Topical Bible: Calls

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In the biblical context, the concept of "calls" encompasses a range of divine summonses, invitations, and vocations extended by God to individuals and groups. These calls can be understood as God's initiative to engage with humanity, guiding them towards His purposes and plans. The Bible presents various instances of calls, each with unique characteristics and implications.

Divine Call to Individuals

One of the most prominent examples of a divine call is the call of Abraham. In Genesis 12:1-3, God calls Abram (later Abraham) to leave his country and family to go to a land that He will show him. This call is foundational, as it establishes the Abrahamic covenant and sets the stage for the unfolding of God's redemptive plan: "The LORD said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing'" (Genesis 12:1-2).

Similarly, the call of Moses in Exodus 3 is a pivotal moment in the history of Israel. God calls Moses from the burning bush, commissioning him to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. This call is marked by God's assurance of His presence and power: "So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:10).

Prophetic Calls

The prophetic books of the Old Testament frequently depict the call of prophets. Isaiah's call in Isaiah 6 is a profound encounter with God's holiness, where Isaiah responds to God's question, "Whom shall I send?" with the words, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). Similarly, Jeremiah's call emphasizes God's foreknowledge and purpose: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5).

The Call to Discipleship

In the New Testament, Jesus extends calls to His disciples, inviting them to follow Him. The call of the first disciples, such as Peter and Andrew, is recorded in Matthew 4:19: "Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" . This call to discipleship involves a radical reorientation of life, prioritizing the kingdom of God above all else.

The Call to Salvation

The New Testament also speaks of a universal call to salvation. This call is an invitation to all people to repent and believe in the gospel. In Romans 8:30, Paul speaks of those whom God "predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified" . This sequence underscores the divine initiative in the process of salvation.

The Call to Holiness and Service

Believers are called to live holy lives and serve God. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, Christians are exhorted to be holy in all their conduct, reflecting the holiness of God: "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy'" . Additionally, Ephesians 4:1 urges believers to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received" , highlighting the ethical implications of the divine call.

Conclusion

The biblical theme of calls is multifaceted, encompassing God's invitations to individuals for specific missions, the universal call to salvation, and the call to live a life of holiness and service. These calls reflect God's sovereign will and His desire for a relationship with humanity, guiding them towards His redemptive purposes.

Greek

1577. ekklesia -- an assembly, a (religious) congregation
... 2564 , "to call") -- properly, people the world and to God, the being the (the mystical
) -- ie the universal (total) body of believers whom God calls from the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1577.htm - 8k

5455. phoneo -- to call out
... Word Origin from phone Definition to call out NASB Word Usage call (4), called
(13), calling (6), calls (1), cried (3), crow (2), crowed (5), crows (5), crying ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5455.htm - 7k

2564. kaleo -- to call
... word Definition to call NASB Word Usage call (13), called (99), calling (2), calls
(7), give (1), invite (2), invited (15), invited guests (1), invites (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2564.htm - 10k

2124. eulabeia -- caution
... Cognate: 2124 (from 2126 , "reverent, godly fear") -- properly, "a taking hold of
what God calls good"; "holy caution," inducing behavior. See 2126 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2124.htm - 7k

2150. eusebeia -- piety
... 2150 ("godly heart-response") naturally expresses itself in reverence for
God, ie what He calls sacred (worthy of veneration). Word ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2150.htm - 7k

4165. poimaino -- to act as a shepherd
... 274), which includes guarding, guiding, and folding the flock and is only provided
(ultimately) by Jesus Christ -- Shepherd, who calls under-shepherds (such as ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4165.htm - 8k

318. anagke -- necessity
... 318 ("a necessity") calls for, ie to accomplish something (). This kind of situation
is typically brought on by great pain or distress (so Diod., ,). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/318.htm - 7k

988. blasphemia -- slander
... Blasphemy (988 ) "" right for wrong (wrong for right), ie calls what God "" which
"exchanges the truth of God for a lie" (Ro 1:25). See 987 (). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/988.htm - 7k

4779. sugkaleo -- to call together
... Word Origin from sun and kaleo Definition to call together NASB Word Usage
called...together (2), called together (3), calls together (2), summoned (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4779.htm - 6k

2839. koinos -- common
... common"). 2839 ("defiled") describes the of a person reducing what God calls () --
to what is , ie it of its sacredness. 2839 (" because ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2839.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

1875. darash -- to resort to, seek
... root Definition to resort to, seek NASB Word Usage ask (1), avenge (1), calls (1),
care (1), cares (3), comes the reckoning (1), consult (2), consulted by them ...
/hebrew/1875.htm - 6k

6485. paqad -- to attend to, visit, muster, appoint
... appointed (19), appoints (1), assign (3), assigned (1), attend (1), attended (1),
bring punishment (1), brought (1), call their to account (1), calls me to ...
/hebrew/6485.htm - 7k

6950. qahal -- to gather as an assembly or congregation
... Word Origin denominative verb from qahal Definition to gather as an assembly or
congregation NASB Word Usage assemble (7), assembled (26), calls an assembly (1 ...
/hebrew/6950.htm - 6k

