MESSENGER
One bearing a message, either oral or written, or one sent on an errand. (Gen. 32:3-6; Judg. 6:34, 35; 11:12-27; 2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Ki. 19:2; 2 Ki. 19:8-14; Luke 7:18-24; 9:52) At times runners served in this capacity. (2 Chron. 30:6-10; Jer. 51:31) For more rapid communication messengers were dispatched on horses. (2 Ki. 9:17-19; Esther 8:10-14; see COURIER.) Messengers of ancient times included heralds who publicly proclaimed royal or state decrees. (Dan. 3:4-6; 5:29) Messengers might be sent to sue for peace (Isa. 33:7), to request military assistance (2 Ki. 16:7; 17:4) or to demand tribute or the surrender of a city. (1 Ki. 20:1-9; 2 Ki. 18:17-35) They were accorded freedom of passage to accomplish their mission. A mistreatment of royal messengers sent on a courtesy visit to another nation was serious enough to precipitate war.—2 Sam. 10:1-7; see AMBASSADOR.
Both the Hebrew and the Greek word for “messenger” may refer to spirit messengers or angels. (Ps. 104:4; John 1:51) Whether human or angelic messengers are meant can be determined by the context, At Isaiah 63:9, for example, Jehovah’s “personal messenger” is evidently his angel, for this messenger saved the Israelites.—Compare Exodus 14:19, 20.
Besides using angelic messengers to convey information to men and women on earth and to accomplish other tasks (see ANGEL), Jehovah has repeatedly employed human messengers. His prophets and priests were his messengers to the nation of Israel. (2 Chron. 36:15, 16; Hag. 1:13; Mal. 2:7) The statements of his prophets were certain of fulfillment, for Jehovah is “the One that carries out completely the counsel of his own messengers.”—Isa. 44:26.
“MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT”
In fulfillment of Malachi 3:1, John the Baptist appeared as the messenger who prepared the way before Jehovah by getting the Jews ready for the coming of God’s chief representative, Jesus Christ, the “messenger of the covenant.” (Matt. 11:10, 11; Mark 1:1-4; Luke 7:27, 28) As such Jesus Christ came to the temple and cleansed it. (Matt. 21:12, 13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45, 46) He evidently was the messenger of the Abrahamic covenant, for it was on the basis of this covenant that the Jews were the first ones to be granted the opportunity to become Kingdom heirs. This was the covenant to which Peter appealed when calling upon the Jews to repent. It is also noteworthy that John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, referred to the Abrahamic covenant in connection with Jehovah’s raising up ‘a horn of salvation in the house of David,’ this horn being the Messiah.—Compare Matthew 10:5-7; 15:24; 21:31; Luke 1:69-75; Acts 3:12, 19-26.