Jeremiah 33:3—“Call to Me, and I Will Answer You”

“Call to me, and I will answer you and readily tell you great and incomprehensible things that you have not known.”—Jeremiah 33:3, New World Translation.

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”—Jeremiah 33:3, New International Version.

Meaning of Jeremiah 33:3

With these words, God extended an invitation for people to call to him in prayer. If those hearing the invitation accepted it and prayed to God, he would reveal to them what would happen in the future.

“Call to me, and I will answer you.” The expression “call to me” does not simply mean calling out or shouting God’s name. Rather, in this sense, calling to God involves seeking his help and guidance in prayer.—Psalm 4:1; Jeremiah 29:12.

This invitation was likely directed to the ancient nation of Israel. That nation had turned away from God, and they were threatened by the Babylonian army. (Jeremiah 32:1, 2) Jehovaha invited the Israelites to return to him by calling out to him in prayer.

“I will . . . tell you great and incomprehensible things that you have not known.” The things God promises to reveal are “incomprehensible” (or, inaccessible) in the sense that humans could never come to know them on their own. The expression “incomprehensible things” can also be rendered “hidden things.”

What “hidden things” would God reveal? Future events—namely, the destruction and desolation of the ancient city of Jerusalem, as well as its later restoration. (Jeremiah 30:1-3; 33:4, 7, 8) However, God also declared that his worshippers would not perish as a nation.—Jeremiah 32:36-38.

Context of Jeremiah 33:3

The prophet Jeremiah received this message from Jehovah in 608 B.C.E., during the tenth year of the reign of King Zedekiah. Jeremiah had foretold that Jerusalem would fall and that Zedekiah would be taken captive. Since the king did not like the message, he had Jeremiah taken into custody.—Jeremiah 32:1-5; 33:1; 37:21.

It was in these circumstances that God extended the invitation found at Jeremiah 33:3. Unfortunately, King Zedekiah and most of the nation persisted in their rebellion. (Jeremiah 7:26; 25:4) They did not call on God, seeking his direction. A year later, Zedekiah was overthrown, Jerusalem was destroyed, and most of the survivors were captured and taken to Babylon.—Jeremiah 39:1-7.

The words recorded at Jeremiah 33:3 remind readers today that God can provide “accurate knowledge of his will” and reveal “deep things” to those who prayerfully study his Word, the Bible. (Colossians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 2:10) These deep things include what God promises to do in the near future.—Revelation 21:3, 4.

Watch this short video to see an overview of the book of Jeremiah.