Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat; reigned 8 years (849 - 842 BC); trying to consolidate his power, he killed six brothers and entered into an agreement with the northern kingdom by marrying the daughter of King Ahab.
• Ahaziah is the son of Jehoram; reigned for one year (842 BC); was the youngest son of Jehoram.
• Athaliah is the daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel; reigned 6 years (842-837 BC); spread the cult of Baal in Judea, ordered the execution of all possible contenders for the throne.
• Joash is the only surviving son of Ahaziah after the massacre of Athaliah; ascended the throne at the age of 7 years, reigned for 40 years (approximately 837 - 800 AD). He was killed by his servants.
• Amaziah is the son of Joash; took the throne after the assassination of his father at the age of 25; reigned 29 years (797-768 BC). Having ascended the throne, he ordered the execution of the murderers of his father, but, contrary to custom, he allowed the children of traitors to live. He was killed in Lachish.
• Uzziah is the son of Amaziah; reigned 52 years (approximately 783 - 742 BC); was faithful to God during his early reign; was stricken with leprosy for disobeying God.
• Jotham is the son of Uzziah; reigned for 11 years (approximately 742 - 735 BC). A contemporary of the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and Micah, whose advice he listened to.
• Ahaz is the son of Jotham; reigned for 16 years (approximately 732 - 729 BC). He indulged in gross idolatry and even sacrificed his own children to his pagan gods.
• Hezekiah is the son of Ahaz; reigned for 29 years (approximately 715 - 686 BC), having ascended the throne, he immediately instructed the priests and Levites to start repairing the temple. He was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah and Micah; died of natural causes at the age of 54 and was succeeded by his son Manasseh.
• Manasseh is the son of Hezekiah; took the throne at the age of 12 and reigned for 55 years (approximately 687 - 643 BC). He canceled the reforms carried out by his father Hezekiah and restored the pagan cult again.
• Ammon - the son of Manasseh, reigned for 2 years (642 - 640 BC).
• Josiah, the son of Amon, took the throne at the age of 8 after the murder of his father and reigned for 31 years (641 - 610 BC). He carried out religious reforms, organized the repair of the temple, during which Helkia discovered the "book of the law of Moses." Many scholars believe that it was a copy of the book. The discovery of the book prompted Josiah to renew the ancient covenant with God. He ordered the destruction of pagan idols and the emblems of Baal, as well as the burning of the bones of the dead priests. Josiah died in battle against the Egyptians.
• Jehoahaz - the son of Josiah, neglected the reforms of his father, reigned only 3 months in 609 BC. e., a, died in exile.
• Joachim - the son of Josiah, reigned 11 years (608 - 597 BC). In 598 BC. e. he died and his body was thrown outside the walls of the city
• Jeconiah - son of Joachim; reigned 3 months and 10 days (from December 9, 598 to March 15/16, 597 BC) Jeremiah cursed him and his descendants. Mentioned in as an ancestor of Joseph. Dethroned by Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon
• Zedekiah is the last king of Judah. According to the Bible, he was put on the throne by King Nebuchadnezzar II in 597 BC. e. at the age of 21. He was taken to Babylonian captivity, where he remained a prisoner until his death.

Characters of the New Testament.

Jesus Christ and his relatives.

• Jesus - needs no introduction, the Savior, the Messiah and the central character of the New Testament.
• , Joseph's wife, known as "Our Lady" because of her virginal conception. The Gospel of James contains the names of her parents - Joachim and Anna; her death is not recorded in the Bible.
• - son of Jacob, husband of Mary, descendant of David; last mentioned in the Bible when Jesus was 12 years old. The lack of later references suggests that he may have died at a young age. By profession - a highly skilled craftsman in wood, stone or metal.

Brothers of Jesus.

Among Catholics and Orthodox there is no unity of opinion about exactly what kind of relationship Jesus was with the brothers. In the Orthodox tradition, the opinion prevails that the brothers of Jesus are his half-brothers, the children of Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage. In the Catholic tradition, it is believed that these are the cousins ​​of Jesus, the children of Mary Kleopova.

• Jacob - along with Judas is often referred to in the Bible as the "brother of the Lord", executed in Jerusalem a few years before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. e.
• Judas is the brother of Jesus, sometimes confused with Judas, who was one of the twelve disciples.
• Joses - is mentioned in as the brother of Jesus.
• Simon - is mentioned in as the brother of Jesus.

Christian Apostles are followers of Jesus.

Twelve Apostles.

