Who Told God To Repent Of Doing Evil?

It was Moses, God's Friend - and God did repent, twice!

This is the Sixth Post in the serialization of Chapter 1, of the book Friends With God.

In this first chapter we are exploring what it means to be God’s Friend, by looking at examples of those whom God called friends. Abraham and Sarah were focused on in the Fourth and Fifth Posts. In this post we will look at Moses and Ezekiel.

We are told that Moses was a friend of God, for “the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend.” (Exo 33:11)

God chose Moses to bring the nation of Israel out of Egypt. Unfortunately, they proved to be a very difficult people, as they constantly lacked faith in God, despite the many mighty miracles they saw. More than once God was completely fed up with Israel, and wanted to destroy them all. Moses, however, told God that he should reconsider, and God listened to his friend’s advice.

This is an incredible story, and while it was a very serious matter at the time, how the conversation pans out is really quite funny: And the Lord said unto Moses, … your people, which you brought out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: … I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. And now leave Me alone, so that My wrath may become hot against them and so that I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation. (Exo 32:7-10)

In saying this it’s clear that God was suggesting giving Moses a role similar to Abraham, as the father of the nation!

Yet Moses was more concerned about God’s great name, than letting this idea go to his head. Perhaps the reason for this is that one of the major characteristics of Moses character was his humility: Now the man Moses was very humble—more than any person on earth. (Num 12:3)

Yet, despite this humility, Moses chose to confront God and tell him he was wrong! And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why does your anger wax hot against your people, which you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt …Turn from your fierce anger, and repent of this evil against your people... (Exo 32: 11-14)

Now, look at what has been said in this exchange between friends: first God said to Moses that Israel was your people, which you brought out of the land of Egypt, and Moses counters by saying to God they are “your people, which you have brought forth out of the land of Egypt”.

Moses contradicted God, then corrected God, and then told God to repent of the evil he was about to do!
But God didn’t swat him!
He listened to Moses. And then God humbly changed his mind!

We also see the humility of God expressed in the life of Jesus, when he tells us: Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls. (Matt 11:29)

God, who is humble, will listen to his friends, just as we should listen to our friends. God is not too proud to take advice, and admit a better course of action could be taken, in this way he is a great example to us in how we should all relate to our friends.

God is wise and humble, and in this example, he shows us that he was willing to change his mind. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient (attentive) ear. (Prov 25:11-12)

Moses, a very humble man, was a wise reprover and God, who was also humble, was an attentive friend, who carefully considered what his friend Moses said.

This was not the only time that Moses counselled God to change his mind. In Numbers 14:11-24, God was again totally infuriated with Israel, and again was determined to annihilate them, and start anew with Moses. Moses uses a different tack this time, appealing to God’s purpose and plan for all mankind.

God, however, implements a long-term solution to solve the problem of these rebellious people. Instead of killing them all at once, as he was considering, he determined that they would instead wander in the wilderness for another 38 years and, in the process of time, most of them over the age of 20 would die.

This would mean that the entire rebellious generation would be killed, but a new group, the children of those who did not believe in God, would be able to go into the promised land of Israel.

This new generation would have had time to get to know God and trust him, while also watching their relatives die because of their lack of trust and faith in God. We need to appreciate that God is not playing games in our relationship with him. He can be very gentle and kind, but if we reject him he can be very severe as well. (Rom 11:22)

This solution, unfortunately for Moses, included the outcome that Moses himself was also not to go into the promised land. He was to die a few days before they went across the Jordan river- although he pleaded much with God to allow him to cross over.

From this we can see that while God will listen to his friends’ concerns, he won’t always do what they ask. After 40 years in the wilderness, it was time for new leadership in Israel. At some stage Moses had to die, and this seemed to God an appropriate time.

Moses, despite being humble, was very bold with God in these two examples, and God, in his humility, respected his advice, and changed his mind. This is how God listens and responds to his friends. It also demonstrates how we, as God’s friends can similarly talk to, and negotiate with God. (1Cor 10:11) Like all our friends, God expects honest, frank and respectful discussion.

It’s also a great example of how we should discuss things with our friends when they need correction and encouragement to change, or suggest that we should change.

Sometimes we won’t agree with our friends. Sometimes they will change their minds. Other times they won’t. This doesn’t mean they cease being our friends. While it’s clear that we are God’s servants- for us to aspire to be his friend is God’s desire for our ultimate relationship with him.

Ezekiel Asks A Favour

Ezekiel had one of the most physical jobs of any of God’s prophets. At one point he was required to build a model of Jerusalem in an area that many people would see. For many days he was to lie on his side in front of this model in order to portray the future siege of Jerusalem. (Eze 4:1-17)

As part of this portrayal, Ezekiel was to eat only meagre amounts of food and water. This very physical portrayal was to demonstrate to the Israelites how serious their lack of food was to be, unless they turn back to God from their pagan idols.

