2 Corinthians 12, Paul caught up into paradise

2 Corinthians 12 - Paul Caught Up Into Paradise - 3rd Earth Age

2 Corinthians 12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Glory = Romans 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
You think you know the truth?
Consider yourself a light to them which are in darkness.
Remember what Christ said in Matthew 7:21-22 concerning those who said, Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in your name and to whom He replied, depart from me, for I know ye not.
Their prophecy concerns the false christ and not our Christ.
Thou, to paraphrase, they are not a light to people in darkness, because they themselves are in darkness, not recognizing the signs of the times and the things that are upon us.
Vision = Acts 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Paul taken to the third heaven = 3rd earth age

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Paul is saying, I was taken to the third earth age, I don't know which body I was in.
Caught up = caught away
Heaven = Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Paul caught up into paradise = The third heaven age
Words = Mark 9:32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Utter = Paul was alive, and whether be was carried away bodily, as Phillip was (Acts 8:39), or not, he knew not, nor can we, only God knows. He may have been as Ezekiel was (Ezek 8:3), or John (Rev 1:10).
Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Ezekiel 8:3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

Of = On behalf of
But = except
Infirmities = weaknesses
2 Corinthians 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

Though = if
Forbear = spare
Think = reckon

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Lest = in order that . . . not, me, as above) = thorn in the flesh
Why The thorn = where I wouldn't think I was better than anyone else
Exalted . . . measure = over-exalted
2 Thess 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Through = by
Abundance = excellence

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Paul asked God, three times to take the thorn from him
For = In behalf of

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God except more out of His Elect.
God didn't pick, poor me people
Power = as above
Rest = as a tent is spread over one

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul is saying, when I'm weak, God is with me
Those that teach falsely, I have nothing to do with them
Reproaches = insults
Acts 27:10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

Am I beheld = compare = Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This is why we turn to Christ, to confide and talk to Him.
1 Corintians 1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

Mighty deeds = powers

13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

Were inferior = "were worsted"
2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
To = beyond
Other = the rest of
Except = Me = Some as "but"
2 Corinthians 12:5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
Was..burdensome = 2 Corinthians 11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

To = unto

15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

I took nothing from you.

17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

We taught the word of God

19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.

We teach the word of God, to help you
Excuse ourselves = are making an apology

20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

I don't want to find any of these people there, and I'm not going to bring this to you
Test = lest in any way
Would = wish
Debates = strife
Envying = jealousies
Wraths = indignation and fierceness
Backbitings = speaking against
1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
Whisperings = enchantment = the muttering of the charmer

21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Among = before
Bewail = mourn for
Which = of those who
Sinned already = sinned before

• Exactly 2520 years from the exile of Benjamin, Iceland became an independent nation.

• The first tribe to be conquered by the Assyrians was Manasseh, in 745 B.C. Exactly 2520 years later America became a nation on July 4, 1776.

(Leviticus. 26: 28-46) God warned Israel that if they persisted in continually breaking His Laws, not only would curses come upon them.

He would punish them for seven times, (a time being 360 years, seven times would be 2520 years) and would banish them from the land of Palestine and scatter them among the heathens (like lost sheep)

• Study the book: Abrahamic Covenant, (A study outline of the identity of God's people) By E. Raymond Capt - page 25