We have an intriguing story involving the prophet Jeremiah that provides some insight into the gift of prophecy and the ministry of the prophet.

To set the stage, Babylon was besieging Jerusalem and Jeremiah had already prophesied that the city would fall and that the Jews would be hauled off into captivity.

Then we read in Jeremiah 32:6, that the prophet receives a strange word, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, “Buy for yourself my field which is at Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.”’

God spoke to Jeremiah, telling him to redeem or purchase the land of his cousin Hanamel. This tells us that Hanamel was probably struggling financially, and since he had no male heirs, the land would need to be redeemed by a close relative.

But Jeremiah’s response to what followed is somewhat controversial. When Hanamel shows up the next day asking the prophet to do exactly that, Jeremiah responds by saying, “Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord” (v 8).

Though the prophetic word had prepared the prophet’s heart to redeem the land, it also suggests that Jeremiah had some questions, perhaps even reservations, about the word that he received.

Had Jeremiah really heard from God? Hanamel’s request confirmed that Jeremiah had.

This passage reveals that even Jeremiah, arguably one of Israel’s greatest prophets, may have struggled at times with some self-doubt about his prophetic ministry.

It seems that God understood this.

Even though Jerusalem was about to fall, the purchase of this land was a prophetic act, as Jeremiah used this word and its confirmation as a springboard to prophesy, “For this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Houses and fields and vineyards will again be purchased in this land’” (Jeremiah 32:15).

God would one day restore the Jews to the Promised Land.

It seems that, like the rest of us, Jeremiah was human, and at times he struggled. It also reveals that delivering prophetic words is ultimately a step of faith.