It is because for many days the sons of Israel will dwell without a king and without a prince and without a sacrifice and without a pillar and without an ephod and teraphim.

25. (a) As illustrated by Hosea, how did Jehovah discipline his covenant people in ancient times? (b) How was “David their king” looked for, and to which lookers was Jehovah’s mercy show?

²⁵ After Hosea lovingly took his legal wife Gomer back, he disciplined her with sexual restrictions, including, apparently, his own holding back from husbandly attentions. So, too, the exiled Israelites were disciplined, not being allowed to have Israelite kings or royal princes or idolatrous priests or other paraphernalia of idolatrous worship. (Hos. 13:11) Lovingly, in 537 B.C.E., Jehovah took back his disciplined, repentant remnant that turned back to him from apostate religion. These began looking and waiting for their Messianic Liberator from Gentile control. This Messiah was the King who was to come in the royal line of David. (Dan. 9:24-27) In God’s due time he did come. In 33 C.E. Jehovah glorified the Messiah Jesus as King in heaven. A remnant of believing Israelites followed him as their heavenly Messianic King. (Col. 1:13) These obtained Jehovah’s mercy.​—Rom. 9:24-26; 1 Pet. 2:9, 10.

26. Back there, who proved to be Lo-ruhamah (Unpitied One)?

²⁶ The unbelieving nation of Israel became as Lo-ruhamah (Unpitied One). Unrepentant Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E., and Jewish survivors were scattered world wide.​—Matt. 24:15-22; Luke 21:20-24.

27. (a) In this “time of the end,” how have the remnant come quivering to Jehovah, and, after finding “David their king,” what have they been doing? (b) This has resulted in Jehovah’s mercy being extended to whom else?

²⁷ Nineteen centuries have now passed. Since 1914 C.E. this unmerciful world, including Christendom, has been in its “time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4) After World War I a repentant remnant of true spiritual Israelites who were in the new covenant began looking for Jehovah their God.