Ambassadors
The English word ambassador originated from the same ancient word as embassy (for the "diplomatic" reason that Jesus Christ called the physical Temple in Jerusalem "My Father's House," see the Fact Finder question below). Ambassador is sometimes used to translate three Hebrew words of the Old Testament, pronounced tseer which means one who does errands, loots which means an interpreter, and mal-awk which means messenger. In the New Testament, "ambassador" is usually used to translate the Greek word pronounced pre-by-oo, which means messenger. The apostle Paul (see Paul's Ministry) used it to refer to those who preached God's Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God.
Ambassadors
The respect bestowed to an ambassador was based on the Head of State that the ambassador represented. To harm or insult an ambassador was regarded as an attack on the King who sent him e.g. King David was outraged and responded with a massive military force when the ambassadors that he peacefully sent across the Jordan to Ammon (today, the Kingdom of Jordan) were shamefully treated by Hanun who accused them of being spies (the ancient and modern-day reality that most diplomats were and are spies is beside the point):
"Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away ... And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men." (2 Samuel 10:4,7 KJV)
Like King David, God's wrath will be known to those who have mistreated His ambassadors through the ages ("martyr" originally only meant witness; it later came to mean the slaughter of God's witnesses - see Martyrs).
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us" (2 Corinthians 5:20 KJV)
"And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak" (Ephesians 6:19-20 KJV)
"And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." (Hebrews 11:36-38 KJV)
Fact Finder: Why did Jesus Christ refer to the Temple of God in Jerusalem (see also Physical and Spiritual Temples) as "My Father's House"? Why did He become so angry and drive out those who were defiling it?
See "My Father's House"
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