As One Speaks To A Friend

As [Moses] went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses. When the people saw the cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, they would stand and bow down in front of their own tents.

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

Exodus 33:9-11

It wasn’t unusual for Moses to hear from the Lord. He was accustomed to talking with God in a two-way conversation. The Lord spoke through Moses and shared what he was going to do. Moses listened as God spoke to him face-to-face, just as someone speaks to a friend. Moses received the Lord’s divine direction while they talked back and forth. But he also shared his thoughts and petitions with the Lord.

After discovering the people’s idolatry when he returned from Mount Sinai, Moses heard loud and clear God’s anger and his intention to destroy the people. So why would a mere mortal have the boldness to try to change the Almighty’s mind? Because Moses had day-to-day conversations with God. On behalf of those who had rebelled, he pleaded with God: “‘O LORD!’ he said. ‘Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt?’” (Exodus 32:11).

Because Moses found favor, God would do what Moses asked and forgive the unruly, rebellious people. Instead of wiping them out completely, God called them to account by sending a great plague upon them.

We are not the patriarch Moses, but because of the new covenant in Christ Jesus, God has called those who believe friends. Friends who speak to one another in the day and in the night. Friends who share their hearts and listen to one another. How thankful we can be that God no longer calls us servants, but promises a forever friendship through Jesus Christ our Lord! (See Psalm 25:14; John 15:15.)

Lord, help me to listen to your voice as you reveal to me your love and guidance.

When you are rightly related to God, it is a life of freedom and liberty and delight. . . . You decide things in perfect delightful friendship with God, knowing that if your decisions are wrong, he will always check. When he checks, stop at once.

Oswald Chambers(1874–1917), Scottish minister and teacher