Derived from the Greek name Heptapegon (Seven Springs) – Tabgha is the traditional site of the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes. Today there are two churches at the location -- The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes and the Church of the Primacy of Peter. The surrounding area makes a wonderful backdrop for devotions.
Matthew 14:31-21
13:
When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14:
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15:
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16:
But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17:
And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18:
He said, Bring them hither to me.
19:
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20:
And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21:
And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
22:
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
Tabgha - God's goodness
At Tabgha where God provided for the multitudes, consider God's goodness. The goodness of God refers to the perfection of His nature. All that emanates from God -- His decrees, His creation, His laws, His providence -- cannot be otherwise than good. The goodness of God appeared most illustriously when He sent forth His son to redeem His children.
Spurgeon states it very well when he said, "When others behave badly to us, it should only stir us up the more heartily to give thanks unto the Lord, because He is good; and when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should only the more reverently bless Him that He is good. We must never tolerate an instant's unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary, but His nature is always the same."
Psalm 52:1
1:
Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.
Psalm 119:68
68:
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Nahum 1:7
7:
The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
Luke 2:14 - Christ
14:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Titus 2:11 - Christ
11:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Matthew 20:15
15:
Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
Psalm 107:8
8:
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psalm 139:14
14:
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalm 33:5
5:
He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
Romans 2:3-11
3:
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4:
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5:
But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6:
Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7:
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8:
But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9:
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10:
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11:
For there is no respect of persons with God.
Romans 8:28-31
28:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29:
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30:
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31:
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Matthew 14: 13-21