Who is Called a Friend of God in the Bible?
If we study the Bible, we will discover that Abraham was called a friend of God. God is all-knowing and all-powerful. However, Abraham did not make such a statement. James was quoting Isaiah 41 when he called Abraham a friend of God.
Abraham
One of the reasons Abraham was called a friend of God is because of his faith and obedience. Abraham obeyed God and offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice, and this made him righteous in God’s eyes. Abraham was a man of faith, and his obedience to God proved to Him that he loved Him.
In the bible, Abraham was called a friend of God three times. God also calls him a friend in Hebrews 13:2. This was because Abraham believed God. God is all-knowing and powerful. Moreover, Abraham was able to recognize angels immediately after the meal.
Abraham’s faith in God’s promise has been tested and proved by history. The Bible tells us that Abraham was a close confidant of God. In the story of Abraham’s call, God sent Christ to meet him, to tell him that Sarah would bear Isaac. The Bible states that Abraham was 75 years old when God called him to his inheritance.
Abraham’s sacrifice was not only for his own good, but for the instruction of sinless intelligences. It was Abraham’s faith that made him a friend of God. Hence, the Bible describes Abraham as God’s friend and not a slave. It is a good model for faith.
Moreover, Abraham had a strong desire to know the promised Messiah. He had prayed for this vision of Christ before he died. In a very real sense, Abraham’s sacrifice was God’s way of showing the reality of the gospel. The Savior had come to earth to save the world and Abraham had the vision to understand it.
Abraham’s faith in God allowed God to make the promises to him both literal and spiritual. While Abraham had many physical descendants in Canaan, his true descendants were anyone who shared his faith in God. While the earthly promised land was only a symbol of a better place, the heavenly promised land will be given to all the children of God.
Moses
The Bible states that the God called Moses a friend of God. He refused to live a life of sin and sought to be loyal to God. This included his refusal to enjoy the pleasures of the world and his desire for power. While these things would be tempting to a man of his stature, Moses knew that God had called him to a mission. Sin gives us momentary satisfaction and is a fleeting experience, but God calls us to live a life of integrity and faithfulness.
When God called Moses a friend of God, it meant that He would be an intimate friend of God. God is a spirit, and so is a friend to anyone who learns to listen to Him and communicate with Him on an intimate level. However, our busy schedules and vast responsibilities often crowd out our time with God. However, Moses refused to allow this to happen, despite his busy schedule.
After being called a friend of God by God, Moses was commissioned to lead his people out of Egypt. His father-in-law, Jethro, is a priest of the Midian people and becomes Moses’ father-in-law. Jethro’s family name means “friend of God.”
Moses had a close relationship with God, and he met Him face to face. Because of this, he was able to engage in a persuasive debate with God. In Exodus 32-33, Moses tried to convince God not to destroy the Israelites. His efforts were fruitful. He became a compassionate defender of sinful Israel.
Moses is the mediator between God and the people. Even after the tabernacle was built, God still met with Moses outside the camp. When Moses was in the tent of meeting, a cloud covered the entrance, which signified God’s presence.
Isaiah
In the Bible, Isaiah is a prophet who lived in the sixth century before Christ. During the death of King Uzziah, he received a prophetic call. The text skips over the fifteen years of the reign of King Jotham and King Ahaz, during which Jerusalem faced destruction by the Syrians.
Abraham is also called a friend of God. He left his hometown of Haran at the age of 75, obeying God’s command to go to his inheritance. Isaiah also calls Abraham his friend in the Bible. James confirms this by saying that Abraham was the “friend of God.”
Isaiah’s writings influence King Hezekiah (715-687 BC) of Judah. He brought about religious reforms and political freedom. He also built a new wall to protect the western part of Jerusalem. In addition, he diverted the Gihon Spring through a tunnel. This helped the Jews rebuff Sennacherib’s siege.
Abraham was called a friend of God because he believed in God and believed in Him. He was credited with righteousness. When he heard about God’s promise to him, he went to the place where heavenly messengers met. He was hoping to see them again. The heavenly messengers did not show up, but God spoke to him instead.
The prophet Isaiah described King Hezekiah’s dilemma when the Assyrian general Sennacherib laid siege to Jerusalem. The Assyrian army had threatened the city’s total destruction. Isaiah wrote, “The Lord will deliver his people from the hand of Sennacherib.”
In the Bible, Isaiah addresses the sin of arrogant pride. Arrogant pride, or self-sufficiency, denies God’s authority and majesty. We substitute our own pride for God’s majesty.
Noah
The life of Noah is well documented in the Bible. His life is discussed in Genesis 5:1-6 and is also recounted in 1 Chronicles 1:3-4, Isaiah 54:9, Ezekiel 14:14, Matthew 24:37, Luke 3:36, Hebrews 11:7, and 2 Peter 2:5. Noah served God as a ministering angel and prophet. He brought heavenly messages to God before the birth of Christ and during the Restoration.
Noah lived in a time when the world was wicked. The heart of man was always in the wrong direction. Violence and corruption were rampant in the world. God finally said enough. He promised to destroy mankind along with the earth. Noah, an exemplary figure for the future, was spared from this punishment.
Noah’s faithfulness to God’s words earned him favor with God. Despite his weakness for wine, Noah was committed to obeying God. His only sin is that he became drunk in his tent and embarrassed his sons. However, Noah’s life is considered a perfect example of patience, persistence, and faithfulness in the face of a faithless society. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things unseen, and settled confidence in something that has not yet happened.
Noah was a prophet of God. His life taught people to live in righteousness. Peter, however, notes that sin will cause scorners to come in the last days. As a Christian, we hope that we will find favor with God when Jesus returns to earth. But, we need to realize that we can’t always expect to find favor with God because of our weaknesses and our limited understanding of his character.
Abraham was another person who received a friend designation from God. His faith led him to trust God and obey his calling to leave Haran. As a result, he was given a land that he would later inherit.
Jesus
If you’re interested in understanding the meaning of Jesus being called a friend of God, consider this passage from the Gospel of John. In this passage, Jesus makes it clear that the disciples are to follow his example. He uses his Farwell Discourse as an example of discipleship, equating them with friends. This story is fascinating because it gives us a glimpse of how Jesus and his disciples interacted with one another.
The friend of God shares God’s burdens with those who are close to him, so his friends are people who intercede for God and care about his needs. The Bible mentions several examples of how God shared his burdens with his friends. He shared his sorrows with those who were in need of his help, like the mourners. These people cry out to God for mercy, and God’s friends care about their concerns.
Abraham was also a friend of God. His name is mentioned three times in the Bible. The first time he met with angels, God called him a friend. Later, in Hebrews 13:2, he entertained angels and recognized them immediately. He was a friend of God because he believed in God.
Abraham had a desire to know his promised Savior and had prayed for Him before he died. The same was true for Jesus, who was led to the cross of Calvary. Abraham and his son acknowledged Christ’s divinity, and both went to a sacrifice site together. This is a wonderful example of how God and his Son were one.
The angel’s words to Abraham were similar to the messages that Joseph received on his deathbed, but more direct. Abraham understood that the heavenly messengers were God’s way of telling him about His purpose and giving him the promise of a son.