Read: Numbers 12: 1-16 Friendship with God“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law ” Deut. 29:29
Aaron and Miriam were jealous of Moses and rebuked him when he chose for himself an Eithopian wife. They challenged God by saying,
“Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it” .God heard what they said and was very angry with them. He called out to Moses, Miriam and Aaron to come out of the tabernacle and told them that his relationship with Moses was different than with anyone else. “
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” Num. 12:8
God pointed out that the difference with Moses was that he was humble and faithful. Humility and the reverence of God is the qualification for friendship with God. Friends of God do have privileges above the rest. Moses was the only one among those in the wilderness whom God showed Himself to. Not everyone is a friend of God. God looks for those whose hearts are humble before Him and who seek Him more than anything else in the world. Moses spent time more time with God than probably anyone else in those days. He desired Gods presence, he consulted God on everything. He had a holy anger against what was unrighteous and above all he had a humble heart to intercede for the sins of the Israelites even as if they were his own. He showed true love for God and his fellow men.
Jesus chose twelve disciples. However, only three of them were with him on many occasions and saw and heard things which the others did not. God reveals things to those whom He calls friends. “
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15
He chooses to talk to them plainly.
“And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” Matt. 13: 10, 11
God likes to involve his friends when he does something. We see this in his relationship with Abraham.
“And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do” Gen.18:17
When you are a friend of God He listens to your advice and opinion. God listened to Abraham’s request and saved Lot and his family from destruction.
A friend of God cannot be a friend of the world. Friends of God are devoted to Him
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” Jam.4:4 There is no compromise possible when you are a friend of God. You serve His best interests at all times and have joy in so doing. Abraham was a humble and faithful man and God was pleased to call him his friend.
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”Jam.2:23
When God becomes your friend it is forever.
“Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?”2 Chro. 20:7 God protects his friends and is hurt when they are mistreated; we see this in how he reacted to what Miriam of Aaron had spoken. Instead of being jealous of those who share intimacy with God we should ourselves desire to become friends of God. A friend of God will be willing to lay down his life for His sake and be willing to sacrifice everything to gain Christ. To become a friend of God is a choice that each of us make. What will you choose?
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 1:13
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