7121. qara -- to call, proclaim, read
... root Definition to call, proclaim, read NASB Word Usage become (1), become famous
(1), call (121), called (301), calling (11), calls (17), cried (24), cries (1 ...
/hebrew/7121.htm - 7k

Library

The Love that Calls us Sons
... I. JOHN THE LOVE THAT CALLS US SONS. 'Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God....'1 John 3:1. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the love that calls us.htm

In a Word, that which Calls For, and Requires Oaths among ...
... Address 177: In a word, that which calls for, and requires oaths among
Christians? In a word, that which calls for, and requires ...
/.../address 177 0 0 in a word.htm

John Calls Jesus a "Lamb. " Why Does He Name this Animal Specially ...
... Sixth Book. 32. John Calls Jesus a "Lamb." Why Does He Name This Animal
Specially? Of the Typology of the Sacrifices, Generally. ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/32 john calls jesus a.htm

The Sixth Rule Tichonius Calls the Recapitulation, Which...
... Book 3 Chapter 52. The sixth rule Tichonius calls the recapitulation, which?
52. The sixth rule Tichonius calls the recapitulation ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 52 the sixth rule.htm

How the First of These Calls is of no Use to a Sluggard, and the ...
... Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter V. How the first of these calls is of
no use to a sluggard, and the last is no hindrance to one who is in earnest. ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter v how the first.htm

Anonymous. Calls of the Spirit.
... SUPPLEMENT. 511. 8, 7 & 4s. M. Anonymous. Calls of the Spirit. 1 Brother,
will you slight the message Sent in mercy from above? ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/511 8 7 & 4s.htm

Of Fear* (Four Articles) [*St. Thomas Calls this vice ...
... Thomas calls this vice indifferently 'fear' or 'timidity.' The translation requires
one to adhere to these terms on account of the connection with the passion ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/of fear four articles st.htm

What St. Paul Calls Spiritual Wickednesses Displayed by Pagan ...
... Chapter XXXIX."What St. Paul Calls Spiritual Wickednesses Displayed by
Pagan Authors, and by Heretics, in No Dissimilar Manner. ...
/.../the prescription against heretics/chapter xxxix what st paul calls.htm

Jesus Calls Us; O'er the Tumult
... Andrew 268. Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult. 8.7.8.7 [1007]St. ... Cecil Frances Alexander,
1852. Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult. Of our life's wild, restless sea,. ...
/.../holy days st andrew 268.htm

He Calls Upon God, and Proposes to Himself to Worship Him.
... Book XIII. Chapter I."He Calls Upon God, and Proposes to Himself to Worship
Him. 1. I Call upon Thee, my God, my mercy, who madest ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter i he calls upon god.htm

Thesaurus

Calls (62 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Calls (62 Occurrences). ... Matthew 22:45 "If then David
calls him Lord, how is he his son?" (WEB WEY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/c/calls.htm - 23k

Melchisedec (10 Occurrences)
... Yahweh with 'El `Elyon, the title of the Deity as worshipped at Jerusalem; and so
Hebrews 7:1;, following Septuagint of Genesis 14:18;, calls Melchizedek. ...
/m/melchisedec.htm - 17k

Melchizedek (12 Occurrences)
... Yahweh with 'El `Elyon, the title of the Deity as worshipped at Jerusalem; and so
Hebrews 7:1;, following Septuagint of Genesis 14:18;, calls Melchizedek. ...
/m/melchizedek.htm - 19k

Ebionites
... Jerome, in his letter to Augustine, not only asserts the same thing but calls the
one class, those affirming the miraculous birth, Nazareans, and the other ...
/e/ebionites.htm - 34k

Ebionism
... Jerome, in his letter to Augustine, not only asserts the same thing but calls the
one class, those affirming the miraculous birth, Nazareans, and the other ...
/e/ebionism.htm - 34k

Zenas (1 Occurrence)
... ze'-nas (Zenas (Titus 3:13); the name in full would probably be Zenodorus, literally,
meaning "the gift of Zeus"): 1. A Jewish Lawyer: Paul calls Zenas "the ...
/z/zenas.htm - 10k

Neighbors (40 Occurrences)
... Luke 15:6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying
to them,'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' (WEB ...
/n/neighbors.htm - 18k

Utters (26 Occurrences)
... eyes. (See RSV). Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She ... squares.
(WEB). Proverbs 1:21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At ...
/u/utters.htm - 13k

Lost (85 Occurrences)
... Luke 15:6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying
to them,'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' (WEB ...
/l/lost.htm - 32k

Gerasa
... after a siege by Alexander Janneus, 85 BC (BJ, I, iv, 8). Josephus names it as marking
the eastern limit of Peraea (BJ, III, iii, 3). He calls the inhabitants ...
/g/gerasa.htm - 10k

Resources

What does the Bible say about altar calls? Are altar calls biblical? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that deep calls to deep (Psalm 42:7)? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible mean when it calls God the “LORD of hosts”? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Calls (62 Occurrences)

