II Chronicles 12:5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’” 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.” 7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless, they shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”
When Rehoboam took over the kingdom after Solomon, he ruled proudly and harshly. God allowed the king of Egypt and his armies to take many cities of the land and was on the verge of taking Jerusalem. Then God saw something: the princes and the king (notice the order here) humbled themselves, and God relented, giving them some deliverance. They had to give up all their gold, and their pride, being seen as servants of Egypt. What God is truly looking for in our hearts, words, and actions is true humility. Will He see it there?
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