Man

During his mortal ministry, Jesus provided the perfect example of a righteous mortal messenger of God's word. Of his message he said, "the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."¹ God transmits his word through Christ to angels to true messengers. The message is always limited to God's word.

John was also a messenger. In his vision,

...the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. (Revelation 10:8-11)

John delivered God's words as they were delivered to him. John understood that, as Joseph Smith taught, "God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, and chosen."

Ezekiel saw the throne and was told by God: "Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll."² God delivered to Ezekiel all the words that he wanted Ezekiel to say to Israel. Ezekiel was not authorized to speak his mind, nor improvise. If he had, all those words which were his own would have fallen to the earth null and void. However, because Ezekiel was given God's word, he could be assured that God's authority backed his words. He was a messenger.

Every true messenger in scripture was commanded by God to give a set message-from Samuel the Lamanite and King Benjamin, whose message was given by angels, to the Savior himself, who spoke only what Heavenly Father told him to speak.