The Inner Circle

 I was reading in Proverbs chapter three the other day and noticed an interesting promise in verse thirty-two.…

 “for one who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord, but he reveals his intimate counsel to the upright.” (Prov 3:32, The NET Bible)

 I was wondering what the meaning of “intimate counsel” might be.  It sounded interesting.  If there is a way to feel closer to God, I wanted to know about it. So, I looked in the footnotes of the NET Bible and here is what I found:

tn Heb “his counsel.” The noun סוֹד (sod) can refer to (1) “intimate circle” of friends and confidants, (2) “confidential discussion” among friends and confidants, or “secret counsel” revealed from one confidant to another and kept secret and (3) relationship of “intimacy” with a person (BDB 691 s.v.; HALOT 745 s.v.).^[1]

 It appears that there may be an “inner circle” of friends with God.  If there is, how can I get in?

 The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant. (Ps 25:14, NASB95)

 Throughout scripture there are many special promises to the person who fears the Lord, this might be one of the most unique.  For the person whose way is upright, who truly fears God, there is a special circle of friends who have special access to the secrets of God.  The NET Bible gives further insight in their footnotes:

“God reveals his secret counsel to the heavenly assembly (Job 15:8; Jer 23:18, 22) and his prophets (Amos 3:7). God has brought the angels into his “intimate circle” (Ps 89:8). Likewise, those who fear the Lord enjoy an intimate relationship with him (Job 29:4; Ps 25:14; Prov 3:32).”

 Jeremiah struggled for several years with false prophets in his day.  They were preaching a short deportation to Babylon, when God was telling Jeremiah to prepare the people for a long, 70-year, stint (Jer 25:12).  When describing the false prophets, the LORD says through Jeremiah,  

 “But who has stood in the council of the Lord, That he should see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and listened? (Jer 23:18, NASB95) “I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied. “But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds. (Jer 23:21-22, NASB95)

Some prophets were “standing in the council of the Lord”, others were not. Some were walking uprightly, fearing the Lord, and some were not.  The secrets of the Lord are reserved for God’s intimate circle of friends.

Does this mean that God plays favorites?  I guess so.  The Lord has his preferences.  He reserves a deep and intimate relationship with those who are properly aligned with Him.  In our original verse, Prov 3:32 we are reminded, “He who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord.

When I have felt distant from God, someone asked, “Who moved, you or God?”

 

Should we interpret these passages to mean that the Lord is not loving, or kind, or merciful, or forgiving.  Absolutely not.  But the creator of all things, the perfect omnipotent God is holy.  He has a right to select who he allows into His inner circle, and to whom He reveals His secrets. Moses was the perfect example. “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. (Ex 33:11a, NASB95) Moses was in “the inner circle” with God.  It is no wonder he was the perfect one to write the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch.

Let us determine to walk closely with our God.  To love Him and obey.  Let us walk in the Spirit and keep short accounts with God and others.  Let us be quick to confess our sin and repent.  We should expect to hear from God from His Word, the Bible. Let us talk with Him intimately through prayer.  Let us enjoy the special relationship we may have with Him through Christ, our Savior.

For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord, A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, And awesome above all those who are around Him? (Ps 89:6, NASB95)

 

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^[1] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005).