The concept of the goodness of God is a central theme throughout the Bible, and it is manifested in various ways, one of which is reverence. Reverence for God is a profound respect and awe for His divine nature, character, and actions. This reverence is a response to His goodness, which is evident in His creation, His laws, and His interactions with humanity.

Reverence in Creation

The goodness of God is first manifested in creation, which inspires reverence among those who behold it. Psalm 19:1 declares, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." The beauty and order of creation reflect God's goodness and evoke a sense of awe and reverence in those who contemplate it. The natural world serves as a testament to God's power and benevolence, prompting a reverent response from humanity.

Reverence in the Law

God's goodness is also manifested in the giving of His law, which is designed for the well-being of His people. The law reveals God's holy and righteous character, and it calls for a reverent response. In Deuteronomy 10:12-13 , Moses exhorts the Israelites: "And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD that I am giving you this day for your own good?" The law is a manifestation of God's goodness, guiding His people in paths of righteousness and prompting them to revere Him.

Reverence in Worship

Worship is a primary context in which reverence for God's goodness is expressed. The Psalms are replete with calls to worship God with reverence and awe. Psalm 95:6-7 invites believers: "O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care." Worship is a response to God's goodness, acknowledging His sovereignty and expressing reverence through praise and adoration.

Reverence in God's Presence

The presence of God elicits reverence due to His inherent goodness and holiness. When Isaiah encountered the Lord in a vision, he was overwhelmed by God's holiness and goodness, leading to a profound sense of reverence. Isaiah 6:3-5 records the seraphim calling out, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth." Isaiah's response was one of awe and humility, recognizing his own unworthiness in the presence of a good and holy God.

Reverence in the Life of Jesus

The life and ministry of Jesus Christ provide the ultimate manifestation of God's goodness, calling forth reverence from those who encounter Him. Jesus' teachings, miracles, and sacrificial love reveal the goodness of God in tangible ways. In Mark 4:41 , after Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples were filled with great fear and asked, "Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" Their reverence was a response to the divine authority and goodness displayed by Jesus.

Reverence in the Early Church

The early church demonstrated reverence for God's goodness through their devotion and communal life. Acts 2:42-43 describes the early believers: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs." The reverence for God's goodness was evident in their worship, fellowship, and the miraculous works among them.

Reverence in the Believer's Life

For believers today, reverence for God's goodness is a vital aspect of the Christian life. Hebrews 12:28-29 exhorts, "Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire." Reverence is a response to the goodness of God, motivating believers to live lives of gratitude, worship, and obedience.

In summary, the goodness of God is manifested in reverence through creation, the law, worship, His presence, the life of Jesus, the early church, and the believer's life. This reverence is a fitting response to the awe-inspiring goodness of God, as revealed throughout Scripture.Jeremiah 33:9
And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do to them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure to it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 3:5
Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Knowledge of God Conspicuous in the Creation, and Continual ...
... wisdom, power, and energy,"how he there displays his justice, goodness, and mercy. ...
When Paul says that that which may be known of God is manifested by the ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 5 the knowledge of.htm

The Sufferings of Christ Reconciled with the Goodness of God.
... admit of any very impressive display of his goodness and his ... Such was the mercy of
God, that he could not ... the depth of his love could not have been manifested. ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter iii the sufferings of.htm

Book 1
... what are our wants, that we may learn to place our confidence in the goodness, power,
and ... In the government of all things the nature of God is manifested. ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/book 1.htm

Robert Hall -- Marks of Love to God
... and my Father are one." The purpose for which God was manifested in the ... thee, that
thou mayst be feared;" you know not that "the goodness of God leadeth to ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 3/robert hall marks of.htm

The Existence of Moral Evil, or Sin, Reconciled with the Holiness ...
... consequences, is the precise point from which we should contemplate the world, if
we would behold the power and goodness of God therein manifested. ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter vi the existence of.htm

The Original, Nature, Property, and Use of the Law
... It is the face of God unveiled; God manifested to his creatures as they are able
to bear it; manifested to give ... For what was this, but the goodness of God? ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 34 the original nature.htm

Baptism not to be Presumptously Received it Requires Preceding ...
... means; (but our amendment should be manifested) while, pardon ... distinguishes you from
a perfected [8475] servant of God? ... Who, then, is pre-eminent in goodness? ...
/.../tertullian/on repentance/chapter vi baptism not to be.htm

"This Then is the Message which we have Heard of Him, and Declare ...
... And there is withal manifested that glorious holiness and purity in God, that
inviolable ... there is a manifestation of the grace and goodness of God in ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xi this then is.htm

Election Confirmed by the Calling of God. The Reprobate Bring Upon ...
... But when the Lord has manifested it to us, we must ascend higher in order ... without
deserving it, and that it is owing to the free goodness of God that some ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 24 election confirmed by.htm

A Plain Description of the Essence and Attributes of God, Out of ...
... gods and idols; for the description of God is properly ... in whom he hath thus graciously
manifested himself (Psal ... love him, his love, mercy, goodness, and patience ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/a plain description of the.htm

What does it mean to taste and see that the Lord is good in Psalm 34:8? | GotQuestions.org

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What does it mean to do good unto all men in Galatians 6:10? | GotQuestions.org

Goodness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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