For more than a thousand years the Jewish nation had abused God's mercy and invited His judgments. They had rejected His warnings and slain His prophets. For these sins the people of Christ's day made themselves responsible by following the same course. In the rejection 587 of their present mercies and warnings lay the guilt of that generation. The fetters which the nation had for centuries been forging, the people of Christ's day were fastening upon themselves.

Gennem mere end tusinde år havde jødefolket misbrugt Guds barmhjertighed og nedkaldt hans domme over sig. De havde forkastet hans advarsler og dræbt hans profeter. Folket på Kristi tid gjorde sig medansvarlige for disse synder ved at fortsætte på samme måde. Denne generations brøde bestod i forkastelsen af deres nuværende nåde og de advarsler, de havde fået. De lænker, som nationen gennem århundreder havde smedet, blev af folket på Kristi tid lagt på dem selv.