National Sins: Punishment For, Averted on Repentance

“We have sinned,” the Israelites said to the LORD. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!”

So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.

So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is righteous.”

When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but will soon grant them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.

Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity. …

When God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.