When Christians say that someone has been “called” by God, or that they “have a calling”, we usually are remembering the times in the Bible when God chose a specific person for a specific purpose. There are many examples, from the patriarch Abram/Abraham in Genesis … to the Old Testament prophets … through the disciples in the Gospels … and on to the Apostle Saul/Paul in Acts.
He is still calling everyone — not just “special” people — each to their own place in His plan.
Specific Calls in the Bible
Here are some of the stories of very specific calls from God to individuals. Each had their own unique spot to fill, their own assigned task to do.
Abram/Abraham: Genesis 12:1-3
Abram was minding his own business, living in his family’s home with his father Terah, his wife Sarai 1, his brother Nahor and sister-in-law Milcah, and his nephew Lot. God told him to leave for a country that He would show him, and said that He would make of him a great nation which would be a blessing to the entire world.
Abram, now renamed Abraham, obeyed God, and so began the entire story of Israel. This included his eventual descendants King David…and Jesus, the Messiah who was that blessing to the world.
Moses: Exodus 3
Abraham’s descendants, some 400-500 years later, were slaves in Egypt. Moses was born as a slave, adopted and raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter, but then had to flee the country after murdering an Egyptian slavedriver. He was herding sheep in the wilderness when God called to him from a burning bush — one that the fire did not destroy. God had a job for him: Lead the people out of Egypt and into Canaan, the land promised to Abraham.
Gideon: Judges 6:11-24
The Israelites, Abraham’s ex-slave descendants, were now living in Canaan. But they were overpowered by their enemies, the Midianites, so that they were hiding in caves while the Midianites took over their fields and livestock. God called Gideon to lead a revolt and drive out the Midianites.
It took a couple of miracles to convince Gideon that God was serious. Then God whittled Gideon’s army down to only 300 men so that the resulting victory would be obviously from God rather than men. But in the end, God used Gideon’s obedience to give Israel a generation of peace.
Samuel: 1 Samuel 3:1-14
Samuel was just a boy, dedicated to God by his mother since before he was born. She had given him to be raised in the temple by the priest Eli. When God called him in the night, Samuel thought it was Eli that he heard. After the third time that he went to see what Eli wanted, only to find that he had not called him, Eli told him to answer the next call with “Speak, for Your servant is listening.“
Unfortunately, the message from God was that Eli’s wicked sons would be cast aside and would no longer succeed him as priests. Samuel, though, grew to be the prophet who identified and advised Israel’s first kings: Saul and David.
Isaiah: Isaiah 6:1-10
Isaiah’s call was very dramatic, although “call” may be a misnomer: He volunteered. Isaiah had a vision of God in His glory filling the temple. He heard God ask “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah answered “Here am I. Send me!“
God sent him, all right. Isaiah served as prophet during the reigns of five kings of Judah (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh). His stern predictions of judgment, both on sinful Judah and on those who oppressed her, were balanced by his prophecies of the coming Messiah. Those include the “Christmas prophecy” of Isaiah 9:6-7, as well as the four Messianic “Servant Songs” in Isaiah 42:1-9, 49:1–13, 50:4–9, and 52:13–53:12 and the prophecy of future glory in Isaiah 60.
Jeremiah: Jeremiah 1:1-10
Jeremiah’s call is an example of how God plans and orchestrates the affairs of His world. He planned for Jeremiah’s ministry from even before the man was born.
Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
Jeremiah 1:4-5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah had the sad duty of being the last prophet to Judah before they were conquered and taken into captivity by Babylon. He tried to warn them to change their ways, but had to watch as his prophecies were fulfilled. However, he was also able to give them some comfort, telling them that the captivity would not last forever: God would bring them bring home after seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10-14).
Ezekiel: Ezekiel 2-3
Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel was also called to prophesy to Judah during the Babylonian captivity. And, like Isaiah, his calling came on the heels of a dramatic vision of God’s glory (Ezekiel 1).
He had other visions, as well. Some are among the saddest I’ve ever read, watching God’s glory depart from Judah. It moved first from the Most Holy Place inside the temple to the temple threshold (Ezekiel 9:3, 10:4), then to the gate (Ezekiel 10:19), then to the mountain outside the city (Ezekiel 11:22-23). But he also saw the glory returning (Ezekiel 43:1-5, 44:4). And, he saw a valley full of dry bones brought back to life, as God was promising to restore Israel when it seemed all hope was lost (Ezekiel 37:1-14).
Hosea: Hosea 1:1-2
Hosea was called to do something dramatic as an object lesson to the people of Israel (the northern kingdom after its split with Judah to the south). He was told to marry a prostitute — twice — to illustrate how unfaithful Israel was being to its “husband”: God.
