Dr. Pothana's Teaching

1. Dr.
Pothana

2. Historical setting
Prophesied during the reign of King Uzziah
of Judah (806 – 754BC), and
The reign of King Jeroboam II, the son of
Joash, King of Israel. (c. 836 - 784 BC)
Earthquake causing terror
Two years before the earthquake (1:1)
Earthquake mentioned by Zechariah (14:5)
Sun darkened
Solar Eclipse June 15, 763 BC

3. Historical background
 Amos 1:1 clearly states when
Amos was at work:
“…in the days of Uzziah king of
Judah, and in the days of
Jeroboam, son of Joash, king of
Israel, two years before the
earthquake.”
 Jeroboam II took the throne in
796BC
 Uzziah died 739BC
 Most scholars agree that Amos was
working around 760BC

4. Background to Amos

5. Amos comes from the village of
Tekoa, south of Jerusalem

6. Small mountain village

7. Not a business center, more a
shepherding community

8. Background to Amos
 Amos is a commoner
 Not a priest, nor a member of
the “School of Prophets,”
 He describes himself as a
shepherd and “dresser of
Sycamore trees…”
 Obviously educated, however –
his book shows its writer had
plenty of literary skill.
 May have been well travelled
as well (he describes many
places that he may have
visited)

10. Amos’ Calling
 Amos was not called while
searching for God’s purposes
 Amos was called while he
was at his hum-drum day
job
 So was David, so was Gideon, so
was Matthew, and on and on.
 He took his shepherd’s staff,
and went where God sent
him.
 His book is full of imagery
that comes straight from
the vast and huge
wilderness beyond Tekoa.
 As a shepherd, Amos is at
or very near the bottom of
the social pyramid – he
would be like a dalit of
today
 What does this show about God?

11. shepherd’s staff

12. Significance of Dates
 Amos was hardly the
only prophet around at
the time
 As a boy, he could very
well have heard Elisha
 As a young man, he
would have heard
Jonah
 Hosea worked at the
same time, and they
definitely would have
known each other
(they were both
prophets to the same
area)

13. When Amos was an old man, a young Isaiah could very well
have learned from him
A young Micah could have listened to an old Amos preach

14. Amos’ World
 Israel (and Judah both) were at high
points in their power
 Assyria had not yet risen to world-
conquering status
 Money poured in through trade and
production
 Armies were victorious – glory and honor
 No nation nearby was strong enough to
threaten either nation
 Amos’ message would have been highly
improbable
 Things are going good – how could they be
destroyed?
 Life is great, yet Amos says we’re doing
things wrong?

15. What was Amos like?
 From his book, Amos’ personality can be
described as:
 Humble – he does not hide his station in life
 Wise – he preaches directly to the people, not over
them
 Clever – he catches people’s attention by first
condemning their enemies
 Fearless – he tells the truth to all, including kings
 Faithful – His message is strictly God’s message

16. mos feared the Lord so much he feared nothing
se:
He had harsh words for King Jeroboam, at a time
that didn’t even make sense from man’s perspective
Amos’ Message

17. “He who
handles the bow
shall not stand!”
– Israel relied on
archers for their
military success:
they were the
best in the world
at the time!

18. “Nor shall
he who
rides the
horse save
his life” –
Israel’s
cavalry
forces at
the time
were
nearly
invincible

19. Message

20. n other words –
hen a lion eats a
eep, it tears it to
, and the only part
ou might rescue
would be the
tovers. Israel, if it
eps sinning will be
actly like that….

21. Impossible?
 Israel at the time was stronger than it had ever
been, except for under David – what Amos is
suggesting is simply impossible!
 Except for the fact that 50 years later, it happened…
 Why do great nations come apart?
 Every. Single. Time. The answer is sin. When
people become so sinful that their nation no longer
operates as it should – watch out!

22. Amos - Overview
• Outline
– Amos 1-2 – Yahweh deals with the nations
– Amos 3-4 – Yahweh deals specifically with His people
– Amos 5-6 – The call to repent
– Amos 7-9 – Five visions

23. Amos 1-2
 Amos begins his ministry in Bethel – a city on the
southern edge of the northern kingdom of Israel –
22 miles from home.
 He begins by pronouncing judgment on six
neighboring nations: Damascus (Syria), Gaza
(Philistia), Tyre (Phoenicia), Edom, Ammon, and
Moab.
 He then pronounces God’s judgment against Judah
(his home!)
 Israelites are definitely in agreement with him here. He’s
calling out all the sins of everyone they can’t stand.
 He then slams Israel itself, followed by the entire nation.

24. Amos 1-2
 What did Amos call them out on?
 Excessive luxury
 Greed
 Careless attitude
 Selfishness
 Lying and cheating
 Oppressing the poor
 Worst of all – hypocrisy (saying you belong to
God, and He is on your side, when in reality you
act the opposite of what He wants!)

25. Amos 3-6
 Now, Amos goes into detail on Israel and why
God is angry with them.
 He lists their sins again: greedy, unjust, immoral,
wicked
 Worse than that, however, is this: Israel excuses
themselves by saying they are God’s chosen
people

26. Amos 3-6
 Amos says that there is still a way out – Israel
need to repent!
 Repentance means a “turn from sin,” or doing a
180. It absolutely is not just a “Oops, sorry…”
 True repentance comes from the heart, a desire to
never do the same thing again, no matter what the
cost.

27.  Israel had rejected God’s
warnings – therefore the
punishment was coming…
Amos describes it in five
visions:

28.  Amos says that there is still a way out – Israel
need to repent!
 Repentance means a “turn from sin,” or doing a
180. It absolutely is not just a “Oops, sorry…”
 True repentance comes from the heart, a desire to
never do the same thing again, no matter what the
cost.

29. Dr. Pothana
+91-8309511427
bhaktapothana@gmail.com