Matthew 22:43
He saith to them, 'How then doth David in the Spirit call him lord, saying,
(See RSV NIV)

Matthew 22:45
"If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?"
(WEB WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Matthew 27:47
And some of those who stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calls for Elias.
(DBY)

Mark 3:13
And he goes up into the mountain, and calls whom he himself would, and they went to him.
(DBY)

Mark 6:7
And he calls the twelve to him; and he began to send them out two and two, and gave to them power over the unclean spirits;
(DBY)

Mark 10:49
And Jesus, standing still, desired him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying to him, Be of good courage, rise up, he calls thee.
(DBY)

Mark 12:37
Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?" The common people heard him gladly.
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 15:35
And some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calls for Elias.
(DBY)

Luke 15:6
When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them,'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 15:9
When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying,'Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.'
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 20:37
But that the dead rise to life even Moses clearly implies in the passage about the Bush, where he calls the Lord 'The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'
(WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 20:44
"David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?"
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

John 2:9
But when the feast-master had tasted the water which had been made wine (and knew not whence it was, but the servants knew who drew the water), the feast-master calls the bridegroom,
(DBY)

John 10:3
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

John 11:28
And having said this, she went away and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, The teacher is come and calls thee.
(DBY)

Acts 2:21
and every one who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'
(WEY NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 2:39
for to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all those afar off, as many as the Lord our God shall call.'
(See RSV)

Romans 4:17
As it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations." This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.
(WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 9:11
For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,
(WEB DBY NAS)

Romans 9:12
it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger."
(See NIV)

Romans 10:13
For "every one, without exception, who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
(WEY RSV NIV)

1 Corinthians 5:11
But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don't even eat with such a person.
(See NIV)

Galatians 4:6
And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, " Abba, Father!"
(See NIV)

Galatians 5:8
This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
(WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Thessalonians 2:12
to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
(WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Thessalonians 5:24
He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Peter 3:15
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:
(See RSV)

Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
(WEB WEY DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Revelation 13:10
If anyone has captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.
(See NIV)

Revelation 13:18
Here is scope for ingenuity. Let people of shrewd intelligence calculate the number of the Wild Beast; for it indicates a certain man, and his number is 666.
(See RSV NIV)

Revelation 17:9
Here is the mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits.
(See RSV NIV)

Genesis 46:33
And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say: What is your occupation?
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 18:11
or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
(See NAS)

1 Samuel 3:9
Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say,'Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 26:14
and David calleth unto the people, and unto Abner son of Ner, saying, 'Dost thou not answer, Abner?' and Abner answereth and saith, 'Who 'art' thou 'who' hast called unto the king?'
(See NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 8:43
hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by my name.
(WEB NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 6:33
then hear from heaven, even from your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, and fear you, as does your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.
(WEB NAS RSV)

Job 11:10
If he passes by, or confines, or convenes a court, then who can oppose him?
(See NAS RSV)

Job 31:14
What then shall I do when God rises up? When he visits, what shall I answer him?
(See NAS)

Psalms 42:7
Deep calls to deep at the noise of your waterfalls. All your waves and your billows have swept over me.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 50:1
A Psalm by Asaph. The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset.
(WEB)

Psalms 50:4
He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people:
(WEB RSV)

Psalms 72:12
For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.
(See RSV)

Psalms 91:15
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and bring him to honour.
(See RSV)

Psalms 147:4
He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.
(WEB NIV)

Proverbs 1:20
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
(WEB NIV)

Proverbs 1:21
She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
(WEB)

Proverbs 9:3
She hath sent forth her maidens, she calleth, upon the highest places of the city:
(See NAS NIV)

Proverbs 18:6
A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 21:11
The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
(WEB NIV)

Isaiah 40:3
The voice of one who calls out, "Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God.
(WEB)

Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their army by number. He calls them all by name. by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.
(WEB NAS NIV)

Isaiah 41:2
Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 41:25
"I have raised up one from the north, and he has come; from the rising of the sun, one who calls on my name; and he shall come on rulers as on mortar, and as the potter treads clay.
(WEB NIV)

Isaiah 45:3
And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I am the LORD, who call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 64:7
There is none who calls on your name, who stirs up himself to take hold of you; for you have hid your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 7:7
They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one among them who calls to me.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Joel 2:32
It will happen that whoever will call on the name of Yahweh shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh has said, and among the remnant, those whom Yahweh calls.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Amos 5:8
seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow of death into the morning, and makes the day dark with night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth, Yahweh is his name,
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Amos 9:6
It is he who builds his chambers in the heavens, and has founded his vault on the earth; he who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the surface of the earth; Yahweh is his name.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Micah 6:9
Yahweh's voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.
(WEB)

Zephaniah 2:14
Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.
(WEB NIV)

Subtopics

Calls

Related Terms

Quiet (167 Occurrences)

Waves (43 Occurrences)

Lull (1 Occurrence)

Rebuked (39 Occurrences)

Still (2005 Occurrences)

Tempest (30 Occurrences)

Storm (62 Occurrences)

Orders (736 Occurrences)

Temper (14 Occurrences)