Two Kinds of Messengers Prov. 25: 13 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

In Proverbs, there are two kinds of messengers for us to consider: the faithful messenger and the wicked messenger.  The faithful messenger is found in Prov 25:13 and the wicked messenger is found in Prov 13:17.  The question is this, “Which messenger are you, faithful or wicked?”

The faithful messenger – Prov 25:13 – “As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.”  Notice, this proverb doesn’t say, “As snow in the time of harvest…” it says, “As the cold of snow…”. In other words, the cold of snow would be very refreshing during the heat of the harvest.  That would be like drinking iced tea on a hot day.  Likewise, a faithful messenger refreshes the soul of his masters. 

A faithful messenger is one who is always available and ready to receive the message, is dependable to go to the one(s) to whom the message is sent, and is trustworthy to deliver the message, without delay, just the way he received it from his master.

Are you a faithful messenger?  Are you always available to your master, Jesus Christ, to get a message from him for someone to whom he wants to send a message?  Are you dependable to take the message, without delay, to the one to whom he sends you?  Are you trustworthy to deliver the message to him or her just the way you received it from the Lord?

When you are a faithful messenger, you first please the Lord, like the masters who are refreshed by their faithful messenger.  But you also help the person to whom you have been sent.  When you are faithful to deliver the right message, you allow them to hear from God as if God were speaking audibly to them, himself.  They can then respond to God and not to you.  In this manner, people get saved, get right with God and get the reproof, correction, instruction and encouragement they need from the Lord.

As a faithful messenger, you are not responsible for how they respond.  You are only responsible to deliver the message just the way you received it.  That’s why the Proverb says that you refresh the soul of your master.  The person you tell may not like the message, at all.

The wicked messenger – Prov 13:17 – “A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.”  Notice that the wicked messenger is contrasted to the faithful ambassador or the faithful messenger.  The mischief into which he falls is some harm, evil or damage that results from his lack of faithfulness. 

In other words, if he were faithful, he would be sure to get the message from his master, he would take the message, without delay, to the person to whom it is sent and he would tell that person exactly what he was told to say.  So, the wicked messenger doesn’t deliver the right message to the right person or people in the right way or at the right time.  And thus, mischief (harm, evil, or damage) results. 

For example, messengers were used in war to communicate between forces before there were electronic means of communication.  Imagine sending a message by an unfaithful or wicked messenger.  He could delay the message, he could change the message, he could fail to deliver the message, he could reveal the message to the enemy, and the result would be calamitous for the soldiers affected. 

Do you not see the connection to you today?  We are in a spiritual warfare for the souls of men.  God is trying to send his message to the lost and to his children with whom he desires to communicate. He needs faithful messengers to get the message to them.  If you are not going to the Lord to get the message (if he wants to send you), if you are not delivering the message, without delay, if you are not telling those to whom you are sent what the Lord sent you to tell them, you are not a faithful messenger; you are a wicked messenger.  And the harm is that the souls to whom the Lord wants to send you aren’t getting the message.  And the damage is that Jesus Christ died for them and he is not getting the reward of his sacrifice.  That’s evil.

Conclusion: there is one other messenger in Proverbs. That is the cruel messenger, Prov 17:11.  If you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Savior, then please listen to this message.  Jesus died to pay for your sins, he was buried in death and he arose in eternal life so that you can be saved.  If you will turn to him and receive him, he will save you and give you eternal life.  If you rebel against him and refuse him, then you will face a terrible end.  “An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.”  You are better off to respond to a faithful messenger than you are to face a cruel messenger.