2 CORINTHIANS 12: 1-6 [GAINING PERSPECTIVE Series]
A JOURNEY TO PARADISE
Paul now moves to the account of a remarkable spiritual experience which was granted him as an apostle by the Lord. He was reticent to write about this experience but has been forced to substantiate his apostleship. In order to avoid exalting himself Paul describes his experience in the third person rather than the first person.
Still this boasting refers not to what Paul had done, but to what God had done. Paul is simply the subject of the visions & revelations granted by God. In this vision Paul is caught up to heaven & received communications & revelations that he can not make known (CIT). This was to him, & to all who believed his word, a more reliable evidence of the favor of God upon an apostle than anything prior mentioned.
I. COMPARE VISIONS AND REVELATIONS, 1.
II. CAUGHT UP TO HEAVEN, 2-4.
III. CURRENT EVIDENCE, 5-6.
What Paul says in verse 1 he is forced to say so that the Corinthians might look at Him from God’s perspective. “Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.”
Paul's reticence increases as he discloses what was probably the most intimate and sacred of all his Christian experiences. The apostle reiterates that he speaks of himself only because circumstances have compelled him to do so. Like Paul's external credentials his parading of visions and revelations was not profitable or an exercise in futility because it would not build individuals up.
If his adversaries falsely claimed to have received their teaching directly from God Paul could truly claim this was the case. Paul had repeated visions (Acts 9:3; 16:9, 18:9,22:17, 27:23f) and claimed to speak by direct revelation (1 Cor. 11:23, 15:3; Gal. 1:12; Eph. 3:3).
Revelations is apocalypses [αποκάλυψις;-απο- from away and κάλυπτω - to cover] literally “to remove the cover, to unveil.” It is the unveiling of something hidden which gives light and knowledge to those who behold it (Eph. 3:3, Rom. 16:25). It can be special insight into spiritual truth (Eph. 1:17). Revelations are more general than visions. One might have revelations without having visions but one never has visions without revelations. Visions, dreams and trances are hard to distinguish. A vision comes to one in an ecstatic state (Isa. 1:1; Ezek. 12:27) and bring revelation knowledge. The experience points to a special awareness of God concerning what He is doing or going to do.
Paul mentions these here to show the supreme height to which he was raised through these ecstatic experiences in the Lord. This boast is not of his ability or superior power, for it was all the Lord’s doing.
[Paul’s vision of Paradise and his affliction of pain are connected with “infirmities” of 11:30. How is it that Paul takes pleasure in his infirmities? The answer is that they constitute a reminder of something that, no doubt, stands out as the most incredible experience of his life. To counter balance these exalting experiences he was also given a "thorn in the flesh" (v7) so that he would not glory in himself but in the God of all grace.]
II. CAUGHT UP TO HEAVEN, 2-4.
One vision, which Paul now tells, stands out from the rest on account of its extraordinary character. His ecstatic episode in which he had been transported to Paradise begins in verse 2. “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows -such a man was caught up to the third heaven.
A single incident is relayed. Although this person is not mentioned by name, it is clear that Paul is speaking of himself because the context demands it. This experience was completely unsought by him. It has been fourteen years since its occurrence and this is the first time he publically spoke of it, let alone boasted of it. Fourteen years prior to this letter would be about 44 AD. So it was not his Damascus Road experience. It would seem to fit with his apparent stoning to death at Lystra (Acts 14:19). We know Stephen had an ecstatic or heavenly vision during his stoning (Acts 7:54-60), but we cannot be certain when this one occurred because of the limited information supplied. [Others date it to the time when he was at Tarsus, waiting for the Lord to point out his work, somewhere between Acts 9:30 and 11:25. So if you want a vision of heaven just be stoned for preaching the word.]
Paul is sure his remarkable experience occurred but uncertain whether the rapture experience was in the body or out of the body. Body rapture is not regarded as impossible. Two instances are recorded in the Old Testament, Enoch (Gen 5:24, Heb. 11:5) and Elijah (1 Kings 2:11, Mk. 9:4) and in the New Jesus Christ was bodily raptured into heaven. At any rate such a one was caught up (Gk harpazo, “to snatch away”). The term is used in regard to Philip in Acts 8:39 and the Rapture, in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. “Caught up” is a form of the Greek word harpazōg, the same word used in 1 Thess. 4:17 in reference to the rapture of the church. Paul was “raptured” to the third heaven.
The third heaven designates a place beyond the immediate heaven of earth's atmosphere of clouds and beyond the further heaven of outer space and it's galaxies into the presence of God Himself (Heb. 4:14, 7:26; Eph. 4:10). The first heaven is atmospheric, the second is comprised of the stellar universes, and the third is the unique dwelling place of God. But to whom much is given much will be required.
In verse 3 he again clarifies it as mystifying experience. “And I know how such a man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows.”
He is uncertain as to whether he was in a bodily or disembodied state. Whether or whether his soul was dislodged from the body for a time, and taken up into heaven, or whether he was taken up, body and soul together, he knew not.
Verse 4 teaches us that human words are inadequate to tell us about heaven. “was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which are not possible for a man to speak.”
If the third Heaven describes the place of his rapture, into Paradise specifies the wonder of his rapture. [The third heaven of v. 2 and the Paradise of verse 4 are the same place.] Paradise [ [παρα-δειος] is a Persian word for an enclosed park, garden or pleasure ground. It] is used only three times in the New Testament. In Luke 23:43 with the thief on the cross, "today thou shall be with me in Paradise" and in Rev. 2:7 "to him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God." LXX uses this term in Genesis for the Garden or Paradise or Eden where the tree of life was originally located. The thought is the very bliss of heaven itself for heaven is not just a place, it is also a state.