• Peter (aka Simon or Cephas) ​​is the son of Jonah from the village of Bethsaida. His brother Andrew was also an apostle. Peter denied Jesus three times before truly believing. Leader of the early Christian church. The Catholic Church considers him the first Pope. He was crucified in Rome under the emperor Nero.
• Andrei (brother of Peter) - was born in the village of Bethsaida, a fisherman by profession. He was also a disciple of John the Baptist. He was martyred on the cross in Achaia.
• James is the son of Zebedee. Was executed by the sword. This is the only apostle whose martyrdom is described in the New Testament.
• John is the son of Zebedee, the brother of James; church tradition holds that he outlived the rest of the apostles and was the only one who did not die a martyr's death. It is believed that he is the author of several books of the New Testament -, and, as well.
• Philip is an apostle, originally from the city of Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. Legend has it that he was martyred and executed in Hierapolis.
• Bartholomew is one of the first disciples of Christ, called fourth after Andrew, Peter and Philip. The legend says that he was martyred in Armenia, he was either cut off his head or skinned alive and crucified.
• Thomas, also known as "Unbelieving Thomas" - according to tradition, when Jesus was resurrected, Thomas was traveling outside the Roman Empire and did not believe the good news that had come to him. It is believed that Thomas was killed in 72 in India, possibly by a spear or arrow.
• Matthew - mentioned as a tax collector (perhaps for Herod Antipas); also called Levius, son of Alpheus, believed to be the author.
• James, son of Alphaeus, may have been the brother of Matthew. Some researchers attribute authorship to him.
• Judas (Thaddeus) is the son of Jacob. Not to be confused with Judas the traitor (they are clearly separated from each other in the Bible). In some lists of the apostles, his name is omitted - Judas, he is simply called Thaddeus, probably due to the fact that the name Judas was tarnished by Judas Iscariot (traitor). Thaddeus preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Syria, Mesopotamia and Libya. Legend says that he was born into a Jewish family, but probably spoke both Greek and Aramaic, and was a farmer by profession. According to tradition, he was martyred in 65 in Beirut, in the Roman province of Syria, along with the Apostle Simon, possibly died from an axe, the body was brought to Rome and placed in St. Peter's Basilica.
• Simon - According to legend, the holy apostle Simon preached the teachings of Christ in Judea, Egypt, Abkhazia and Libya.
• Judas Iscariot (traitor) is the son of Simon Iscariot, infamous for his betrayal. Sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Tradition says that he hanged himself after a betrayal.

Bible Characters - High Priests of the New Testament

• Caiaphas, high priest - Joseph Caiaphas; high priest during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. The leader in the conspiracy to arrest and execute Jesus had no power to punish him with death, so he sent Jesus to Pilate, the governor of Rome, to pronounce the sentence. Caifa served as high priest from 18-37 CE. e.
• Anna - the first high priest of Roman Judea - the son of Seth, the high priest at the time of John the Baptist; served as high priest from A.D. 6-16. e.
• Zechariah - the father of John the Baptist - a priest in Jerusalem. In old age, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and announced that he and his wife should give birth to a child.

Bible Characters - New Testament Prophets

• Agav is a prophet in the early church; perhaps one of the 70 disciples of Christ, prophesied in Antioch about the approaching famine.
• Simeon is a prophet and teacher in the church in Antioch.
• John the Baptist - son of Zechariah and Elizabeth; born about six months before Jesus Christ; denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as the offspring of vipers; baptized Jesus; was thrown into prison and beheaded by Herod.

Believers in the New Testament.

• Apollos was an eloquent, educated man, well versed in the sacred writings. He preached in Corinth after the Apostle Paul.
• Akila - Priscilla's husband; came from Italy to Corinth after Claudius ordered the expulsion of the Jews from Rome, became a Christian and helped Paul in his ministry.
• Dionysius the Areopagite, one of Paul's converts in Athens; member of the Areopagus, an elite and influential group of officials.
• Epaphras, an associate of the Apostle Paul, was the bishop of the city of Colossus and the churches of Laodicea and Hierapolis.
• Joseph of Arimathea is a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, a Jewish elder, in whose tomb Jesus Christ was buried.
• Lazarus is the brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany, raised by Jesus from the dead after lying in the grave for four days.
• Luke is a pagan by birth, the author and. A close friend and companion of Paul; possibly from Antioch.
• Martha is a close friend and follower of Jesus, sister of Mary and Lazarus.

Other characters in the New Testament

• Matthias is the apostle who replaced Judas after his betrayal and suicide.
• Paul (Saul) - missionary, theologian and writer of the ancient church; wrote 13 epistles, which make up almost 1/4 of the New Testament.
• Barnabas is a Levite and originally from Cyprus; birth name Joseph (or Joses); sold his property and gave the proceeds to the Jerusalem church. One of the 70 disciples of Jesus.