God’s Servant or His Friend?
Would you prefer to be known by God as His servant or His friend? I put this question on my twitter and I think most who have responded have said they would prefer “friend”.
Abraham was called God’s friend (2 Chron.20:7; Isa.41:8; James 2:23). Moses was also referred to as His friend. For “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Exod.33:11). Near the end of the book of Deuteronomy, it is written that “no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deut.34:10).
Moses and Abraham – the two most acclaimed servants of the Lord in the Old Testament – were called God’s friends. God imputed righteousness to Abraham when Abraham believed the promise that his seed would be as the stars of the heavens (Gen.15:6). Later on God swore an oath to Abraham when he became willing to sacrifice Isaac (Gen.22:16). Such faithfulness led to Abraham being called God’s friend, although there is no indication that Abraham knew this. There is nothing in the book of Genesis that shows God called Abraham His friend. This was said of Abraham later – long after he died.
Jesus said to the Eleven disciples (after Judas Iscariot left them, as in John 13:30), “You are my friends, if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15).
The implication is, that being called “friend” is an upgrade from being “servant”. This is obvious or Jesus would not have said that they are “no longer” called servants. And yet Jesus stipulated that they were friends if they do what He commands. That is what servants do – obey. This means that friendship has obligations. I would add that “the Lord confides in those who fear him” (Psa.25:14). The King James translation: “the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him”. The English Standard Version: “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him”. This means that friendship with God is on offer – upon a condition: that we fear Him.
Why do I raise the question? One reason is because we all would prefer to be regarded by God as His “friends”.
However, there is something that moves me – sometimes almost to tears – when I read these words that open the book of Joshua: “Moses my servant is dead” (Josh.1:1). Why does this grip me so? Why is it that I would almost prefer to have God call me “servant” than “friend”? Is it because these words authenticate Joshua in a very special manner? Or does it not show what lay behind their friendship? “My servant” is the way the Lord chose to refer to Moses when announcing his death to Joshua. Why not “my friend” is dead? Could it be because we should aspire to be God’s servant before we could presume to be His friend?
Martin Luther said you must know God as an enemy before you can know Him as a friend. It seems to me we must be known by God as servants before He would call us friends. The Eleven had been servants of Jesus. But toward the end of their time together He calls them friends.
I would be thrilled no end if I knew that God called me his friend. And yet if I knew that, when I am gone, He called me His servant, I would feel so unworthy but so thankful. It would mean that God accomplished in me what He envisioned for me. That is the way I read God’s affirmation of Moses after he died. Surely it couldn’t be better than that.
RT Kendall