All this terrible calamity was suffered of God, to humble the pride of the Jewish nation. Their crimes and wickedness had been so great that the Lord permitted the wicked Herod to thus punish them. Had they been less boastful and ambitious, their lives pure, their habits simple and sincere, God would have preserved them from being thus humiliated and afflicted by their enemies. God would, in a signal manner, have made the wrath of the king harmless to his people, had they been faithful and perfect before him. But he could not especially work for them, for their works were abhorred by him. {2SP 28.1}

Hele denne frygtelige katastrofe udholdt Gud, for at ydmyge det jødiske folks stolthed. Deres forbrydelser og ondskab havde været så står at Herren lod den onde Herodes straffe dem sådan. Var de mindre pralende og ærgerrige, var deres liv rent, og deres levevaner enkle og oprigtige, ville Gud have bevaret dem fra at blive så ydmyget og forpint af deres fjender. På en tydelig måde ville Gud have gjort kongens vrede uskadelig for sit folk, som de havde været trofast og fuldkommen over for ham. Men han kunne ikke arbejdet specielt for dem, for deres gerninger var en afsky for ham.