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=> General Discussions => Topic started by: cheekie3 on May 16, 2015, 07:04:26 AM
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All -
Did Ray ever teach on 'who the man caught up in the Third Heaven' was.
The text is below:
2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 (J B Philips)
[ I have real grounds for “boasting”, but I will only hint at them ] No, I don’t think it’s really a good thing for me to boast at all, but I will just mention visions and revelations of the Lord himself. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, had the experience of being caught up into the third Heaven. I don’t know whether it was an actual physical experience, only God knows that. All I know is that this man was caught up into paradise. (I repeat, I do not know whether this was a physical happening or not, God alone knows.) This man heard words that cannot, and indeed must not, be translated into human speech. I am honestly proud of an experience like that, but I have made up my mind not to boast of anything personal, except of what may be called my weaknesses. If I should want to boast I should certainly be no fool to be proud of my experiences, and I should be speaking nothing but the sober truth. Yet I am not going to do so, for I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than his experience of me and what he hears of me should warrant. So tremendous, however, were the revelations that God gave me that, in order to prevent my becoming absurdly conceited, I was given a physical handicap—one of Satan’s angels—to harass me and effectually stop any conceit. Three times I begged the Lord for it to leave me, but his reply has been, “My grace is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely.” Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses, because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ. I can even enjoy weaknesses, suffering, privations, persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For my very weakness makes me strong in him.
George.
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All -
Did Ray ever teach on 'who the man caught up in the Third Heaven' was.
The text is below:
2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 (J B Philips)
[ I have real grounds for “boasting”, but I will only hint at them ] No, I don’t think it’s really a good thing for me to boast at all, but I will just mention visions and revelations of the Lord himself. I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago, had the experience of being caught up into the third Heaven. I don’t know whether it was an actual physical experience, only God knows that. All I know is that this man was caught up into paradise. (I repeat, I do not know whether this was a physical happening or not, God alone knows.) This man heard words that cannot, and indeed must not, be translated into human speech. I am honestly proud of an experience like that, but I have made up my mind not to boast of anything personal, except of what may be called my weaknesses. If I should want to boast I should certainly be no fool to be proud of my experiences, and I should be speaking nothing but the sober truth. Yet I am not going to do so, for I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than his experience of me and what he hears of me should warrant. So tremendous, however, were the revelations that God gave me that, in order to prevent my becoming absurdly conceited, I was given a physical handicap—one of Satan’s angels—to harass me and effectually stop any conceit. Three times I begged the Lord for it to leave me, but his reply has been, “My grace is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely.” Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses, because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ. I can even enjoy weaknesses, suffering, privations, persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For my very weakness makes me strong in him.
George.
Hi George,
Ray talks about all this in his paper on paul's splinter in the flesh.
http://bible-truths.com/splinter.html
It's short and very good!
Anyway, the man paul is speaking about is himself, in an attempt not to boast and be humble he refers to himself in the third person. Similar to how John refers to himself as the discple that Jesus loved even though when writting his gospel that disciple was himself.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From the article
We are now left with just one category in a class all of its own. "... in blows inordinately ..." (Verse 23).
Only the trial of "blows" does Paul label "inordinately." Why? Is there something unique about this particular category of trial (blows?) Yes there is!
Fourteen years prior to writing II Corinthians, Paul speaks of being: "...snatched away to the third heaven...into paradise and hears ineffable declarations, which it is not allowed a man to speak" (II Cor. 12: 2-4). How big of a deal was this heavenly revelation to Paul? It was a giant, big deal. Paul said that it was a transcendent revelation (Verse 7).
Paul acknowledged that unless God would apply a counterbalance to him, he would surely, "...be lifted UP..." (Verses 7 and 8). The revelation was that "transcendent!"
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God bless,
Alex
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Alex -
I thought it was about Paul himself and Paul's required 'splinter in the flesh' counter balance.
Thank you.
Regards.
George.