“Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3
The life of Jeremiah the prophet was a very tumultuous one, from the standpoint of all that he faced, and endured, with regard to those who opposed him. The Lord prepared him for this at the time of his calling, first in declaring to him that he was to be a “…prophet to the nations,” similar to the Apostle Paul. In that declaration, the Lord continued to prepare him for what was to come, and yet, providing for every need. His mission was very clear, “Thou therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.” (Jer. 1:17) For the fulfillment of such a task, God would need to put into Jeremiah that which he did not possess naturally. He would need to receive an authority from heaven, and the power and strength, to follow through in the face of great opposition, and trial. The Lord would speak specific words to him to enable him to see clearly how to approach the difficulties, with the certainty that God would not only be with him, but would sustain and protect him, enabling him to accomplish his mission. The Lord said, “For, behold, I have made thee THIS DAY, a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall NOT prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.” (1:18,19)
In the thirty-third chapter of Jeremiah’s book, we find him “…shut up, in the court of the prison.” (v.1) It will be there, in such confining circumstances, and apparently having no way of futher fulfilling his mandate, or calling, that God will speak words to him that not only applied to him personally, but to the nation of Israel, a part of which had been carried away captive to Babylon. Even now, as Jeremiah communicates the condition of his circumstances, being in prison, he also is communicating the Lord’s word received while in prison. Nebuchadnezzar’s army is at the gates, and the fall of Jerusalem is certain to come to pass. From a human standpoint, the future is bleak because the present moment seems hopeless, without resource nor recourse. And yet, there comes a word of the Lord to Jeremiah that is brimming with hope and certainty, because the God of Israel is merciful, ever seeking to save and deliver His people, in order to reveal through them the knowledge of His saving grace and power, goodness and love, righteousness and mercy. The word of the Lord comes in the form of a commandment, requiring a faithful, obedient response: “Call unto Me…” There is with this command a promise, “And I WILL answer you.” In that prison in Jerusalem, in such terrible, limited confinement, God gives a means to know and to have great hope, because of the expectancy that His word creates. The Lord goes on to say, that He will, “…shew great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” The issue is always, not what man can contrive or come up with as the answer to the impossible, but the word of God, the expression of His great mercy and wisdom, always providing a hope, a way of escape, a certain realization and manifestation of His great goodness. What did God reveal to Jeremiah, and the entire nation, at this very critical point in their history?
He spoke specifically of bringing the people back from the captivity, even speaking to them concerning how he would provide for them in the captivity. He speaks of bringing the people again from the land of the enemy, with great blessing, saying: “…And there is hope in thine end.” Here is a wonderful God who will heal, restore, and rebuild.
Dear Father, Be our Hope today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.