When Heaven Calls your Name

The book is sub-titled ‘People in the Bible who heard God speak’. There are many examples in the Bible of individuals God called by name, but only seven men to whom, in calling, God repeated their name, beginning with ‘Abraham, Abraham’ and concluding with ‘Saul, Saul’. Along with these seven, consideration is also given to the lament of the Lord Jesus, ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem’, and His cry from the cross, ‘Eli, Eli’. The author demonstrates that the repetition of words in scripture indicates truth God wishes to emphasize and that these double-calls warrant particular study.

The nine chapters cover a wide span of doctrinal and practical teaching and each ends with a summary and reflection on the main points. Most of the scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Within the sphere of these calls, attention is given to God’s sovereignty and promises, His greatness and power, His salvation and care as well as the authority and treasure of His word. In regard to Christian living, the reader is challenged to think of the things that should be given priority in the believer’s life, to accept that faith will be tried and urged to submit to the Lordship of Christ, saying with Saul, ‘Lord, what willt thou have me to do?’

Very few readers are likely to be happy with the writer’s comments in connection with the words of the Lord, ‘Eli, Eli’, that between His assertion, ‘I am not alone, because the Father is with me’, John. 16. 32, and His cry, ‘Why have you forsaken me?’, Matt. 27. 46, ‘something changed’! That comment is followed by the question, ‘How could Jesus be assured that God was with Him and then convinced that He was not’? How indeed! Despite that strange suggestion, this is a readable, enjoyable and, mainly, helpful book and is most reasonably priced.

[Our thanks to Richard Catchpole, South Norwood, London, UK, for this review]