The Message and The Messenger

The couriers traveled from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the inhabitants laughed at them and mocked them. But some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. - 2 Chronicles 30:10-11

How do you measure the success of a ministry?

When Hezekiah sent couriers from city to city inviting everyone back to Jerusalem for a renewal of the Passover feast, some laughed and mocked the message (and the messengers); however, others humbled themselves and made the journey.

Did the couriers fail or succeed in their task? How can we know? Perhaps, they neither succeeded nor failed?

One mocked and another humbled, but the text does not tell us who completely repented. In either case, their response does not indicate the success of the messenger. It never does. If the courier had wanted to increase his success rate all he had to do was make the message more acceptable. You know, throw in an extra benefit or two."If you show up you might also win a new donkey cart!"

Success for God's messengers must always be simple obedience to the instructions He has been given.

A. Stick to the message.

B. Deliver it on time.

Anything less is failure

Not only must the message be correctly delivered, but the messenger himself must be such as to recommend it to acceptance. - Joseph Barber Lightfoot