August 14
Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 12
2 Corinthians 12:1-4, “I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.”
The book “The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven” tells the story of Alex Malarkey’s alleged experience after he was in a brutal car accident. He was six years old and after awakening from a 2-month coma, he claimed to have been taken through the gates of heaven by angels to meet Jesus. Years later, however, he recanted his story, explaining he invented it because he wanted attention. Many other such stories have been told. Contrarily, the Apostle Paul actually had such an experience. It’s both interesting and helpful to note how reluctant he was to even speak about it.
Paul “was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:2). The context clearly affirms that he was the “man in Christ who fourteen years ago” of whom he was speaking (2 Corinthians 12:7). It is interesting and instructive to contrast his response to that heavenly experience with that of those we hear of from time to time.
Paul reluctantly shared his heavenly experience. We don’t find him speaking of it elsewhere in his epistles. In 2 Corinthians, he talked about it only because he was compelled to. In boasting of it, he acknowledged that he was speaking “as a fool” (2 Corinthians 11:17). But his boasting was not as men are typically prone to do. Paul was an opponent of human boasting (1 Corinthians 1:29, 5:6, 13:4). Boasting for the purpose of drawing attention to oneself is never a good thing. Paul boasted not for that reason, but to reaffirm to his opponents his apostolic ministry credentials (2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 13:3). Paul had been called to proclaim the truth about Christ, and nothing mattered more to him than that. He labored in ministry towards that end. To avoid losing the opportunity to speak freely about Christ and His cross, which he gloried in, he presented proof to those who doubted him. (Galatians 6:14; Philippians 3:3). He understood himself to be merely a “by-grace” servant of Christ (1 Corinthians 4:1, 15:10).
Paul spoke in guarded terms of his experience. Paul’s hesitancy to boast is apparent in the manner in which he recounted his experience. He deliberately “played down” his own part in it (”I know a man”). “The third heaven” mentioned by Paul refers to God’s dwelling place, with the first two heavens being the atmosphere and the expanse of heaven. Paul had that experience, a revelation of “surpassing greatness” (2 Corinthians 12:7), but he was limited as to what he could share about it. “He heard things which cannot be told, which man may not utter” (2 Corinthians 12:4). What Paul heard; human words would be wholly inadequate to relate. Additionally, he could not share the content of what he had experienced. The experience was for him alone, no doubt working to strengthen and encourage him in his future service amidst his sufferings (Acts 9:16; Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 11:23-29; Philippians 1:21-24).
Paul’s experience did not come without cost. “So, to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being conceited” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul was privileged to be given a foretaste of heaven, but the matter was of such privileged blessing that it required intervention by God lest Paul become conceited in it. The nature of the “thorn” is much disputed, but whatever it was, it was of such consequence that Paul pleaded three times for its removal. The Lord said no to Paul’s request but promised grace sufficient to meet his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
Paul shared his heavenly experience not to draw attention to himself or even to the reality of heaven. He shared no details of what he saw or heard and spoke of it only here in his epistles. By way of contrast, he shared openly and repeatedly of his conversion experience (Acts 22:3-21; 26:9-20; Galatians 1:11-17; 1 Timothy 1:12-17). The message he consistently proclaimed—and you will find the emphasis throughout his epistles—was Christ and his gospel (1 Corinthians 2:2). His concern was that people be won over to Christ. If they are won to Christ, Christ will get them to heaven. And heaven is real—because God says so.
We don’t need a vision of heaven to know that it’s real, we just need to take God at His Word.
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
LookingtoJesus 