Why does god use messengers?

I was curious what others might have to say about this topic. I have always been a bit confused why god has at times come down from heaven himself to handle things, but most of the time he chooses to use messengers to tell people what he has to say. Some have ben men, some have been angels. Why doesnt he just come down himself. I mean it seems such a simple thing to do for a being that is all powerfull and all knowing and able to be everywhere at all times. Just wondering what others ideas on this are.

maybe cause when he does, it contridicts everything we have learned.

I've always wondered the point of messengers, especially those who claim God talks to them. History shows that to not turn out too well IMO.There were and are far too many dubious 'prophets' of equally dubious character and morals.

Being that the biblical era didn't have internet I bet God couldn't easily just say "lol hey gays of sodom and gomorrah im going 2 smite u" on MSN or AIM. I guess angels and stuff were probably the best way to get out messages because they could fly and do all that crazy stuff. Plus they could play a mean harp.

[edit on 7-4-2010 by Whine Flu]

Originally posted by fizzy1
why does God use messengers?

well it is my belief that most times
we don't hear or see his messages
to us cuz we're so busy with our own
existence. Some folks pray to him
but don't really ever expect him to
answer.

And if he did speak to some of us
it might just scare us into shock
or even death.

Messengers are used as a liaison.
Most common forms of messengers would be
pastors, priests, rabbi's, men or women of cloth
and are in tune with their spirituality.


[edit on 7-4-2010 by boondock-saint]

reply to post by fizzy1


Perhaps the answer in Biblical terms is that the Biblical God is so big that his direct presence would be ungraspable, overwhelming. In Exodus, only Moses gets anywhere near direct access.

God uses intermediaries because people could not cope with his full "presence".

In one opinion, god manifests itself through human vehicle. This is probably because god itself is the whole existence, not just part of it and hence it needs human to manifest itself in way that we humans comprehend it.

In other words, those who claim to be god's messengers, are nothing but humans whom think that they know god even they don't. It may be, that there is no god except the idea which we humans have invented. So the OP's question is answered in most simple manner.

We all know god, and no messenger knows better than ourselves.

-v

Originally posted by fizzy1
I was curious what others might have to say about this topic. I have always been a bit confused why god has at times come down from heaven himself to handle things, but most of the time he chooses to use messengers to tell people what he has to say. Some have ben men, some have been angels. Why doesnt he just come down himself. I mean it seems such a simple thing to do for a being that is all powerfull and all knowing and able to be everywhere at all times. Just wondering what others ideas on this are.

Well first, it is a privilege to be entrusted with such a purpose. Yahweh selects certain human "Chosen Ones" as prophets and examples at certain times for specific purposes. When we read about them in the Holy Scriptures (Bible) it gives us hope that we could, in the face of death at times, be obedient, faithful, loyal and filled with love for our Creator in service to Him.

The other thing is, the holy angel creations are extremely busy carrying out tasks for Yahweh. Their duties vary, but some are indeed messengers. I think the keys are FAITH and obedience for those who receive the messages from God. Will the message be taken into the heart of the ones receiving it or will it be rejected?

Finally, at very special times Yahweh has spoken directly to or shown His Presence to certain human beings. I really think it depends on the cirumstances and how best Father decides to handle the situation. It is an awesome thing and scared the Israelites when they received the 10 commandments.

Exodus 20:18-21
The People's Reaction
18 All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain [surrounded by] smoke. When the people saw [it] they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 "You speak to us, and we will listen," they said to Moses, "but don't let God speak to us, or we will die." 20 Moses responded to the people, "Don't be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear Him and will not sin." 21 And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Can you imagine??? I'd probably be more than a tad scared too!

Watch Dogma....

Do you want your head to explode?

See...there you go... Messengers...

Seriously though, as with everything in religion, it's all a matter of interpretation. The easiest argument is that God (whether Christian or otherwise) would simply take a form to better communicate, vs. being an amorphic force or presence....

reply to post by fizzy1



God did come down himself…

…through Jesus!…


- JC

reply to post by Joecroft


Yep that was kind of my point. God has on occassion made himself known to man and spoken directly to a select few. So why not all the time?

I did not really expect a end all answer but rather wanted to see what kind of take others had as well as any funny responses people might have. Just a lighthearted thread on a nagging thing in my head about the creater of everything.

I was christian many moons ago but really just dont know or care anymore i guess. I dont think it would be fair to say i dont believe but rather just dont see the point in it anymore. I personally dont see god in anything or anyone and certainly dont feel him in me. I used to but now i am pretty convinced that was all biochemical and in my brain. If god is real then i KNOW i have never known him. Wouldnt mind meeting the guy but too much of what mankind has to say about him/her is so contradictory and illogical.
I find way to much fault in religion and the messages of all of them to truly believe. I have to think that god is not an illogical being to have created such a magnificent universe. So as to date, things like this question i have posed here just doesnt seem to have a logical answer.

