The things revealed to Paul are impressive. Somehow, even Peter was compelled to publicly acknowledge the staggering “wisdom” of Paul’s Epistles (2 Pet. 3:15-16). How were all these things revealed to the Apostle Paul?
Biblical Theology·Oct 4, 2024·Updated Sep 3, 2026
“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:”– Romans 11:13
Introduction
Readers of the New Testament can easily perceive the greatness of John the Baptist By virtue of being the nearest to Christ, John was the greatest Prophet born of women in the Old Testament Greatness is measured by each man’s nearness to Christ. Therefore, even the least of the saints in the New Testament are greater than John the Baptist
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
— Matt. 11:11
The same yardstick can be used upon the Apostles. The Apostles experienced something very special. They followed the Son of God in bodily presence for 3 years. Countless experiences! Unforgettable memories! This was a necessary part of their qualification for Apostleship. Obviously, these 3 years would put these men in the highest category of greatness. The names of “the twelve Apostles of the Lamb” are emblazoned upon the foundations of the walls of Jerusalem in Heaven as an eternal memorial
However, among the twelve, there were three that excelled in greatness above the rest. Peter, James, and John were sometimes separated from the others. These were exclusive experiences with the Son of God that forged character and permanently impacted the Pillar Apostles. Early on, they beheld the resurrection power of the Son of God Later, they saw the resurrection glory of Jesus Christ on the holy mountain of transfiguration Finally, they were more closely beholden to our Messiah’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane The face that had so lately shined as the sun then gushed with blood! Soberly consider it.
The Questionable Greatness of the Apostle Paul?
The greatness of all men can be determined by the same yardstick. However, using the same measurement, the greatness of the Apostle Paul is questionable. Admittedly, Paul was the “last of all” the Apostles to see Jesus Christ Paul was so far removed from the earthly ministry of the Son of God, he described himself to be “one born out of due time” Adding to the problem, before becoming an Apostle, Paul was a bloody persecutor of the Church of God. Reflecting on this, he said, “I am the least of the Apostles” However, in the same breath, Paul gave an apology of his own bonafide Apostleship as it compared with the rest in
“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
The same tone is struck in the Epistles. Paul was often compelled to defend his own Apostolic office. His reputation was continually being assaulted by slanderers and persecutors Even the Church in Jerusalem stood in doubt of him The most compelling argument for Paul’s apostleship was rendered in the Book of Galatians, the same Epistle where Paul explained how he went to “Arabia” for “three years” Why three years? This is the same amount of discipleship required for the qualification of the original twelve Apostles. Read Paul’s argument in -2:10 and discern for yourself if this is a mere coincidence. What is in Arabia? The New Testament is almost completely silent on this subject. There is no mention of “Arabia” anywhere else other than the Book of Galatians. It appears two times in this Epistle. Paul goes on to clarify that “mount Sinai” is “in Arabia” in Is this a coincidence?
Apparently, something special happened in Arabia! Consequentially, there is something special about Paul. The man could be called the Prophetic Apostle. Considering his untimely conversion, and the fact that he was totally estranged from the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, you could say the odds were stacked against him. Paul was fraught with inadequacies! Nevertheless, the Spirit of Prophecy performed a miracle of “grace” Paul is a “pattern” of grace The chief of sinners became the most fruitful Apostle Paul wrote most of the New Testament. Among these books are Romans and Hebrews! And both of these are mighty and unparalleled Epistles. How would you grade the greatness of Paul?
“For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.”
— 2 Cor. 11:5-6
A unique prophetic revelation was given to Paul making him different from all the other Apostles. Paul was called, “the Apostle of the Gentiles” Peter, James, and John recognized the fact that Paul had received “the Gospel of the Uncircumcision” by revelation This was a prophetic revelation! A revelation that was hidden from all the prophets since the beginning of the world, until it was revealed to Paul You can call this revelation the mystery of the Gentile Church Age.
“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;”
— Eph. 3:2-5
The things revealed to Paul are impressive. Somehow, even Peter was compelled to publicly acknowledge the staggering “wisdom” of Paul’s Epistles How were all these things revealed to the Apostle Paul? Where were all these things revealed to the Apostle Paul? The “how” and “where” of this story is also impressive! You see how Paul was an unlikely character to find place among the Apostles. Something happened to Paul in Arabia! Upon being converted, Paul had a chance to go to Jerusalem to submit himself to Peter, James, and John, and the other Apostles This is the normal path of most believers. Paul took a different path.
