Read Isaiah 41:8-20.
“But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend” (v. 8).
Hearing the words “friend of God,” we immediately ask: “What outstanding characteristics marked the relationship between God and Abraham?” On the part of God, we see that God made great promises to Abraham, though he did not, nor do we, comprehend the magnitude of those promises. God proved His faithfulness to Abraham. God understood Abraham’s frustration, though He did not approve of Abraham’s attempts to “help God” fulfill His promises. God heard Abraham’s intercession, demonstrated in Abraham’s interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah.
On the part of Abraham, we note that Abraham communed with God, and God rewarded him for doing so through divine appearances. Abraham worshiped God, shown, in part, by his altar building at Shechem, Bethel, Hebron, and most significantly at Mt. Moriah. On several occasions, Abraham, the man of faith, resorted to human means, but God was the anchor in his life. Abraham’s outstanding demonstration of trust was most dramatically seen on Mt. Moriah when he obeyed God and placed his son of promise, Isaac, on the altar of sacrifice. When God tests us, He is not testing us so He can know what we are, but rather to prove who He is and that His grace is sufficient to strengthen us in what seems humanly impossible.
The overarching proof of Abraham’s friendship with God was not his works but his faith, and because of his faith, there were works. (LRW)
“Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God” (James 2:23).
