6 People in the Bible who were Called by God

This month, I’ve been sharing what God has put on my heart about receiving His purpose for our lives. In keeping with this theme, I’d like to highlight the stories of 6 people in the Bible who received a call from God. Each one is unique and illustrates the fact that our calling should come from God, there is no one way to receive the call of God, and that God is the one who prepares us for His work.

#1: Noah (Genesis 6:13-22)

During a time of great wickedness, God gave Noah the task of building an ark to save a remnant of the earth’s animals and his family from God’s judgement which would come through a year long flood. I can only imagine what Noah’s neighbors must have thought of him. He was building this huge ark, storing up incredible amounts of supplies for life on the ark, and caring for dangerous wild animals that were coming to him to live in the ark. Yet, Noah believed and trusted in God. 

What We Can Learn:

Noah lives out his faith and calling despite facing ridicule and a lack of support from his local community. His story shows us that, even in a sinful world, we can still choose to live for God and be an example of faith to others.

#2: Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3)

God calls Abraham to leave his homeland and journey to a new land. He receives promises of protection from God and a promise that following God will lead to blessings for him and his family. I love Abraham’s story because it shows that God’s calling can take a lifetime. It can also be simple: Abraham was to raise his family in a new land.

Of course, Abraham’s calling wasn’t easy. I’m sure being away from his hometown and family was scary. Some of his family members may have even thought he was crazy. He also faced a lot of hardships during his lifetime, but God ultimately kept His promise. Lastly, Abraham passed away before seeing the whole fulfillment of God’s promise to him. He knew that everything God told him wouldn’t happen in his lifetime, but he chose to sacrifice his comfort to submit wholeheartedly to God’s plans for him anyway.

What We Can Learn:

Abraham’s life is a reminder that following the call of God may mean that we will not see all the benefit it will bring on this side of heaven. Nevertheless, it’s important to pursue God’s purpose for our lives in faith.

#3: Joseph (Genesis 37:5-11)

Joseph received a dream from God about his future, but it’s pretty vague. He is betrayed by his brothers, lives as a slave, and later becomes an important leader in Egypt. God prepared him for his purpose in an unusual way. He manages an Egyptian officials household as a slave and then a prison.

I love Joseph’s story for several reasons. First, his father favored him and wanted him to lead the family. While this is nice, it wasn’t God’s goal. This shows us that our family may have a plan for us, but we must faithfully pursue God’s plan. Second, God uses a tragedy to lead him to his purpose. It shows us that God can use difficult circumstances in our calling. Third, Joseph had no idea what he would be doing. I love this detail of Joseph’s story because we often think we must know God’s plan beforehand. And Lastly, Joseph accomplishes his purpose using mundane life skills—managing people, accounting, memorizing laws, etc. These skills are just as important to God as having a special talent. 

What We Can Learn:

Overall, Joseph’s life shows us that God can use us to do something great no matter what is happening in our lives as long as we’re committed to pursuing Him. We don’t have to know every detail of God’s plan for us. We just have to trust and follow Him.

#4: Moses (Exodus 3)

Of course, I had to include Moses. I covered his call in depth in another blog, but he’s still important to mention here. Moses received his call from God through the sign of a burning bush. He received God’s call late in life at the age of 80 (Acts 7:30). This tells us that we are never too old to receive God’s call.

When God speaks to Moses about his purpose, Moses feels unworthy and tries to ask God to send someone else. I love this part of Moses’s story because it is a reminder that we may not feel up to the task, but we can have confidence that God will be with us as we pursue His work. Despite his reservations, Moses did have experiences such as living in the Egyptian palace, surviving in the desert, and knowledge of his Israeli heritage that would help him to achieve God’s goal. 

What We Can Learn:

Just like Moses, we may be called to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives after God has prepared us through our life experiences. We often grow impatient waiting on God to reveal our calling, but God may have a purpose in our wait. Regardless, we are never too old to fulfill God’s plans for our lives.

#5: Gideon (Judges 6:11-14)

An angel of the Lord calls Gideon, who is hiding in fear while trying to prepare wheat, a mighty warrior! I love Gideon’s call because he’s not perfect. He asks for signs to confirm that the call truly comes from God. His family has been involved in idol worship, and he has to repent from it. He doesn’t see himself the way God sees him at all. Yet, God still calls him and uses him in a victory against an enemy of the Israelites. 

What We Can Learn:

Gideon’s story is a reminder that God sees a potential in us that we may not see in ourselves. When we submit our lives to Him, we can do great things in His name.

#6: David (1 Samuel 16)

David was called as a young boy to one day be king of Israel. At the time, his family thought so little of him that they didn’t even bother to ask him to come have a meal with the prophet Samuel who was looking to anoint the future king. David’s calling would happen in stages. He was taken into the king’s service where God uses him as a mighty warrior and others began to notice his leadership potential. He was later persecuted by the previous king, Saul, who wanted to kill David and keep his throne. During this time, David began leading his mighty warriors who would be the core men who would support his kingship. He first became king of Judah then later became king over all Israel. 

What We Can Learn:

David’s life shows us that it is important to trust God with each step as he brings us into our purpose. There were long periods of suffering and waiting for David, but he overcame all of it because he did things God’s way and in His timing.

While I’ve only highlighted six people in the Bible who were called by God, there are so many other people in the Bible who also received a calling that we can learn from. Please feel free to share your favorite Bible story of someone receiving their calling in the comments!