April 8th, 2025
Have you ever thought about what it means to be called friends of God? There are many different aspects of our relationship with the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We are to serve Him and honor Him. We are a covenant people, by the blood of His Son. We are His children, given the right to cry “Abba, Father.” However, throughout the Word of God, we see that there are some people that God calls His friends.
Exodus 33:11 says that God would “speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”
Moses spoke to God “face to face.” Moses knew Him so intimately that he had to cover his face when he was with the people because his face shown with the light of God’s presence, and they were afraid.
Do you know that we can live before the Lord with even more intimacy now? Paul wrote to the Corinthian church saying:
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:12-18)
Only in Christ is the veil that separates us from the glory of God taken away. In Him, with the hope and promises of the blood of Jesus, we can stand boldly before God and men. Look what it says! Where the Spirit of the Lord is — the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and who now dwells in His people – there is freedom. We behold God’s glory with unveiled face. Moses spoke to the Lord as a man speaks to a friend but there is an even deeper level of intimacy we can now enjoy, if we choose to go in.
Thousands of years after the death of Moses, God says something very interesting that sheds light on their relationship. Jeremiah 15:1 says, “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people.”
Even Moses and Samuel. God referenced two people who were apparently so special to Him, who had such intimacy with Him, that He said “even if they were here to ask me, it couldn’t change the situation…” With that in mind though, it is clear that there are people who can stand before Him differently than others.
James 2:23 says, “The Scripture was fulfilled that says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”
Before God destroyed Sodom, he revealed it to Abraham saying,
“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Genesis 18:17)
Our intimacy with God is not marked only by what we share with Him, but by what He makes known to us.
Jesus said in John 15:15,
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
There is deeper revelation in the truth Jesus revealed when He lived on the earth than had ever been revealed before. Jesus called His disciples “friends” because of what He revealed to them! In the same way, Moses was called a friend of God because of what God revealed to Him. God said, “With Moses, I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles” (Numbers 12:8). Do you know that God wants to call you friend?
It’s not something to be taken lightly. Friendship is marked by intimacy. James 4:4 says,
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Conversely, you cannot be a friend of God and be intimate with the ways of the world! Jesus said,
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19)
He is our closest friend. We can “cast all of our cares upon Him for He cares for us.”
However, there is an even more powerful truth. God desires to share His heart with you!
Psalm 25:14 says,
“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and He makes known to them His covenant.”
The King James Version of that verse says, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear
Him…” God will reveal things, secret and hidden wisdom, wonderful treasures of heaven, with those whom He can trust, with those whom He calls friend.
We honor Him. We fear Him. We reverence His glory and His presence. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the creator of the universe. However, throughout history, the God of heaven and earth has revealed Himself as the friend of His people. He wants to call you His friend. He paid the highest price so you can talk to Him face to face. We can come boldly to the throne of grace, as a friend of God!
Exodus 33:11 says that God would “speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”
Moses spoke to God “face to face.” Moses knew Him so intimately that he had to cover his face when he was with the people because his face shown with the light of God’s presence, and they were afraid.
Do you know that we can live before the Lord with even more intimacy now? Paul wrote to the Corinthian church saying:
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:12-18)
Only in Christ is the veil that separates us from the glory of God taken away. In Him, with the hope and promises of the blood of Jesus, we can stand boldly before God and men. Look what it says! Where the Spirit of the Lord is — the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and who now dwells in His people – there is freedom. We behold God’s glory with unveiled face. Moses spoke to the Lord as a man speaks to a friend but there is an even deeper level of intimacy we can now enjoy, if we choose to go in.
Thousands of years after the death of Moses, God says something very interesting that sheds light on their relationship. Jeremiah 15:1 says, “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people.”
Even Moses and Samuel. God referenced two people who were apparently so special to Him, who had such intimacy with Him, that He said “even if they were here to ask me, it couldn’t change the situation…” With that in mind though, it is clear that there are people who can stand before Him differently than others.
James 2:23 says, “The Scripture was fulfilled that says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”
Before God destroyed Sodom, he revealed it to Abraham saying,
“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Genesis 18:17)
Our intimacy with God is not marked only by what we share with Him, but by what He makes known to us.
Jesus said in John 15:15,
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
There is deeper revelation in the truth Jesus revealed when He lived on the earth than had ever been revealed before. Jesus called His disciples “friends” because of what He revealed to them! In the same way, Moses was called a friend of God because of what God revealed to Him. God said, “With Moses, I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles” (Numbers 12:8). Do you know that God wants to call you friend?
It’s not something to be taken lightly. Friendship is marked by intimacy. James 4:4 says,
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Conversely, you cannot be a friend of God and be intimate with the ways of the world! Jesus said,
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19)
He is our closest friend. We can “cast all of our cares upon Him for He cares for us.”
However, there is an even more powerful truth. God desires to share His heart with you!
Psalm 25:14 says,
“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and He makes known to them His covenant.”
The King James Version of that verse says, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear
Him…” God will reveal things, secret and hidden wisdom, wonderful treasures of heaven, with those whom He can trust, with those whom He calls friend.
We honor Him. We fear Him. We reverence His glory and His presence. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the creator of the universe. However, throughout history, the God of heaven and earth has revealed Himself as the friend of His people. He wants to call you His friend. He paid the highest price so you can talk to Him face to face. We can come boldly to the throne of grace, as a friend of God!
No Comments