Isaiah 65:24: If God answers before people call, why are there countless unanswered prayers and unresolved suffering?

I. The Text of Isaiah 65:24

“Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.”

This verse presents a promise of divine attentiveness and care. It often raises the question: if God answers before we call, why then do many prayers seem to remain unanswered, and why does suffering persist?

II. Historical and Literary Context

Isaiah 65 stands near the conclusion of Isaiah’s prophetic writings. The Book of Isaiah has been preserved in numerous manuscripts, including the Great Isaiah Scroll found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (circa 2nd century BC), which closely agrees with our present-day text. In chapter 65, the prophet addresses future blessings and ultimate restoration for those who turn to God. The phrase “Even before they call, I will answer” captures God’s sovereign grace extended to His people in a future state of blessing.

Yet, as with many Old Testament prophecies, the words hold layers of meaning. Immediately, they point to God’s readiness to restore and bless His repentant people after their captivity. More broadly, they hint at the divine trait of omniscience: God knows a person’s needs even before the person utters them, demonstrating His mercy and power.

III. Biblical Perspective on Prayer and Suffering

1. God’s Omniscience and Omnipresence

Scripture repeatedly affirms that God knows all things (Psalm 139:1–4; Acts 15:18). There is no prayer too small or too large that escapes His knowledge. Isaiah 65:24 assures us that God’s awareness is not reactionary—He is intimately familiar with our lives well before we vocalize our needs.

2. The Complexity of Suffering

From a survey of Old Testament narratives (e.g., the Book of Job) and New Testament examples (e.g., Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:7–9), it becomes evident that suffering may persist for various reasons. Sometimes it is a result of humanity’s fallen state—sin entering the world (Genesis 3) led to the introduction of pain, death, and hardship. Sometimes God allows trials to refine character (1 Peter 1:6–7) or to accomplish purposes beyond human understanding (Romans 8:28).

3. The Ongoing Tension of a Fallen World

Though God’s promise to hear before we call remains true, we also live in the “already and not yet” tension of a world awaiting complete restoration (Romans 8:19–23). Believers experience blessings and answered prayers, yet witness ongoing brokenness and unfinished healing. This tension does not indicate God’s failure to respond but illustrates that full redemption has not reached its final conclusion (Revelation 21:4).

IV. How God Answers Before We Call

1. Eternal Perspective

God exists outside of time, perceiving past, present, and future at once. This eternal dimension allows Him to orchestrate answers to prayers well before we utter them. Archaeological and textual discoveries, such as ancient manuscripts confirming the consistency of prophetic writings, reinforce the idea that what God decreed centuries ago has persisted and been fulfilled at various points in history.

2. Providential Preparation

Often, circumstances are put in place long before one prays or even recognizes the need. Anecdotal examples appear in testimonies of believers who discover that a dilemma they encountered was already being resolved by connections or resources arranged beforehand.

3. Spiritual Growth and Divine Wisdom

Scripture conveys that the answer to prayer includes God knowing when to grant a request and when to withhold it (James 4:3). An immediate “yes” might not be the best solution. In these instances, His “answer” before we call is for our ultimate good, even if we only realize it later (Romans 8:28).

V. The Apparent Discrepancy: Unanswered Prayers and Unresolved Suffering

1. Diverse Forms of God’s Answers

Sometimes God’s response does not align with our expectations. An answer of “no” or “not yet” can feel like silence, but it remains an answer. Paul’s prayer for the removal of the “thorn in the flesh” was met with a “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Viewed from God’s perspective, this was a profound response rather than a denial.

2. Free Will and Consequences

The existence of free will means human decisions can lead to suffering—for oneself and others. In many cases, prayers for relief from hardship are overshadowed by the larger reality of ongoing human fallenness. This does not negate God’s power to intervene; rather, it highlights that certain suffering emerges out of personal and collective choices, which God permits, yet ultimately redeems.

3. Awaiting Full Restoration

Scripture presents a future hope of complete healing and restoration (Revelation 21:3–4). In the present age, people can encounter unresolved suffering because the fullness of that redemption has not yet arrived. Isaiah 65:24 points to a reality consistent with other restoration prophecies—a time when all forms of sorrow are replaced with divine comfort, but that day is still to come.

VI. The Purpose of Prayer and Trust

1. Relational Aspect

Prayer is not solely transactional—asking and receiving—but relational. God’s promise in Isaiah 65:24 underscores His desire for relationship. His knowledge of our need before we speak highlights His fatherly care. The times when prayers appear unanswered encourage growth in trust and patient dependence (James 1:2–4).

2. Aligning Our Will with God’s

Prayer shapes our hearts to conform to God’s will rather than God automatically adjusting to our wishes (Matthew 6:10). Through persistent prayer, believers learn to submit to divine wisdom, recognizing that God’s vantage point far surpasses human understanding (Isaiah 55:8–9).

3. Strengthening Hope and Maturing Faith

Trials, even seemingly unanswered ones, deepen faith. James 1:3–4 teaches that testing produces perseverance leading to spiritual maturity. Paul writes in Romans 5:3–5 that suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope. This hope does not disappoint because it is founded upon God’s love, demonstrated through Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.

VII. The Role of Christ’s Resurrection and the Greater Plan

1. Victory Over Death and Sin

The resurrection of Christ established the ultimate answer to humanity’s greatest suffering—separation from God. This central event, historically attested in the Gospels and supported by manuscript evidence, testifies that God’s promise to redeem extends beyond temporal circumstances into eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:20–22).

2. Salvation as the Supreme Answer

Though many earthly prayers concern immediate needs, the cross and resurrection illustrate that the greatest need is reconciliation with God. Jesus’ victory over sin and death secures eternal fellowship, guaranteeing that in the future kingdom, suffering will fully cease (Revelation 21:4).

3. Unfolding Redemptive Story

From the earliest accounts of creation to the promised new heavens and new earth, Scripture reveals God’s redemptive plan. In that plan, all sorrow will ultimately serve to highlight the depth of God’s mercy and the completeness of His salvation. Present difficulties can be seen as portals for divine grace, culminating in everlasting joy (Romans 8:18).

VIII. Conclusion

Isaiah 65:24 conveys a profound truth: God’s omniscience and loving sovereignty mean that He is already aware of every need, even before we voice it. Apparent unanswered prayers and unresolved suffering do not contradict this promise. In this imperfect, fallen world, we often perceive delay or silence, yet Scripture emphasizes that God is continuously active according to His higher wisdom and ultimate salvation plan.

This verse encourages confidence in God’s purposes: He has devised solutions and provisions beyond our immediate understanding, prepared beforehand. These may not always surface as we expect, but they manifest in ways that fulfill His good will.

Ultimately, God’s words in Isaiah 65 speak of a coming era in which suffering is extinguished and His people experience uninterrupted communion with Him. In the interim, we trust that He hears, cares, and responds—at times swiftly, at times through delayed blessing, and at times by allowing trials that refine us for a greater hope in Him. The overarching biblical message is that, because of Christ’s resurrection, the final verdict on suffering and the silence of unanswered prayers is not defeat but eventual triumph and everlasting peace.