"Caught Up To The Third Heaven"

[Buff Scott Jr.]

"Caught Up To The Third
Heaven"​

"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...He heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter" [Paul - 2 Cor. 12:1-7].

What an experience, to be transported to God's celestial domain, to be able to take an advance flight to God's "headquarters!" Surely, the event must have been a foretaste of divinity. The apostle did not know whether he was enraptured in his body or in his spirit. He knew only that he was "caught up into paradise" and heard things "man may not utter."

In Jesus' day, the Jewish community spoke of and believed in three heavens. 1] Earth's atmosphere—air and wind, and where clouds assemble and move about; 2] Where the sun, moon, stars, and other heavenly bodies reside; and 3] Heaven or paradise, the celestial abode itself. Paul said he was "caught up to the third heaven."

He said that while in heaven he "heard unspeakable things." He characterized what he heard as "surpassing greatness of the revelations"—revelations so marvelous the Lord gave him a "thorn in the flesh" to counteract his being overly elated and to keep him down to earth.

But allow me to wonder and wander a bit. Did the apostle also "see things that cannot be told, which man may not utter"? Does what was revealed to him consist of knowledge only, not sight? I'm inclined to believe Paul's experience included unspeakable visual sightings, heavenly features so out-of-this-world he could not find human terms to describe them. Nor would the Lord allow him.

Whether my wonderings and wanderings are right or wrong, the fact is God has prepared a glorious eternity for His children. If John, in Revelation, had been able to describe heaven as it actually is, we probably would not be able to comprehend it. It is not easy, perhaps even impossible, to comprehend celestial beauty beyond our terrestrial knowledge. But one thing we do know, by faith we are able to see. By faith we know God has prepared a glamorous and delightful future domicile for those who love Him. Praise His Holy Name!​

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him" [Isa. 64:4 & I Cor. 2:9].​

 

[makesends]

"Caught Up To The Third
Heaven"​

"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...He heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter" [Paul - 2 Cor. 12:1-7].

What an experience, to be transported to God's celestial domain, to be able to take an advance flight to God's "headquarters!" Surely, the event must have been a foretaste of divinity. The apostle did not know whether he was enraptured in his body or in his spirit. He knew only that he was "caught up into paradise" and heard things "man may not utter."

In Jesus' day, the Jewish community spoke of and believed in three heavens. 1] Earth's atmosphere—air and wind, and where clouds assemble and move about; 2] Where the sun, moon, stars, and other heavenly bodies reside; and 3] Heaven or paradise, the celestial abode itself. Paul said he was "caught up to the third heaven."

He said that while in heaven he "heard unspeakable things." He characterized what he heard as "surpassing greatness of the revelations"—revelations so marvelous the Lord gave him a "thorn in the flesh" to counteract his being overly elated and to keep him down to earth.

But allow me to wonder and wander a bit. Did the apostle also "see things that cannot be told, which man may not utter"? Does what was revealed to him consist of knowledge only, not sight? I'm inclined to believe Paul's experience included unspeakable visual sightings, heavenly features so out-of-this-world he could not find human terms to describe them. Nor would the Lord allow him.​

Whether my wonderings and wanderings are right or wrong, the fact is God has prepared a glorious eternity for His children. If John, in Revelation, had been able to describe heaven as it actually is, we probably would not be able to comprehend it. It is not easy, perhaps even impossible, to comprehend celestial beauty beyond our terrestrial knowledge. But one thing we do know, by faith we are able to see. By faith we know God has prepared a glamorous and delightful future domicile for those who love Him. Praise His Holy Name!​

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him" [Isa. 64:4 & I Cor. 2:9].​

Why do you think it was Paul? You say that he said that he was caught up. I don't read him saying who was caught up. "I know a man in Christ who..." doesn't sound like Paul is talking about himself. He sounds to me like the thorn in the flesh is to keep him from being conceited about being an apostle 'extraordinaire' —not about this 'vision' or whatever it was. The "surpassing great revelations" may have nothing to do with the man he spoke of; it may be two different subjects, both mentioned in discussing the uselessness of boasting.

But as to your post, very good, but for that. One other thought. That it is allowed one to utter may be more than he was saying. He just said that the man cannot, and "which man may not" may be a tautology, describing simple inability. The beauty, magnificence, joy and wisdom of God is beyond description to temporal humans. Even if it is a prohibiting, I'm guessing it is by that means, and not by commandment.

I have to say that there is an awful lot of information that we can study and transpose to what Heaven will be like, in our increasing knowledge of God as we walk with him. We are told that apart from him we can do nothing, and again, that we are members of his body. We know that in some way he is our very sustenance. How much more then, when we see him as he is, and we know him as we are known!

"Already, but not yet." comes to mind.

There are many many things I am sure of, things that are heart-rending to consider even in this temporal frame, that when I think what it will be like in Heaven, I see that my words for them here are silly, and only accurate to some small degree in kind, and not in scope. Yet even that saying turns on itself. Amen that "no eye has seen, and no ear has heard, and has not entered into heart of man, what God has prepared for those loving Him." !!!

 

[Buff Scott Jr.]

Makesends, see verses 8-10 of 2 Corinthians 12, which quite clearly denotes Paul was the man who was "caught up" to the third heaven. Thanks for your inserts, brother.​

 

[makesends]

Makesends, see verses 8-10 of 2 Corinthians 12, which quite clearly denotes Paul was the man who was "caught up" to the third heaven. Thanks for your inserts, brother.​

Verse 7 seems to me to make the strongest case for your view; depending how one takes it, it makes the difference how one takes the rest of what he is saying, including verses 8-10.

And perhaps someone who knows that culture and language better than I (which doesn't take much) knows enough to consider his use of the third person to be a common way to speak —I don't know.

I know better than to decide one way or the other. What I have a problem with is those who take something like this, which is not proven, and make firm statements about it, and use what they consider fact to proceed to help interpret the rest of what is being said in scripture. If it was all couched in a disclaimer, it would be a lot easier to swallow.

 

[Buff Scott Jr.]

Paul interprets himself in the entire story. All we need do is believe and UNDERSTAND what he says.