Afflicted for good
by Dr. George Jacob
The act of Gods blessed bounty is expressed from the heart in our text, "Thou hast dealt well with thy servant. When Gods goodness is seen in every trial, we learn to see His glory."
In Exodus 33:18 Moses says: I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. Moses had just dealt with the children of Israel worshiping a golden calf. The Lord had told Moses he would destroy the congregation and build a nation out of Moses. Moses asked God not to destroy them, and the Lord told him that because he had found grace in His sight, He would not destroy His people.
Continuing in verse 19 we read: And he said, 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.
Every trial that Moses had just been through was of the goodness of God. The Lord had just showed him His goodness in the fact that He spared that rebellious congregation of the children of Israel. The goodness of God is where Moses saw His glory.
As David acknowledged Gods blessings in all the ways God had led him, he also acknowledged he learned that all things, including his afflictions, worked together for his good.
When we see all the afflictions that God has brought upon us, that is where we can say, 'Those afflictions are to purge us from sin.'
We read in Psalm 119:65-68: "Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes."
What was it that the Lord had promised David in His Word that he sees performed? What was it that he was exalting the name of the Lord for, according to His Word? The Lord had shown David in His Word that by the afflictions He sent upon him He would cause him to walk in His way. Now he is setting forth the bounty of what the Lord has done for him.
Through these afflictions He has brought him to where he now desires to keep His Word. He has such a desire to know and do the will of God. He did not think the law would be a condemnation to send him to hell. There is no reference to condemnation in that chapter. He saw that God was dealing with him in love, dealing with him as a child. He saw that his straying away from the Lord brought affliction and chastisement. The Lord in His love brought him back to walk in the ways of the Lord.
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