“And God said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee…” Exodus 33:19
There is a great, though simple and brief, hymn by J. Hart, which describes the heart of someone that knows something of the goodness of God. J. Hart writes:
“How good is the God we adore, Our faithful unchangeable Friend; His love is as great as His power, And knows neither measure nor end.”
“‘Tis Jesus the first and the last, Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home; We’ll praise Him for all that is past, We’ll trust Him for all that’s to come.”
What is Mr. Hart seeking to communicate to us in this hymn, this song of worship? It is that God is totally, wholly, and forever, changelessly good. There is nothing about God that is not good. He is not only the picture of goodness revealed in His mercy and grace, but the One who comes to man, even sinful man, to communicate His goodness. This One who makes His rain to fall on the just and the unjust, the evil and the good, is the very One who has made a way for man to receive Him, and His goodness, to not only know objectively that God is good, but to “taste and see” the reality of it. This unchanging Friend has, in His goodness, revealed to mankind his eternal love, and this by Christ’s overwhelming power communicated to Him by the Spirit. This One singular path and power to know God is in Jesus, “the first and the last.” He is the author and finisher of faith, the beginning and ending of all that pertains to the revelation of the goodness of God. Who else in this entire universe would stoop so low to not only wash the feet of His sinful creation, but then allow Himself to be nailed to a cross, paying for sin’s wages, and the debt of every sinner on the face of the earth? Only perfect goodness could conceive of such an absolutely selfless design, and only love could accomplish it by the power of God.
When Moses was still in the wilderness with the people of Israel, after they had refused to trust in the goodness, the faithfulness of God to provide for them, there arose very clearly in his heart the desire for two things from God. The first was that God, in answer to prayer, would give to him a knowledge of His ways so that Moses could truly KNOW Him. Did Moses already know God? Yes, but with the knowledge of Christ came the thirst for more. So overwhelmed was Moses by the revelation of Christ to his heart that the perspective of knowing the eternal God in fullest measure eclipsed all else. The second thing that he desired from God, and that for which he prayed, was the increased vision of God’s glory. Moses, though so very limited in every way, bravely appealed to God to show him, reveal to him, something of the greatness of God’s nature, or person. Remarkably, God would respond and grant both of Moses’ requests, but in a very unique manner. In answer to the first request, He will speak of His presence going with him, revealing Himself to him, and the people. The second response has to do with his nature, and a greater understanding of just who He is. It is then that the Lord declared: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee.” (Ex. 33:19) It is remarkable that the revelation of the glory of God to Moses must first be concerning the overwhelming goodness of God. The goodness of God would temper the unveiling of His power. How could Moses ever stand before God, even kneel in His presence, without trembling, unless God reveals His great goodness, in the greatness of His power?
The Lord also proclaimed that He was, “…merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and ABUNDANT in goodness and truth.” (34:6)
Dear Father, Show us your great goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.