Like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, Hosea warned of coming punishment. He served about 50-100 years before them, though, and prophesied more to the northern kingdom about Assyrian conquest rather than to Judah about Babylon. Again like them, he also had some words of comfort and future restoration (such as Hosea 2:14-23).
Jonah: Jonah 1:1-2
Jonah was the only prophet sent to a Gentile nation rather than to Israel or Judah. He was told to go to Ninevah, the capital of Assyria. Assyria was an enemy: Eventually it would completely destroy Israel and seriously threaten Judah.
Before then, however, Jonah was to warn Nineveh of coming judgment from God. To put it mildly, he didn’t want to go. God (with the help of a great fish!) sent him there anyway. The Ninevites heeded his warning and repented, so God relented of the judgment. Jonah was upset with the success of his mission! He argued with God, but God persisted in his compassion for the 120,000 residents of the city in their repentance.
Disciples
Jesus’ original twelve disciples received a very direct call: He spoke to them in person and said “Follow Me!” We are not told of the calling events for all twelve, but we do have Peter, Andrew, James and John 2, Matthew 3, Phillip and Nathanael 4. Jesus even repeated the call to Peter twice more: once during the last supper when predicting Peter’s denial of Him (John 13:36-38) and again after the resurrection when restoring Peter to leadership (John 21:15-19).
Jesus didn’t call only those twelve to follow Him. He extended the call to anyone willing to give Him priority over themselves (Matthew 16:24-27, Mark 8:34-38, Luke 9:23-26). He gave the invitation (and challenge) specifically to the “rich young ruler” who wanted to enter God’s kingdom by following rules without real sacrifice (Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, Luke 18:18-23). He said that He was the Good Shepherd, and that His own sheep know His voice and will follow where He leads (John 10:27-29).
Saul/Paul: Acts 9:1-19
The last instance of a specific call from God that I want to mention is the Pharisee Saul, who became the Apostle Paul. Jesus intercepted him as he was traveling to persecute yet more Christians, and taught him that He (Jesus) was the one being persecuted. Saul/Paul was set to the task of carrying the Gospel to the Gentiles. He ended up establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire. Much of the New Testament consists of his letters to those churches.
Not Just Special People
Today, we take special notice when God calls someone to full-time vocational ministry, such as a pastor or a missionary. But God has a place and purpose for each of us, not just for the professionals.
We may not hear an audible voice or see a bright light, but He finds a way to get our attention. For instance, He uses each of our life experiences to mold, prepare, and guide us toward His purpose and the task He has planned for us. Our inborn aptitudes, likes and dislikes, interests and skills also come into play. So do the additional gifts that His Spirit gives to each Christian. He may also use other people: A recent example in my own life is that I have just been asked to take on a new task at church. I believe that God is calling me to a new area of service, using the voice of our nominating committee chairman. 😁
Sometimes it may seem like simply coincidence, until we look back in hindsight. Other times, we feel a distinct pull toward something, and away from something else. In any case, there’s a feeling of “rightness” when we fit into our designed spot (even if the task itself is difficult or the spot is not particularly comfortable).
Believers
When I started researching for this article, I looked up the Bible’s uses of the word “call” (or “called”, “calling”, etc). In the New Testament, I found them consistently referring to the whole church, the entire body of believers. I didn’t find any references to only the leaders or the prominent voices. Look at this list of passages:
- 1 Corinthians 7:17, 21-24: “Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk.“
- Hebrews 9:15: “…those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.“
- 1 Peter 2:19-24: “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…“
- Corinthians 1:9: “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.“
- Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to freedom…“
- Ephesians 4:1-6: “I … implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called…“
- Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body…“
- 1 Timothy 6:12: “…take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…“
- 1 Peter 3:8-9: “…for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.“
- 1 Corinthians 1:2: “…To the church of God … to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling…“
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-27: “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong…“
- Ephesians 1:18-23: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.“
- 2 Thessalonians 1:11: “…we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling…“
- 2 Timothy 1:9: “[God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose…“
- Hebrews 3:1: “holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus…“
- 2 Peter 1:10: “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you…“
Unbelievers, Too!
To those who have not yet answered the call, He is still waiting for you. God is calling every unbeliever to come back home to Him.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
Revelation 3:20
Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
Isaiah 55:1
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.
Luke 5:32
Here is an old hymn that makes this point well: Jesus is tenderly calling “Oh, sinner, come home!” Why not answer that call, and find out what good purpose God has in mind for you?
Footnotes and Scripture References
- but, significantly, with no children of their own
- Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11
- Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27-28
- John 1:43-51
