"Goodness"

The foreshadowing of the second covenant, is introduced in a manner different from that of the first: the goodness and mercy of God are placed foremost in the record of His name. The Lord said to Moses: “I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee: and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy” (Exod. xxxiii. 19).

The love, underlying the goodness and mercy, so beneficent in its power, is thus mentioned by the apostle John: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John iii. 16). Around this Son, were to be encircled that fulness of goodness and mercy, which had been promised unto the Fathers. As testified in spiritwords, about the time of His first advent, when they said: “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever.” …. “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant” (Luke i.).

One aspect in which this goodness is presented is, that its bestowal is at the sovereign will and gracious purpose of the “Father of mercies.” The apostle Paul, in his exposition of the words, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,” brings them to bear upon those whom the Lord has called to His kingdom and glory, and who have obeyed the call: both Jews and Gentiles (Rom. ix.). “Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world” (Acts xv. 18).

The goodness and mercy of Jehovah were continually being manifested to the children of Israel in some form, as the record abundantly shows. The Psalmist recalls the remembrance of it in Psalms cv.—cvi. But when, through the Spirit, he is led to speak of the “redeemed of the Lord,” who were “brought out of darkness and the shadow of death,”—in the fulness of gratitude, he says: “Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men” (Ps. cvii.). Of that goodness, laid up for the redemption of the Lord’s people, Moses was favored to have a passing view, within the shelter of the cleft rock and the covering hand of Yahweh. Paul’s teaching informs us that it is “the goodness of God that leads to repentance” (Rom. ii. 4). And referring to the cutting off of Israel according to the flesh; and the grafting in of the Gentiles, he says: “Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell severity: but toward thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off” (Rom. xi. 22).