2 Corinthians 12:1-6 Visions and Revelations
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: May 18, 2020 2 Corinthians 12:1-6
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
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. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.
(Understanding the Text) First, Paul showed how he was the equal or superior of the false apostles by his lineage. Then he showed that he was their superior by his service to Jesus. He had faced many dangers and hardships and sacrificed a lot to bring the gospel to others. However, he said that the only service and sacrifice worth mentioning was his weaknesses in worrying over the people of the churches that he had founded. Now, Paul lists a third way that he is equal to or superior to the false apostles. He has had direct contact with Jesus, not just in his first calling, but also at a later date or dates.
(Revelation of God) Paul says that with regard to revelations from God, it is even more foolish to boast. He won’t even speak of himself in first person to speak of this. He has to brag about it as if it happened to another person. He says that fourteen years previously he had been taken into heaven and that it was paradise, and there he saw and heard things that it would be impossible to communicate to anyone who had not gone there. I wonder if Paul was remembering this experience when he wrote to the Colossians. “But, as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). Maybe, since Paul had seen a small sample of paradise, he knew that there was so much more than what was on this earth.
(Understanding the Text) Paul speaks of this revelation as being at a specific time, so I think it was a one-time event (at least up until this point of Paul’s life) that was significantly different from other times when the Spirit spoke to and through Paul. Anyway, Paul felt that it was significant to demonstrate that he was in direct communication with Jesus whereas the false apostles were not. The SDA commentary says “Fourteen years previous would be about the time Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch.”
I’m not sure what to make of this vision. Paul uses it as a mark of his true apostleship, but what was the purpose of God in giving Paul the vision? What does this mean about my own communication with God? What is the significance of this vision to the reader of the Bible? Why is it mentioned here, other than to show that Paul was a true apostle and prophet and servant of Jesus?
Paul says that he does not boast of his direct connection to heaven because it would be wrong. Instead, his normal words and actions should be enough testimony of being a representative of Jesus.
(Application / Prayer) My application to myself is that there is much more to the kingdom of God than I can begin to imagine living on this blighted quarantined planet. Some day, marvels will be open for me to see and experience, but no marvel will be as great as the love of God for me as shown by His interactions throughout recorded history with mankind and most specifically at the cross. I know that some day, the pain and brokenness will be no more, but in the meantime, I have to live with the hardships of this world. Whether I am here in brokenness or traveling in paradise, I am me, and I pray that the me who is here or there will reflect You and Your character of love to all so that when they see me, it is enough for them to know that I am Yours.