God has the ability to be with us so why allow us to seperate ourselves so much that he has to use intermediaries in order to communicate. Doesnt make much sense. The only true answer any religious person can give me is i just have to have faith. Blind faith and trust. Doesnt work for me. If i am made from a creator then he made me to question. He made me to want to know and not be a dumb animal who follows the heard.


Anyways i love the responses. Thanks to everyone who chimed in.



[edit on 7-4-2010 by fizzy1]

I'd guess it has to do with faith and choice. If God personally came down and was like hey people, this is how it's done, well, we'd all obviously do what God said, either for love of God or for fear of being punished. With the uncertainty of whether God really exists, or whether the messenger is a charlatan, that means it is up to us to figure out whether we will follow God or not.

I don't think I quite explained it exactly the way I see it, but hopefully the point got across.

reply to post by DragonsDemesne


Now that actually makes good sense. Never looked at it like that. What your saying basically is that if god popped up all the time like "hey guys its me" and we just knew it was him and he overwhelmed us with his presence there would be no need for faith because we would all just know. Easy to believe if you got the big guy over for dinner eh? That makes alot of sense cause it would certainly take away free will to some degree i think. My right to choose to follow or not follow his words. Or to believe or disbelieve cause i would of course have no choice but to beleive. However unless he showed up and said hey really its me and everyone went "yeah right sure it is". More than likely unless he scared the hell out of us we would probobly think he was some wacko who needed meds to keep him under control lol.
Yep thats a really good answer. Thanks.

reply to post by fizzy1


We're basically dealing with two time periods - before Jesus and after Jesus. The time period after Jesus is the easiest to explain and by doing so one may get a a better idea as to what the prophets of the old testament experienced in the first place so they could get the messages out to the masses.

Since the Messiah has come everything is now done through him. Jesus is the bridge to God and the Holy Spirit is our bridge to Jesus. For Jesus and the Father to dwell inside the believer they must have the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This peculiar baptism is the crowning acheivment in the life of every Christian. It births the Son of God inside the individual, where he is known also as the Son of Man (the Man-child of Revelation.) There are many perks that come with the territory, one of the biggest being the gift of prophecy.

Jesus tells his followers (disciples) right before he is arrested : "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." John 16: 12-13

This is the defining moment for a true Christian. If the Word (Jesus) dwells in you, when truth matters you will be brought into it. Every Christian should be getting revelations if they have had the baptism of the Holy Spirit and if they are not experiencing these things, they are borrowing the title "christian" and need to go back to the word and find what they missed the first time around or ask someone who is having these experiences for a tad bit of help.

This is exactly why Jesus spoke of a narrow path, few finding life and one day telling many "I never knew you."

Since Jesus, knowing the truth is available to the masses. Pre-Jesus the Word came usually to a single prophet at a time. There are huge problems though and we are in a time of delay (spoken of in Revelations) because most can't see the forrest for the trees.

If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

God can be meek and mild, like Jesus.
His messenger may be very terrifying, which puts across the point,
in a way that may not necessarily be the best representation of His actual overall personality.

reply to post by fizzy1


Yeah, that's exactly what I meant. Am I right? No idea :p But it makes sense to me.

reply to post by fizzy1

Why doesnt he just come down himself.

He did, 2000 years ago as the second person of the blessed trinity.
The third person is still among us to guide us.

[edit on 8-4-2010 by oliveoil]

to divide us so we can choose him...
the u-turn of the believer.
thats why jesus got mocked too.

and to fullfill his glory,
it means the reason why our world exixt.

If god has pain through us, it has reason,
and that reason is carried by all,
but in most optimal sense through his
messengers, same penny, but different times,
and they carry it, the penny, in the shortest time.
They fulfill what god needs to be god,
his glory, his reason, him becoming full through our times,
which are forever in him.
God carries in this life both choice as glory.

In the end, we will all be with him, in him,
meaning all will be one, who left him
to choose him (reflecting = repenting), his name being Truth,
which is blinding you first, to choose it back.



[edit on 9-4-2010 by pasttheclouds]

would you want someone to do youre work for you

reply to post by fizzy1


I dont believe God uses messengers. I believe that anyone, in touch with their deepest nature, of Spirit...can then see...a Divine purpose and plan. The person has to walk a persona path, seeking and finding understanding....everyone can get in touch with the Spirit within them.