2 Chron.5:13 – For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever:
Have you ever tasted the goodness of God for yourself? I am not talking about knowledge or information, I am talking about tasting for yourself the goodness of God. Jonathan Edwards famously taught that no one could understand what honey tastes like from information received from someone else. In order to know what honey tastes like you must taste it for yourself. In the same way the goodness of God can only be comprehended by experiencing it for yourself. That’s the whole point of church and worship and all that goes along with that, until you step into the glory for yourself the whole concept of “God is good” is just an idea. Here is how Jonathan Edwards connected the glory of God with the goodness of God.
“The word glory, as applied to God or Christ, sometimes evidently signifies the communications of God’s fullness, and means much the same thing with God’s abundant goodness and grace. So Ephesians 3:16: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” The expression, “According to the riches of his glory,” is apparently equivalent to that in the same epistle, chapter 1:7: “According to the riches of his grace.” And chapter 2:7: “The exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus.” In like manner is the word glory used in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.” And Romans 9:23: “And that he might make known the riches of his glory, on the vessels of his mercy.” So when Moses says, “I beseech thee show me thy glory;” God granting his request, makes answer, “I will make all my goodness to pass before thee.” Exodus 33:18,19.”
So apparently the manifest glory of God is the unveiling of His very nature. His nature is goodness and when His presence comes upon you, you began to taste the goodness of God or even the love of God for yourself. Think about what those priests experienced when they could no longer stand because of His heavy presence or glory that was filling the temple. This was a foretaste of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost – 120 priests blowing trumpets and 120 believers worshipping with one voice. The results were the same, the goodness and mercy of the Lord overwhelmed them.