Yet for all these privations he complained only once to God. It was in regard to how he was to make his bread: and you shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. (human dung was to be used as a fuel in order to cook the bread!)

And the Lord said, Even so (in this way) shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, where I will drive them. The Israelites were to see the very physical reality in what Ezekiel portrayed to them, so that they would learn to truly understand that God was serious in his threat, and that they should repent from their evil.

However, this last detail in his portrayal was just a bit much for Ezekiel: Then said I (Ezekiel pleads with God), Ah Lord God! behold, my soul has not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

None of these things was clean to eat, and Ezekiel used his past cleanliness as a sign that he wanted to remain clean and undefiled by not baking his food with human dung! Then he (God) said unto me, (Ezekiel) Lo, I have (changed my mind and) given you cow's dung for (to use for fuel instead of) man's dung, and you shall prepare (bake) your bread with that. (Eze 4:12-15)

God doesn’t expect us to remain silent if it seems he is requesting something unreasonable. He is willing to listen to us, and be merciful and generous.

God reiterates this in the New Testament, where he makes a great promise: There has no temptation (difficulty) overtaken you, but that which is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted (tested) above what you are able to bear; but will, with the temptation (test), also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1Cor 10:13) God promises that he will not make things more difficult for us than we can handle.

God gives us- his friends- the way to endure the trials he allows to come upon us. Sometimes that way is to simply ask God to change the situation, to one that is a bit easier, or nicer, as in the case of Ezekiel. 

Love, The Foundation Of All Friendships

There are many analogies in scripture about the relationship we have with God: being a branch in a vine, or part of a building, being in covenant, being yoked to Christ, drinking Christ’s blood and eating his flesh, being like wind, being sons, fellow citizens, married to Christ, going behind the veil etc. Yet all these powerful metaphors are saying the same thing- we are to follow Christ’s example set by his life.

If we love and trust God then we will believe his word, which is the basis of our friendship with him. Unlike Moses, Abraham and Ezekiel we don’t talk to God directly, like our human friends. Even so, he communicates with us through his word, his Spirit, and the circumstances in our life, and we talk to him in prayer.

Our relationship with God as his friends is, however, stretched when we sin, but that is the same with any friend. Forgiveness amongst friends is critical. And we can also lose our friends. Yet God, as our friend, will certainly be there to welcome us back to him.

However, like all friendships, there is a point of no return, even with God when our sins won’t be forgiven, because we have been found treacherous. (Prov 1:24-33, Matt 12:31-32, Luke 12:10, 1John 5:16, Heb 10:26-31, Heb 6:4-8) Human friendships also have this breaking point. Loyalty is not something that is acceptable if it is simply turned on or off when convenient or not. Loyalty to our friends must be unwavering.

We see here both the kindness and severity of God. (Rom 11:22) We also see an important lesson regarding how we should relate to our friends, and how important friendship is.

What is it that God commands us to do in order to be His friends, and maintain that friendship?

It’s not a mystery. It’s clearly written in the pages of your Bible. We don’t have to do something difficult and complicated in order to understand it- such as climb every mountain or ford every stream.

God has told us very simply: This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John15:12) Christ wants us to follow his example, which is why we are called Christians.

While Christ is commanding us to obey him, he is not commanding us as if we were slaves: No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15)

Jesus has taken those people who were his servants, and has elevated them to the level of friendship, by revealing to them everything he knows. But why would he do this? Why doesn’t he just want slaves to obey him? Why does he want us to be his friends?

God wants us to be his friends because friendship is one of the main voluntary relationships of love that we have with other people. It’s not based on money, (as a business relationship) or physical attraction (as often is the case in a marriage) or on our relationship to our parents or siblings (as in a family) nor on tribe, colour, race, religion, or ancestry. Friendship is based on moral, emotional, and ethically similar standards.

God’s moral, emotional, and ethical standards are summarized in His law- which is not a burden, but a light to our feet and a lamp for our path, to guide all people in the most successful and happy way to live. (Psalm 119:105)

This law summarizes how we are to love God, and our neighbour. Our friendship with God, through understanding his way of love, will lead us to become like him, and ultimately to be one with Him:

that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And I have given them the glory which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are one. (John 17:11-22)
When we are one with God, we will then be in harmony with each other also.

How can we be one with God, as Christ was one with God? He tells us that we need to emulate the example he set us, so that we develop within us the very mind of Jesus. (1Peter 2:20-21, Phil 2:5, 1Cor 2:16)

We do this by following Christ in all his ways, and thus become his friend: This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you…You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:12-14)

Friendship with God is not something we take on lightly, it is very serious and very precious. And God knows that we have the ability to please him, or he would not have called us to live his way of life, in this world, at this time. (1Cor 10:13)

It’s our choice to be God’s friend or not, although it was his choice to first call us to understand the tremendous potential of our relationship with him.

In the next post in this series we will examine how our relationships with each other demonstrate how we relate to God, and how God himself also wants to relate to all mankind.