St. Prophet Hosea; St. Cuv. Mc. Andrei the Criteantranslated

Orthodox calendar, October 17 Holy Prophet Hosea

The prophetic mission of Hosea, the son of Beeri from the tribe of Issachar, took place in the kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam II and his successors, as well as in the kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (790-725 BC), being contemporary with the Prophet Isaiah.

The prophet Hosea reprimanded the Israelites for worshiping idols, for covenant violations and the sinful life of the priests, the people and the royal family (Hosea 9, 8-9; 7,13; 6, 7-9). The prophet urged everyone to repent, shouting: "Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have grown weak in your iniquities" (Hosea 14, 2-3). Speaking about the messianic time, the Prophet Hosea showed that the heathen will be called to the true God.

About this, the Holy Apostle Paul writes to the Romans, recalling the words of Hosea: "We, whom he has called, not only from the Jews, but also from the pagans, as he also says in Hosea: I will call my people who are not my people and the beloved one who was not loved. And it will be in the place where it was said to them: you are not my people - there they will be called the sons of God...