This calamity the Jews had brought upon themselves. If they had been walking in faithfulness and humility before God, He would in a signal manner have made the wrath of the king harmless to them. But they had separated themselves from God by their sins, and had rejected the Holy Spirit, which was their only shield. They had not studied the Scriptures with a desire to conform to the will of God. They had searched for prophecies which could be interpreted to exalt themselves, and to show how God despised all other nations. It was their proud boast that the 66 Messiah was to come as a king, conquering His enemies, and treading down the heathen in His wrath. Thus they had excited the hatred of their rulers. Through their misrepresentation of Christ's mission, Satan had purposed to compass the destruction of the Saviour; but instead of this, it returned upon their own heads.

Denne ulykke havde jøderne selv bragt over deres hoveder. Hvis de havde vandret i troskab og ydmyghed over for Gud, ville han på en afgørende måde have bevirket, at kongens raseri ikke havde voldt dem skade. Men de havde gennem deres synd adskilt sig fra Gud og havde forkastet hans Helligånd, som var deres eneste værn. De havde ikke gransket Skrifterne i den hensigt at rette sig efter Guds bud. De havde gransket de profetier, der kunne fortolkes til deres egen ophøjelse og som beviser for, i hvor høj grad Gud ringeagtede alle andre folkeslag. De hovmodede sig med stolthed over, at Messias skulle komme som en konge, besejre sine fjender og i sin harme træde hedningerne under fod. På denne måde havde de gjort sig forhadt af deres overherre. Gennem deres falske fremstilling af Kristi kald var det Satans hensigt at opnå tilintetgørelse af Frelseren; men nu kom straffen i stedet for over dem selv.