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SPECIAL CALLS OF GOD.

WHILE God "now commandeth all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17: 30); in all ages He has made special calls on some. To all men, "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1: 18). “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who, being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high" (Heb. 1: 1). The great call of God to men is, to hear Him. "Lo! a voice from heaven saying, This is My beloved Son" (Matt. 3: 17). "This is My beloved Son, *** hear ye Him" (Matt. 17: 5).

The Bible mentions many special calls of God to individuals. When Adam tried to hide himself, "The Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Gen. 3: 9). "And the Lord said unto Noah, Come, thou, and all thy house into the ark" (Gen. 7: 1). "The Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee” (Gen. 12: 1; 22: 15–22). "I called him alone and blessed him and prospered him " (Isai. 51: 2). “The angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven" (Gen.21: 17). God called unto Moses out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses" (Exod. 3: 4). "The Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel " (1 Sam. 3: 4, 6, 8, 10). Jesus called Paul, "And he heard a voice from heaven saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest" (Acts 9: 4).

The Bible contains calls to all men. The call by Isaiah 750 years before Christ was, “ Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. In

cline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live” (Isaiah 55: 1). The call by the Lord Jesus Christ is, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11: 28). He also says, "Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out" (John 6: 37). The call in the last chapter of the Bible is, "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22: 17). Jesus "calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out *** He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice" (John 10: 4). “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, to them that are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: and whom He foreordained, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified" (Rom. 8: 28). And Jesus "calleth unto him whom He would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might. send them forth to preach" (Mark 3: 13). "Ye

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have not chosen me, but I have chosen you (John 15: 16, 19; 6: 70; 13: 18). "The Master is come, and calleth for thee" (Luke 11: 28). "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5: 24). "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own. purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began " (2 Tim. I: 9).

God's calls to His people to give up their idolatry and return to Him, repeated again and again, in almost every age, are very touching, and full of pathos. They offer, like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, not only forgiveness, but a loving reception to the backslider and the fallen, if they will repent and turn to God. "My people are bent to backsliding from me. *** How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man" (Hosea 11: 7). "Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD" (Jer. 31: 20). be forgotten of me.

"O Israel, thou shalt not I have blotted out, as a

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thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee" (Isai. 44: 21). "Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD" (Jer. 3: 12). Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding" (Jer. 3: 22). "I have spoken unto you, rising early, and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them (Jer. 35: 14). "For why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye" (Ezek. 18: 31). “Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation " (Exod. 19: 5). "For thou art an holy people unto the LORD, thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth" (Deut. 14: 2). "But ye are are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2: 9).

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