Paul puts everything that happened into context in -2:10. Instead of going to Jerusalem, he went to Arabia. Why? A closer look at Saul his shocking conversion to Christianity and the surrounding circumstances in Damascus and Jerusalem will prove to be enlightening on this subject.
Saul as a Zealous Persecutor
Paul, then called Saul, was the most zealous persecutor of Christianity. He appears in as the primary authority figure present at the martyrdom of Stephen. In the days following, Saul arose as the leader during the first great outbreak of persecution against Christianity All the House Churches of Jerusalem and Judaea were systematically raided The Christians were arrested and imprisoned. The congregations of every Synagogue in the land were searched. Public beatings commenced upon finding Christians in the Synagogues By design, the beatings were severe, punishing, and unrelenting, because Saul was beating them until they blasphemed God through renouncing their faith in Jesus Christ
“And I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedinglymadagainst them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”
— Acts 26:11
Saul couldn’t control himself! He was “exceedingly mad against them” He was thinking about murder He was breathing out threats of slaughter Therefore, after wreaking havoc upon the Churches in one region, Saul moved to the next. However, he needed authority from the Chief Priests to commence a systematic persecution in strange cities like Damascus.
“I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.”
— Acts 22:3-5
“Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, At midday, Oking, I saw in the way a Light from Heaven, above the brightness of the Sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
— Acts 26:12-14
Saul was knocked off his high horse! The persecutor was prostrated. At noon, during the brightest part of the day, another Light appeared overhead. This Light shined “above the brightness of the Sun” Just one glimpse… and Saul was blinded. Literally, he couldn’t see, so he had to be led by the hand into Damascus. What is this Light? Ananias and Barnabas are very bold to declare that Saul personally sawJesus Christ
“And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.”
— Acts 22:14-15
This spectacular vision led to Saul’s conversion to Christianity three days later. Saul was devastated. He spent three days in fasting and prayer. Although Saul was a fierce persecutor of Christianity, he really believed that he was doing the right thing He believed Christians were false prophets. He believed that he was following in the footsteps of Elijah, who ordered the slaughter of all the Prophets of Baal
“And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedinglyzealous of the traditions of my fathers.”
— Gal. 1:14
“My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.”
— Acts 26:4-5
Saul was the most famous Jew in Jerusalem. His zeal surpassed all his comrades! When he persecuted Christianity, he “did it ignorantly in unbelief” He was sincerely deceived! Therefore, when Saul came to understand that Jesus was the Son of God, he was very hopeful and optimistic that the Jews of Damascus would also come to realize the identity of the Messiah.
Saul as a Zealous Newly Converted Christian
“And straightway he preached Christ in the Synagogues, that He is the Son of God.”— Acts 9:20
Can you imagine it? Saul preached, and preached, and kept on preaching! He knew that if the Jews of Damascus could be won to Christ, then there would be hope for Jerusalem. However, if Damascus rejected the Word of God, and slandered Saul to the Jews in Jerusalem, then there would be little hope for Jerusalem. All of Saul’s hope for the Jews now depended upon Damascus! And Saul intensely desired the salvation of the Jews above all other people.
“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:”
— Rom. 9:1-3
Through study and prayer in Damascus, Saul’s ability to scripturally “prove” that Jesus is the Christ increased dramatically He was able to silence the gainsayers. However, “after many days” instead of the Jews being converted to Christ, they took counsel on how to kill him. No small persecution broke out! Even the governor of Damascus was involved in commanding the soldiers of a garrison to arrest Saul.
“In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.”
— 2 Cor. 11:32-33
The Jews organized this persecution from the top down. The word of it would have already reached Jerusalem. Saul was devastated! He fled into the wilderness in the middle of the night, not knowing where to go or what to do! He couldn’t go to Jerusalem. He would face the same thing there because the Jews were forsaking the Lord! Where was he to go?
Did Saul Flee to Sinai in Arabia?
Feeling alone, and desperate for answers, Saul must have fled to Sinai in Arabia for refuge. Perhaps he remembered how God dealt graciously with Elijah when he fled to Sinai for refuge in similar circumstances.
“And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life…he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness…”
— 1 Kings 19:3-4
Elijah felt hopeless! He even prayed to die What happened? Shortly before Elijah’s flight into the wilderness, God was doing mighty miracles. It seemed that a national revival was about to breakout and spread throughout the land of Israel But then Jezebel ended up standing in the way. After hearing what happened with Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, the Queen then began a new campaign of persecution to slaughter the Prophets of the LORD, and the general population of the Jews bowed to her will.
