Good...Taste and See!

Several years ago, I had the privilege to minister to young people on Sunday nights at a church I attended.  During those times, I was always praying for a creative way to minister some truth to them. One such message was on Psalm 34:8; “O taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”  I would use familiar foods and have a taste contest as the object lesson. The point was to demonstrate how familiarity affects the tasting experience. When we spend quality time with the LORD and are familiar with His nature, it affects how we experience Him.

While meditating on Psalm 34:8, I looked up the word “good” for its Hebrew translation.  We have our perception of what “good” means, however, that is probably not the fullness of what is expressed in this scripture.  In Strong’s Concordance, good is reference #2896 to’wb with the following meanings: pleasant, agreeable, good, beautiful (to the senses). Retrieved from http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2896.htm.  In this verse, good is an adjective that appeals to the senses. This “good" is experienced. Taste and see that the LORD is good! But the good does not stop there, it relates to a variety of contexts and experiences. See full definition at Bible Hub:

http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2896.htm.

God “as good” does not stop at our limited understanding of “good.” It goes beyond. In Genesis during creation, HE declared that it was good. Then at the culmination of creation, mankind, Father said, “very good.”  So, the God who IS good, creates and what He creates IS good, and then He invites the creation to taste and see! Our revelation of Father’s nature affects how we see and how we experience Him.

For example, in 2 Chronicles 5:13-14

Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD saying: FOR HE IS GOOD, FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER (emphasis added) that the house, the house of the LORD was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

And again in 2 Chronicles 7:2-3

And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they BOWED THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND (emphasis added) on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD saying: FOR HE IS GOOD FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER (emphasis added).

God’s glory is connected to Him being revealed as “good.” Not good in the way that you or I understand good. That is the wrong tree. God’s “good” is nature and essence, not knowledge. When the children of Israel praised Father saying, For HE is GOOD, Father came and manifested HIMSELF.  The glory, Shekinah, His essence manifested from one realm into another because the people praised Him in one sound magnifying His nature.

Taste and see.

Here is an example of someone who tasted.

Exodus 33:18-19

And he (Moses) said, “Please show me Your glory.” Then He (the LORD) said, I will make ALL my GOODNESS (emphasis added) pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Moses tasted, and He saw.  Here in this passage of scripture, goodness is the Hebrew word tubi #2898 from the root word tob (the root word means “to be pleasing”).  Goodness means good things, goods, best, best things, beauty, comeliness.  Retrieved from http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2898.htm. There is an obvious connection between the Hebrew words, good and goodness that come from the similar root.  You don’t have to be a word scholar to see it.  Can you see the connection between the essence of God as good and His glory? His essence is Good because He said it and revealed it. His Goodness is glory because He said it and revealed it. (See also Exodus 34:5-8)

More from Psalms 34...

Psalm 34:5

“They looked to Him and were radiant and their faces were not ashamed.”

How you magnify the LORD is how He manifests. The children of Israel magnified Him as good which is His nature and essence and that is how He manifested.  Here is the thing, you have to LOOK to HIM. That is the right tree. When we look to HIM to see who He is and praise Him for that revelation, then He reveals Himself all the more.

If we want more of His goodness manifested in our lives, we have to LOOK to HIM and SEE what He is seeing.  There will be challenges and situations in life that scream…" oh no, this is not good"! But here is what I have learned:  if you go to the ONE who IS GOOD declaring “LORD you are GOOD, and your mercy endures forever,” then He will manifest His goodness. You will see Him and the situation as never before-as He reveals it from His perspective. Then and only then, with this new taste of His goodness can you then manifest the good that HE wants in the situation.  He IS good and wants His goodness (glory) manifested through His children.  As His children, we have the opportunity to demonstrate His goodness in every situation but first, we need His nature revealed to us so that it can be revealed through us!

Taste and See!

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles, 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Here is a song "Come to the River" by Housefires that has ministered to me on just this very subject. Taste and see!