Call on the Name of the LORD

2018-04-29

This is a short survey of what it means to call on the name of the LORD according to the Bible.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. (Joel 2:32)

The original context of this verse is talking about calling out to God for salvation immediately before the Day of the LORD. We live in such a time, which is why Paul quoted this verse in Romans 10:13 and Peter quoted it in Acts 2:21.

The first time the phrase is used is in Genesis 4:26: “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.” Unlike the Cainites who were busy in worldly affairs, Seth and his descendants began to call on God. From this verse, it is hard to know all that this entails, but we know that they were trusting that God would send the promised Savior (Genesis 3:15).

People probably began to formally worship Him around this time as well. We see in Genesis 12:8 that Abraham “builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.” This worship entailed a sacrifice, much like Abel’s sacrifice, as God commanded a blood sacrifice that foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ. The same usage of the phrase is in Genesis 13:4; 21:33; and with Isaac in Genesis 26:25.

Elijah, when contesting with the prophets of Baal, said that he would call on the name of the LORD, and if He answered him with fire, it would prove that the LORD was God (1 Kings 18:24). Elijah called out to God in prayer, and God answered him (1 Kings 18:36-38):

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. (1 Kings 18:36-38)

Elijah confessed that the LORD was the God of Israel, and that he was His servant. He called on Him, knowing that he had been obedient to God in all that he had done. He also prayed that the answer to his prayer would bring others to trust in the LORD.

Calling on the name of the LORD also has a sense of thanksgiving, as we see in David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 16:8 and Psalm 105:1. It also involves sharing with others His goodness. The following verse in each case shows us that this means singing to Him and telling about all the great things He has done. In Psalm 116:4, we see the psalmist beseeching God for deliverance. We see that God delivered Him and the psalmist would call on His name with thanksgiving (Psalm 116:13, 17). Jeremiah also called on the name of the LORD for deliverance from the dungeon (Lamentations 3:55). In the day of the Messiah’s deliverance, the people will praise God and call on His name (Isaiah 12:4).

The Spirit also calls on the Father on our behalf, calling out “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6). He calls out to the Father when we do not even know how to pray (Romans 8:26). In this way, every saved person calls on the name of the LORD, even if we cannot find actual words to say.