When man has sinned against a holy and merciful God, he can pursue no course so noble as to sincerely repent and confess his errors in tears and bitterness of soul. This God requires of him; He will accept of nothing less than a broken heart and a contrite spirit. But the king and his lords, in their arrogance and pride, refused the invitation of God to return; they would not heed this warning and repent. This gracious opportunity was their last. God had declared that if they refused to hear His voice, He would inflict upon them fearful retribution. They did refuse to hear, and He pronounced His judgments upon Israel; He visited with special wrath the man who had proudly lifted himself up against the Almighty. {4T 178.3}

Når mennesket har syndet mod en hellig og nådig Gud, kan han ikke gøre det bedre end at angre oprigtigt og bekende sine fejl i tårer og sjælsbitterhed. Dette er hvad Gud kræver af ham; han vil ikke acceptere mindre end et brudt (179) hjerte og en angerfuld ånd. Men kongen og hans herrer afviste, i hovmod og stolthed, Guds indbydelse at vende tilbage; de ville ikke give agt på denne advarsel og angre. Denne storslåede anledning var deres sidste. Gud havde erklæret at hvis de ikke ville høre hans røst, ville han påføre dem en frygtelig straf. De nægtede at høre og han fællede sine domme over Israel; han hjemsøgte mennesker med særlig vrede, som hovmodigt satte sig op mod den Almægtige.