[It may be assumed he witnessed the state of the disembodied spirits of the redeemed who had died. It is a blissful and desirable state for they are "at home with the Lord" (5:8), but still an imperfect state until the day their nakedness is covered by the glorified and incorruptible resurrection body (5:1-3, 1 Cor. 15 :42ff, Phil. 3 :20-21). Then the redeemed of the Lord will shine forth in the full splendor of eternal Christ-likeness.]
There Paul heard unspeakable words, an oxymoron, speaking which may not be spoken, for even the heavenly state is beyond words. For it has not entered into the heart of man what God has in store for those who love Him (1 Cor. ). Human language is too mundane and inadequate to describe things that transcend all knowledge and comprehension. We must speak of Paradise to describe its state and heaven to defined its topography but the truth is that we are stepping over the thresh-hold into another dimension, a reality not of this world, infinite, eternal, spiritual and only dimly and distantly sensed by us in this earthly vessel and yet known with assurance, by those who are Christ's, to be their permanent home. Holy Scripture will occasionally part the midst of our earthly existence and grant brief glimpses of the glory yet to be revealed (5:11-12, 1 Cor. 15:50ff; Rom. 8:38-39; Phil. 1:21ff; 3:20-21; 1 Thess. 4:13ff; 2 Tim. 4:8).
By means of this experience Paul was granted a view of the indescribable glory that lies ahead and thereby fortified to patiently endure all the severe sufferings encountered in his ministry. He thus knows that the sufferings of this present age were not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to come (Rom. 8:18; 2 Tim. 4:8).
[The Bible is full of figurative language. Scripture contains similes, metaphors, parables, allegories, irony, and even sarcasm to speak God's message to the people. Heaven is described using figurative language. I was wondering why God chose to speak to us that way.
God speaks to us as a Father to a child using language we can understand. The most exciting thing about heaven is that God had so little vocabulary we would understand to describe it. Heaven is almost nothing like earth. Jesus said he was going to prepare a place or mansion for us. Heaven will be the finest home we have ever owned. There won't be sadness, suffering, discrepancies or delusions – only purity and truth. Heaven is indescribably real and that is what the Lord wanted us to know.
Someday we will arrive in heaven and realize that everything we see and experience is new and indescribable with an earthly vocabulary. I'm grateful that God used illustrations we could understand to give us a glimpse of eternity. ]
III. CURRENT EVIDENCE, 5-6.
Paul could boast, as his rivals do, of impressive religious connections, experiences, and achievements, but he chooses instead to speak only of his weaknesses. “ On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses.”
Such an honor would have made most people very proud. They would have gone about boasting of it instead of holding it back for 14 years. But Paul did not become proud, he simply related the true event. So he reiterates his determination to glory only in his weaknesses. Paul's weaknesses are the trials and tribulations he went through for Christ that had left him broken of body, mind, emotion and spirit. For these areas became the very places where God could do His greatest work in and then through Paul. Paul would not be like his opponents who gloried in their earthly state or pride. Self-vaunting is not only foolish, but also false. For God alone is due all the glory.
Though boasting includes many lies, in verse 6 Paul affirms his trustfulness. “For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”
Paul did not go around boasting especially about things that could not be substantiated by others. He just kept the visions in his heart as evidences for his faith which continued to send him into the fields white for harvest. Yet all Paul's boasts were true, were about true occurrences. Not to mention all the other reasons he could boast, in his gifts, his seeing souls saved, and folks healed, but he did not dwell on these things. The reason he did not dwell on these things was that others might think too highly of him. He did not want to be judged by the past, or what he said about himself, but that men should judge him by what they presently heard and saw.
Today many have elevated the Apostles of Christ to some superhuman stature. Yet in the Gospel accounts we see how ordinary the Apostles were in their natural state even with Jesus as their teacher and companion. What happened is that the power of the Holy Spirit that can transform ordinary lives into extraordinary got hold of their lives. Look at the book of Acts and see their transformation. It is ever the work of the Holy Spirit to miraculously transform lives. The very same power active in the lives of the apostles is available in all its fullness today, and as with them, all the glory belongs to God.
CONCLUSION
Paul has told this incident to show that he had been uniquely touched by God. Through his vision we have learned that Paradise is not a shadowy waiting-room, but the blissful place of unspeakable glory. Its glory is that of the ultimate heavenly glory, which is the glory of the Presence of the Son of God (Rev. 1:9ff, 22:1ff). There in the Paradise of God, the souls of the saints are at home with Christ, the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45). There they are beyond the reach of sin. Without the fear of being driven out as happened in the first Paradise. There they await the crowning consummation of their redemption which is the union of souls and resurrection body when the New Heaven and the new earth will be introduced and all God's purposes in creation completely and eternally fulfilled.
Are you certain about your eternal future? Are you going to Paradise when you die? Do you have assurance in your soul that to be absent from the body is to be home with the Lord? God is seeking to reveal Himself to you today. He wants to come and live with you here and now, so that you can live with Him there and then. Will you let Him in? Will you be lead by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14)?
Dear Friend, if you have never truly accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer from your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of--turn from my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior and Lord. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. From this day forward, please be glorified in and through me. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you truly surrender your heart to God as you prayed that prayer, God saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you. So please come forward at this time and share that with me.
