As I pointed out briefly on Sunday, In Genesis 4:26 there is this hopeful and redemptive statement that should secure our attention. The Scripture reads, “To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.”
As I was sharing some of my preliminary thoughts on what God is communicating in this passage with a friend he asked an interesting question and began a dialogue that was really exciting, and one I have been most eager to share with you. It began with a comment about the significance of “firsts” in the Bible. And we need to identify that this is the first place it is ever mentioned in Scripture of men’s recognition for the Lord’s intervention in their life.
First let’s notice something about the names of the two characters involved. Seth, the third born of Adam and Eve, means “set in place of.” It affirms the recognition of his parents of the Lord’s sovereign provision for a son to renew the lineage that would provide a lineage of godliness. Then we see that Seth gave his son the name Enosh, which means “frail one,” or “mortal.” This indicates that Seth recognized the weaknesses of humanity. And unlike his distant cousin Lamech, who grew in his pride, arrogance, and self-sufficiency, Seth wanted to emphasize his deep understanding of the insufficiency of man and the all-sufficiency of the Lord. Boice writes, “The line of Seth had recognized that sin was no mere imperfection of human nature but something destined to destroy both the individual and culture unless it should be overcome by the grace and power of almighty God. So these new individuals now threw themselves on God and trusted him wholly for their physical and spiritual salvation.” (James M. Boice – Genesis Vol. 1 pg 275.)
Martin Luther and John Calvin both recognized this as the initiation of the church. Calvin calls it “a miracle, that there was at that time a single family in which the worship of God arose.” (John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis pg. 144.) He further describes it by saying, “the face of the Church began distinctly to appear, and that worship of God was set up which might continue to posterity.” (Ibid) And Luther remarks, in this was “a small church . . . in which Adam, as high priest, rules everything by the Word and sound doctrine.” (Luther’s Works Vol. 1 pg. 327) So we might consider a very unique matter introduced in Genesis 4, the church of the living God is established when people call upon the name of the Lord.
The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, employs a word here for the word “called,” which is epikaleisthai. This word occurs in the New Testament only one time in this exact construct. It is in Hebrews 11:16, which says, “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” If you remember Hebrews chapter 11 is often called the “Faith Chapter,” for in it the writer identifies the heroes of faith from the Old Testament accounts who followed after God in faith and obedience. I find it very interesting that this same construct is used to describe the promise of a prepared place for these faithful people.
So let’s do a little word study on the root of epikaleisthai. It comes from the root word e˙pikale÷w – epikaleo, which means to call on; to attach or connect a name, Acts 15:17; James 2:7; to attach an additional name, to surname, Matt 10:3; pass. to receive an appellation or surname, Heb 11:16; mid. to call upon, invoke, 2 Cor 1:23; to appeal to, Acts 25:11, 12, 21 – taken from The Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament, n.p.
The root word in the Greek is the word kaleo. This word is also the root for the word ekklessia, which is translated “church.” If we were to consider a few instances where this word is used in Scripture we would find the following. The word is used in Acts 15:17, a quote of Amos 9:11-12. It describes people who are identified as being the Lord’s. And in 1 Corinthians 1:2 we see the root used in three formations, once for the church, once for the gospel call, and the other to emphasize the calling on the Lord. Let’s look at this passage a bit more carefully. It reads, “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” (italics mine)
When we see this word utilized in three different ways in this passage we can begin to get a sense of a comprehensive work of God in redemption. First, let’s deal with the word “church.” We know this to be a group of people believing in and trusting on Jesus death, burial and resurrection for the redemption of their lives. The church is a body of people who have responded in repentance and faith to the redemptive work he accomplished. This is clarified by the terms sanctified and saints, words that are derived from the root word, hagios, which literally means holy or set apart. The use emphasizes people set apart for God’s purposes. God is accomplishing his effectual work in the lives of those who are called to respond.
Do you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30? It reads, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Wayne Grudem summarizes it this way, “When the New Testament talks about people coming to salvation it speaks in terms of a personal response to an invitation from Christ himself. That invitation is beautifully expressed . . . in the words of Jesus.” Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology pg 694.) Can there be any greater “call” than that extended by Jesus? Can there be for us any greater privilege than to extend that call to any man to “come unto Jesus.”?
So we have seen that calling refers to the church, and calling refers an invitation to respond in repentance and faith to Jesus. Let’s look at the final aspect of calling. This is the calling that extends from men to the Lord. In Romans 10:14 Paul asks a few rhetorical questions, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” The answer is he gives is “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
It is important to consider the greater context of these questions and the final answer. If we look back at verses Romans 9-13 we gain that. The Scripture reads, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (Rom 10:9–13 ESV)
The last verse is a quote of Joel 2:32, which emphasizes the Old Testament view that calling upon the Lord would bring salvation to men. So we can understand this in summary by seeing that the called out ones are the ones who called out. What an amazing truth that saturates all of Scripture! So will you extend the message and call for men to be saved, echoing the words found in Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Rev 22:17 ESV)
And if you are that one, who has never responded to the call of Jesus to come, should you desire to do so now, come, turn from your sin, your self-sufficiency, and your pride and doing so instead turn to God (this is repentance). In repenting, then call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, confessing your belief in him as Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Friend, thus acknowledging his life, death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). When you do, you will be saved, and he will bestow his riches upon you.
Therefore, may it be our legacy, that in our time, and because of our influence, men called upon the name of the LORD.
