'The Messenger of The Covenant'

Enoch111 said:

Stephen was a faithful witness and martyr, but we should never substitute men or angels for Christ. While the Hebrew and Greek words for angels mean messengers, context determines how they should be translated. And in the context of Malachi 3, we have two messengers -- John the Baptist and Christ, but the Holy Spirit clearly distinguishes between the two.

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You contradict yourself to much, context determines?
The Holy Spirit determines.

charity said:

'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,
and the heart of the children to their fathers,
lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'
(Malachi 4:5)

'And Jesus answered and said unto them,
"Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
But I say unto you,
That Elias is come already,
and they knew him not,
but have done unto him whatsoever they listed.
Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them."
Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.'
(Matthew 17:11-13)

'Behold, I will send My messenger,
and he shall prepare the way before Me:
and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple,
even the messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in:
behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
But who may abide the day of His coming?
and who shall stand when He appeareth?
for He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:
and He shall purify the sons of Levi,
and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.'
(Malachi 3:1-3))

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What’s the covenant?

charity said:

'While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said,
"This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him."
(Matthew 17:5)

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Job 37:1-14
[1] At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. [2] Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.(every word proceeding out from God) [3] He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. [4] After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. [5] God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. [6] For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. [7] He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. [8] Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. [9] Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. [10] By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. [11] Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: [12] And it (His scattered bright cloud) is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. [13] He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. [14] Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.

...he scattered his bright cloud.
...by His counsels...that they may do whatever he commands them.
...He causeth it (His bright cloud)to come, whether for correction, or for His (promise)land, or for mercy.

When does a bright cloud come for correction, or for His land, or for mercy. While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and BEHOLD a voice out of the cloud, which said, “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am welll pleased; hear you Him.”

Hint, when God did this with Abraham, he commanded him to do something to signify what God had done

Waiting on him said:

What’s the covenant?

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Stated differently, which covenant? (i.e., with Israel? with the church?)

charity said:

'Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,
and the heart of the children to their fathers,
lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'
(Malachi 4:5)

'And Jesus answered and said unto them,
"Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
But I say unto you,
That Elias is come already,
and they knew him not,
but have done unto him whatsoever they listed.
Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them."
Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.'
(Matthew 17:11-13)

'Behold, I will send My messenger,
and he shall prepare the way before Me:
and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple,
even the messenger of the covenant,
whom ye delight in:
behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
But who may abide the day of His coming?
and who shall stand when He appeareth?
for He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:
and He shall purify the sons of Levi,
and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.'
(Malachi 3:1-3))

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These are very searching passages indeed...

Waiting on him said:

You contradict yourself to much, context determines? The Holy Spirit determines.

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The Holy Spirit does NOT guide Christians to take things out of context and make up their own theology. Context is critical in understanding Scripture, but if you don't believe that you are welcome to make up whatever you wish, whenever you wish.

Enoch111 said:

The Holy Spirit does NOT guide Christians to take things out of context and make up their own theology. Context is critical in understanding Scripture, but if you don't believe that you are welcome to make up whatever you wish, whenever you wish.

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Someone said that context is co-text...

Enoch111 said:

The Holy Spirit does NOT guide Christians to take things out of context and make up their own theology. Context is critical in understanding Scripture, but if you don't believe that you are welcome to make up whatever you wish, whenever you wish.

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Sounds like your saying, I come to understand God through head knowledge?

Enoch111 said:

That is not true, since there is only ONE Messenger of the Covenant -- the one who ratified the New Covenant with His own blood -- Christ. He was also the ultimate Prophet spoken of by Moses (Heb 1:1).

Stephen was a faithful witness and martyr, but we should never substitute men or angels for Christ. While the Hebrew and Greek words for angels mean messengers, context determines how they should be translated. And in the context of Malachi 3, we have two messengers -- John the Baptist and Christ, but the Holy Spirit clearly distinguishes between the two.

Behold, I will send my messenger [John the Baptist], and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord [Jesus Christ], whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

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do not disagree. All I meant is THE messenger was with Stephen, the Holy Spirit giving testimony of the message, a message they did not like and refused to hear. “Solomon built Him an house. However the most High dwells not in temples made with hands...” Also can not deny Acts 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Matthew 10:34 KJV
[34] Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.


Tecarta Bible
Malachi 2:10 KJV
[10] Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?


Tecarta Bible
God has come to separate us from the flesh and say I Am your Father.
He circumcised the heart.

The Levite’s failed to deliver this message.

This is the message I’m trying to get across

John 5:18 KJV
[18] Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.


Tecarta Bible

Waiting on him said:

Matthew 10:34 KJV
[34] Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.


Tecarta Bible
Malachi 2:10 KJV
[10] Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?


Tecarta Bible
God has come to separate us from the flesh and say I Am your Father.
He circumcised the heart.

The Levite’s failed to deliver this message.

This is the message I’m trying to get across

Click to expand...

This is Paul's point also in Romans 2.28-29:

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly*; neither is that circumcision, which is outward* in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly*; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

farouk said:

This is Paul's point also in Romans 2.28-29:

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly*; neither is that circumcision, which is outward* in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly*; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

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Very good, Farouk

Waiting on him said:

Very good, Farouk

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Your a messenger of the covenant

Waiting on him said:

Very good, Farouk

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I just applied these verses on another thread also.

(Ty...)

charity said:

Hello @Waiting on him,

See Hebrews 8.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

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Good passage there!