“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.” (John 15:15)
God had ordained Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, through the desert, and into the promised land of Canaan. During their journey, the Israelites received a lot of teaching and instruction on how to live as God’s people. The Lord also made a covenant with them. Since the people could not bear to face God’s presence themselves, Moses was appointed as their spokesperson and mediator. He spent weeks on the mountain of Sinai, where the Lord spoke to him “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11) and revealed Himself in a special way. Their relationship was really close, although Moses was fully aware of God’s holiness (see Exodus 33:17-34:8).
In a similar way, the Lord revealed to his friend Abraham that He would bring judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do…?” (Genesis 18:17). And Jesus says that He has made known to his disciples “all that I have heard from my Father”. He has revealed to them “things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12). This shows how special humans are in God’s eyes …
What does it mean to you that Jesus calls you ‘friend’?