No messenger goes on an errand for the king without being sent; meaning that the appearance of the messenger is an appearance of the message of the king. So, the messenger is an embodiment of the message of the king. Whatever the message portrays, the same way the messenger acts it out. For example, if a messenger is given a message for another kingdom about the need for peace, such a messenger does not come to deliver a message of war. One of the things you would expect him to do is maybe hold a white flag with a sign of surrender. So if the message is a peaceful message, the messenger must necessarily have to come in that similitude. Just like we saw in the life of Jesus who was prophesied to be the prince of peace, and He came in that similitude. Also, we could see what played out in the life and ministry of prophet Hosea, where God asked him to marry a harlot. So messengers act out according to the requirements and role specified by the message.

 

So the messenger is ordinary until the king gives him/her a message for the people. He is the message carrier of the king and also the medium for the transfer of such a message. This means that if God the King of kings has an intention for a people, and He communicates that intention to His messengers, the reality of that intention will only be hijacked if the messenger fails to appear. But the moment that messenger declares the intention of God, then the visible manifestation of that intention comes to bare. So this intention of God is communicated through a means we could call the word of God, and if the word of God is precious, treasured and powerful, then the messenger becomes the first beneficiary. Whatever the king has for the people, must first be experienced by the messenger before it gets to the people. Let me put it this way; If the messenger is protected, the protection is not just for the messenger, but because he carries the message of the king. If provisions are given to the messenger, it is because of the nature of the message the king has given to the messenger. So the provision and protection is for the message not for the messenger, but because the messenger and the message are closely tied together, the messenger begins to enjoy the benefits that accompany the message.

 

Now, it will be a loss on the part of the people, if they refuse to accept or believe the word of the messenger. That is why if the word of a messenger is rejected or the messenger is rejected, it is the king and His words that are rejected. And this is the problem the kingdom of this world is facing, we are finding ourselves in the same scenario where the words of the king are despised and treated with levity yet we continue to hope that one day we will experience what the king has for us. Once the word of a king is rejected, it means that the king is also rejected and that cuts the supply of the king to the people. Prophet Isaiah made a statement in Isaiah 53:1 asking two very important questions; it says; who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

 

I want us to begin to examine certain words carefully as we read on. The Scripture says; faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Meaning that what we need to get what we really need is faith, but that faith cannot come until we hear the word of God. Let me put it this way in case we are confused. The vehicle for conveying what we need to us from where it is not visible and tangible is faith. But before we can get what we need, we require faith. And how does the faith come? It is by hearing the word of God. That is why Apostle Paul said in Romans 10:14 that; How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? These are critical issues that deserves our attention. So all these questions were raised by Apostle Paul but it all ends at the table of a messenger being sent. And I want us to note that word “preacher.”

 

So we can conveniently replace that word with messenger. So we can say how will they know about the king without a messenger? How can they believe without a messenger? How can they hear without a messenger? So going back the questions prophet Isaiah asked in Isaiah 53:1, the answers to the questions are already open to us, the people cannot believe, they cannot have faith because the messenger was rejected, and because the messenger was rejected the arm of the Lord cannot be revealed to the people. The reason is because the messenger whom the arm of the Lord is reveled to is meant to show the people and if what he is meant to show the people what they ought to see so as to receive what they need through faith from the king; they can’t have such experience. This also means that the message of the king sent through His messengers can be rejected by unbelief. This is the danger of unbelieve and doubt. The moment you begin to doubt the word of the Lord coming to you through His messengers, you have rejected both the message of the king, the king itself and the messenger.

 

So if the arm of the Lord will ever be revealed to you, it is because you have believed the report of those whom the arm of the Lord has been revealed to. And that was the reason why Luke 1:45 says; “blessed is she who believed for there will be a fulfillment; did we see that? Believe brings to reality the fulfilment of the word. The messenger of the Lord was Gabriel but the word was not the word of angel Gabriel. The Scripture described him as one who stands in the presence of the Lord. So what the hearer of the word is expected to do was to simply believe the message of the one who stands in the presence of the king. And that was why Mary simply said; in Luke 1:38, Let it be unto me according to your word. The performance of every word spoken by the Lord is premised on whether you believe or you doubt the word of the LORD.

 

This was similar to the case of Jesus Christ coming to die for the sins of the world. As many that accept Him, as many that receive Him, and receive His Spirit, to them He gave right to become children of God, there is a definite experience, but as many that reject Him, they will also have an experience but not a palatable one.  John 3:16 says; He gave us His only begotten Son, which we could say He gave us His word, but if the word will heal and deliver, if you will ever experience eternal life, you must accept Jesus and believe in His name. make a deliberate choice to work on your faith casting every doubt so that all that God has in stock for you will not elude you in Jesus name. sometimes the messenger may not look like the message, the scripture talking about the messiah in verse 2 and 3 of that Isaiah 53 that we read, it says He has no form or comeliness and when we Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. But the Scripture says; and the laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Did we see that? You must always seek to receive the message and not reject nor despise the messenger, that is the only way the word, the message can mix with faith in your heart to bring about a fulfilment and a performance.

 

I believe you have learnt something!

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!

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