Prophets and messengers

Then Moses said to the LORD, “Look, You have been telling me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor in My sight.’

So Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.

he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt,” said Balak. “They cover the face of the land and have settled next to me.

he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.

“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.

Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

The Gemara comments: And Rabbi Oshaya holds that the Divine Presence is found in every place, as Rabbi Oshaya says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “You are the Lord, even You alone, You have made heaven…You preserve them all alive and the hosts of heaven bow down to You” (Nehemiah 9:6)? This indicates that Your messengers are not like the messengers of flesh and blood. The messengers of flesh and blood return to the place from where they were sent to report on their mission. But Your messengers return and report on their mission from the very same place to which they are sent, as it is stated “Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go out and say to you: Here we are?” (Job 38:35). The verse does not state: They will come and say, i.e., they do not return to their point of departure, but: “They may go out and say,” which teaches that the Divine Presence is found in every place.

The Gemara answers: That verse was not stated by Jeremiah in the form of a command; rather, it is written in the form of reproof. That is, the prophet Jeremiah is saying to the Jewish people: Did you send free the pierced slaves when the Jubilee Year was observed? The Gemara asks: But isn’t it written there: “And they listened and let them go” (Jeremiah 34:10)? Evidently, the entire passage is referring to matters occurring in the present.

Similarly, a person should neither take leave of another from an atmosphere of conversation, nor from an atmosphere of laughter, nor from an atmosphere of frivolity, nor from an atmosphere of purposeless matters. Rather, one should take leave of another from involvement in a matter of halakha. As we found in the books of the Bible dealing with the early prophets, that they would conclude their talks with words of praise and consolation.

Never sent We a messenger or a prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise

Those who follow the messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with them. He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong. He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul; and he will relieve them of their burden and the fetters that they used to wear. Then those who believe in him, and honour him, and help him, and follow the light which is sent down with him: they are the successful

Those who deny the Scripture and that wherewith We send Our messengers. But they will come to know

Narrated Jabir: On the day of Al-Ahzab (i.e. clans), Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Who will bring us the news of the people (i.e. the clans of Quraish infidels)?" Az-Zubair said, "I." The Prophet (ﷺ) again said, "Who will bring us the news of the people?" Az-Zubair said, "I." The Prophet (ﷺ) again said, "Who will bring us the news of the people?" Az-Zubair said, "I." The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "Every prophet has his Hawari (i.e. disciple - special helper); my disciple is Az-Zubair

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings, and I have been made victorious with awe (cast in the hearts of the enemy), and while I was sleeping, the keys of the treasures of the world were brought to me and put in my hand." Abu Huraira added: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has left the world and now you, people, are bringing out those treasures (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) did not benefit by them

Narrated ʿAisha: The people used to send gifts to the Prophet (ﷺ) on the day of my turn. Um Salama said: "My companions (the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) Other than Aisha) gathered and they complained about it. So I informed the Prophet about it on their behalf, but he remained silent

Therefore, whenever there is doubt as to whether you should do something or not, let the scriptures guide your conduct. In the light of the scriptures, you should labor your whole life.

O Arjuna! The righteous who worship Me are grouped in stages: first, those who suffer, next those who desire knowledge, then those who thirst after truth, and lastly those who attain wisdom.

In the light of wisdom, our ancestors who sought deliverance performed their acts. Act thou also as our fathers of old did.

By the worship of the Unmanifested one end is attained; by the worship of the manifested, another. Thus we have heard from the wise men who taught us this.

Yama replied: Through my will Auddalaki Aruni (thy father) will know thee, and be again towards thee as before. He will sleep in peace at night. He will be free from wrath when he sees thee released from the mouth of death.

Yama replied: I know well that fire which leads to the realm of heaven. I shall tell it to thee. Listen to me. Know, O Nachiketas, that this is the means of attaining endless worlds and their support. It is hidden in the heart of all beings.

The people give according to their faith, according to their confidence. If you get upset over that, over others’ food and drink, you’ll not, by day or by night, become immersed in samādhi.

Little though they may recite scripture, if they live in line with the teaching, having given up greed, hate, and delusion, with deep understanding and heart well freed, not grasping to this life or the next, they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.

A trainee bestirs this earth, and the Yama realm with its gods. A trainee sets out the well-taught word of truth, as an expert a flower.

When warned by the gods’ messengers, those sons of Manu who are negligent sorrow for a long time when they go to that wretched place. When warned by the gods’ messengers, the good and true persons here never neglect the teaching of the Noble One. Seeing the danger in grasping, the origin of birth and death, the unattached are freed with the ending of birth and death.

But sir, the Buddha is the supreme guide for those fit for training. Just how do you guide a person in training?” “Kesi, I guide a person in training sometimes gently, sometimes harshly, and sometimes both gently and harshly. The gentle way is this: ‘This is good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is the result of good conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is life as a god. This is life as a human.’ The harsh way is this: ‘This is bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is the result of bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind. This is life in hell. This is life as an animal. This is life as a ghost.’

Now at that time the wanderer Susīma was residing at Rājagaha together with a large community of wanderers. Then his community said to Susīma, “Reverend Susīma, please lead the spiritual life with the ascetic Gotama. Memorize that teaching and have us recite it with you. When we’ve memorized it we’ll recite it to the laity. In this way we too will be honored, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed. And we’ll receive robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and supplies for the sick.” “Yes, reverends,” replied Susīma to his own assembly. Then he went to Venerable Ānanda, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to Ānanda, “Reverend Ānanda, I wish to lead the spiritual life in this teaching and training.”

God, the Knower, knows all. He is with His devotees, through and through. Those who sing God's Praises with joy and delight, O Nanak - the Messenger of Death does not even approach them. ||3||19||30||

Salok, Third Mehl: In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Messenger of Death is the enemy of life, but he acts according to the Lord's Command. Those who are protected by the Guru are saved, while the self-willed manmukhs receive their punishment. The world is under the control, and in the bondage of the Messenger of Death; no one can hold him back. So serve the One who created Death; as Gurmukh, no pain shall touch you. O Nanak, Death serves the Gurmukhs; the True Lord abides in their minds. ||1||

The Messenger of Death does not even approach that person who sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. All desires are fulfilled, for one who listens with his ears to the Praises of God. ||15|| You belong to all, and all belong to You, O my true, deep and profound Lord and Master. Says Nanak, those humble beings are exalted, who are pleasing to Your Mind, O my Lord and Master. ||16||1||8||

In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them. Thus it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers) a want of faith in them ensued (in the people). How irresolute did those (earliest rulers) appear, showing (by their reticence) the importance which they set upon their words! Their work was done and their undertakings were successful, while the people all said, “We are as we are, of ourselves!”

The ancients who showed their skill in practising the Tao did so, not to enlighten the people, but rather to make them simple and ignorant. The difficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge. He who (tries to) govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it; while he who does not (try to) do so is a blessing. He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule. Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence (of a governor). Deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him.

Without going outside his door, one understands (all that takes place) under the sky; without looking out from his window, one sees the Tao of Heaven. The farther that one goes out (from himself), the less he knows. Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling; gave their (right) names to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so.