Approach: Learning how to read and understand prophetic and apocalyptic literature.

Hermeneutic objective: Carefully observe the background and context of the author and audience of the prophecy.

Theological objective: Prophets, in their tireless call to Israel to remember their covenant commitment, would pronounce God's judgment for Israel's failure to uphold their part of the Mosaic Covenant. Punishment of God's faithless people placed an emphasis on God's sovereign rule and authority. And all of this was within the context of God's promise to Abraham, "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you" (Gen 17:7).