Graphics Am

Graphics of Amos

Contents

1 Amos's Time
2 Vital statistics
3 The Rulers and Prophets of Amos's Time
4 Personality Profile:
5 Amos
6 Amos
7 The Blueprint
8 Amos Overview
9 Five Visions of Amos

Amos's Time

Jeroboam II becomes king of Israel	Amos becomes a prophet to Israel	Hosea becomes a prophet to Israel	King Shallum of Israel is assassinated	Amos's ministry ends	Isaiah becomes a prophet to Judah
793 B.C	760	753	752	750	740

Vital statistics

Purpose:	To pronounce God's judgment upon Israel, the northern kingdom, for its complacency, idolatry, and oppression of the poor.
Author:	Amos
Original audience:	The people of Israel (the northern kingdom)
Date written:	Probably during the reigns of Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah (approximately 760-750 B.C.)
Setting:	The wealthy people of Israel were enjoying peace and prosperity. They were quite complacent and were oppressing the poor, even selling therm into slavery. Soon, however, Israel would be conquered by Assyria, and the rich would themselves become slaves.
Key verse:	"Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an end less river of righteous living" (5:24)
Key people:	Amos, Amaziah, Jeroboam II
Key places:	Bethel, Samaria
Special features:	Amos uses striking metaphors from his shepherding and farming experience-a loaded wagon (2:13), a roaring lion (3:8), a mutilated sheep (3:12), fat cows (4:1), and a basket of ripe fruit (8:1, 2).

The Rulers and Prophets of Amos's Time

840 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 690 680
Kings of Assyria
755-745 Ashurnirari

Ashurdan III       773 -755
Tiglath-pileserIII   745-727
705Sennacherib 781

Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom)

793         Jeroboam II           753
Menahem   752 742 Northern ten tribes taken captive by King Shalmaneser V of Assyria in 722

752 Pekah 732
732 Hoshea 722

Jehoash (Joash)798   782
Zechariah
Shallum one month

742 Pekahiah 740

Hosea and His Contemporary Prophets       (Northern Kingdom)

AMOS     767 755

   Jonah     784         772
765          Hosea         714

Kings of Judah  (Southern Kingdom)

790 Uzziah or Azariah 739
735 Ahaz 715

796 Amaziah 767

750   Jotham   731

Prophets to       Judah           (Southern Kingdom)

739                            Isaiah                            681

733      Micah     701

825 Joel 809
840 830 820 810 800 790 780 770 760 750 740 730 720 710 700 690 680

Personality Profile:

Amos

1:1 Name means: “Burden bearer.”

Home: Tekoa (Amos 1:1), a town about 10 miles south of Jerusalem.

Occupation: Sheep breeder (1:1), sycamore cultivator (7:14), and prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II (c. 793–753 a.d.).

Best known today as: A prophet who denounced the northern kingdom of Israel for its idolatry, injustice, corruption, and oppression of the poor. Amos’ warnings of the Lord’s judgment came to pass when Assyria overran Israel a generation later.

Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Am 1.5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Amos

Served as a prophet to Israel (the northern kingdom) from 760-750 B.C.

CLIMATE OF THE TIMES	Israel was enjoying peace and economic prosperity. But this blessing had caused her to become a selfish, materialistic society. Those who were well-off ignored the needs of those less fortunate. The people were self-centered and indifferent toward God.
MAIN MESSAGE	Amos spoke against those who exploited or ignored the needy.
IMPORTANCE OF MESSAGE	Believing in God is more than a matter of individual faith. God calls all believers to work against injustices in society and to aid those less fortunate.
CONTEMPORARY PROPHETS	Jonah (793-753 B.C.), Hosea (753-715 B.C)

The Blueprint

1. ANNOUNCEMENT OF JUDGMENT (1:1-2:16)

2. REASONS FOR JUDGMENT (3:1-6:14)

3. VISIONS OF JUDGMENT (7:1-9:15)

Amos speaks with brutal frankness in denouncing sin. He collided with the false religions leaders of his day and was not intimidated by priest or king. He continued to speak his message boobly. God requires truth and goodness, justice and righteousness, from all people and nations today as well. Many of the conditions in Israel during Amos's time are evident in today's society. We need Amos's courage to ignore danger and stand against sin.