Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Time of Amos

Amos prophesied “in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake” (1:1). 
                        
1. Uzziah reigned from 767 to 753 B.C. (2 Kings 15:1-7; 2 Chronicles 26:1-23).

2. Jeroboam II reigned from 782 to 753 B.C. (2 Kings 14:21-29).

3. This leaves an overlap from 767 to 753 B.C.

4. Over two hundred years later, Zechariah referred to this earthquake in Uzziah’s reign (Zechariah 14:5).

5. Amos 7:11 anticipates the 722 B.C. Assyrian captivity of Israel and indicates that at the time of writing, Jeroboam II was not yet dead.

6. Thus, Amos prophesied in Bethel about 755 B.C.
Amos ministered after the time of Obadiah (840 B.C.), Joel (835 B.C.), and Jonah (760 B.C.) and just before Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah.

1. At this time Uzziah reigned over a prosperous and militarily successful Judah.

2. In the north, Israel was ruled by the capable King Jeroboam II.

a. Economic and military circumstances were almost ideal, but prosperity only increased the materialism, immorality, and injustice of the people (2:6-8; 3:10; 4:1; 5:10-12; 8:4-6).

b. Amos’ frontal attack on the greed, injustice, and self-righteousness of the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel is very unpopular.

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