By the Babylonish captivity the Israelites were effectually cured of the worship of graven images. During the centuries that followed, they suffered from the oppression of heathen foes, until the conviction became fixed that their prosperity depended upon their obedience to the law of God. But with too many of the people obedience was not prompted by love. The motive was selfish. They rendered outward service to God 29 as the means of attaining to national greatness. They did not become the light of the world, but shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation to idolatry. In the instruction given through Moses, God had placed restrictions upon their association with idolaters; but this teaching had been misinterpreted. It was intended to prevent them from conforming to the practices of the heathen. But it was used to build up a wall of separation between Israel and all other nations. The Jews looked upon Jerusalem as their heaven, and they were actually jealous lest the Lord should show mercy to the Gentiles.

Gennem det babyloniske fangenskab blev israelitterne vænnet grundigt af med at tilbede udskårne billeder. I de følgende århundreder led de under undertrykkelse af hedenske fjender, indtil det blev deres faste overbevisning, at deres lykke var afhængig af deres lydighed mod Guds lov. Men hos alt for mange af folket var det ikke kærlighed, der tilskyndede dem til lydighed. De havde egenkærlige motiver. I det ydre tjente de Gud som midlet til at opnå national storhed. De blev ikke verdens lys, men lukkede sig ude fra verden for at undgå fristelsen til afgudsdyrkelse. I de forskrifter, der var givet ved Moses, havde Gud sat begrænsninger for deres samkvem med afgudsdyrkere; men denne belæring var blevet forkert fortolket. Den var beregnet til at forhindre dem i at rette sig efter hedningernes skikke; men den blev benyttet til at opbygge, en skillemur mellem Israel og alle andre folkeslag. Jøderne betragtede Jerusalem som deres himmel, og de blev ligefrem skinsyge, hvis Herren viste barmhjertighed mod hedningerne.