Even Elijah fled the scene! He didn’t know what else to do. Jezebel had just sworn an oath to the “gods” that she would kill Elijah in the next 24 hours, and he knew that she would employ all the powers of the kingdom to hunt him down Most of all, Elijah was devastated at how the Jews had “forsaken” the LORD At Sinai, Elijah said to God, “the children of Israel have…slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” Sound familiar?
Saul and Elijah were remarkably zealous! Everyone knew it. This is the first thing that Elijah said to God when he arrived at Sinai: “I have been very jealous [zealous] for the LORD God of hosts…” Of course, Saul, who was later called Paul, spoke the same about himself ( Php. 3:6). It appears that both men were driven to Sinai for the same reasons. Normally, men would not dare to ascend the untouchable mountain of God Strong warnings were given against it Nevertheless, somehow, Elijah was filled with courage to ascend the holy mountain, and there he found audience with God Similarly, Paul is radiating with confidence in -2:10. This is where Paul gives his own account on why he went to Arabia.
God’s answer to Elijah at Sinai came in a word of comfort, where the LORD said, “Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.” The distraught Prophet’s intense anguish subsided with this revelation. Faith and hope were restored! Elijah then proceeded to pressed forward in the divine plan being revealed; and, upon being sent away from Sinai, Elijah returned on a specific path at the direction of the LORD .
“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus…”— 1 Kings 19:15
Paul was distraught over the same thing about the Jews when he fled into Arabia Amazingly, then the same divine answer was given to Paul in Do you think Paul received this at Sinai? This is certainly when Paul needed this word the most! Also, this divine answer is intertwined with the greatest revelation Paul ever received as an Apostle. Sinai is the right place to receive such apostolic revelations. coincides with the mystery of the Gentile Church Age in Finally, at Paul’s departure from Sinai, look carefully at the path he was directed to take as it compares to Elijah’s return from the holymount.
“And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus…”— 1 Kings 19:15
“…I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.”
— Gal. 1:17
The parallels between Elijah and Paul are compelling! Now, everything has come to a full circle in the parallelism between these men: firstly, in a zeal for God to eradicate false prophets; secondarily, in the path to Sinai; thirdly, in the revelation at Sinai; fourthly, in the path from Sinai. Is this a coincidence? No. God is speaking.
Elijah, Paul, Sinai, & Damascus
Zeal for God inspired these men to do famous exploits to eradicate all false prophets from the land (Elijah: Paul: Php. 3:6, ).The Jews forsaking the LORD led to a sudden flight of the Prophets to Sinai in a desperate attempt to get answers from God (Elijah: Paul: ).The devastated Prophets received an answer from God (Elijah: Paul: ).In returning from Sinai, the holy footsteps of these Prophets were directed into the same course (Elijah: Paul: ).
Paul’s own testimony about Arabia, provided in -2:10, is complicated because of the surrounding circumstances of the historical situation. People were suspicious of Paul’s apostolic authority in the Church because of his past life Everyone, even as far as Galatia, had already heard about his former conversation as a fierce persecutor. Also, many deemed Paul’s Apostleship questionable because, upon being converted, he did not submit himself to the Apostles in Jerusalem. Paul lacked all the qualifications that were required for the ordination of the Apostle Matthias
“Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”
— Acts 1:21-22
When Matthias was ordained and “numbered with the Eleven Apostles” it was through the direct authority of the current Apostles. The same could be said about the ordination of Barnabas. He too submitted himself to the Apostles in Jerusalem, even though he was a citizen of Cyprus Barnabas was a beloved and trusted disciple who was under authority and then he later became an Apostle by the same means I’I'm sure the same route to Apostleship was taken by James, the Lord’s brother However, the path to Apostleship taken by Paul was conspicuously different.
Therefore, Paul was compelled to defend the legitimacy of his Apostleship, even though it was acquired independently from the instrumentality of redeemed men through the authority structure of the Apostles. Paul’s defense began in
“Paul, anApostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead;)”
— Gal. 1:1
“But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neitherreceived it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
— Gal. 1:11-12
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were Apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.”
— Gal. 1:15-19
In the language of Matthais and others were ordained Apostles through men. is rhetorically connected to & Paul’s extraordinary path to Apostleship could be summed up in the saying, “immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood”, which means that Paul didn’t go to Jerusalem to submit himself to the men that were Apostles before him Paul was not demeaning the Apostles by calling them “men” in rather, Paul was emphasizing the prophetic nature of his ordination as an Apostle. reinforces the same point, while focusing on “the Gospel” that Paul received, the same which Paul repeatedly called, “my Gospel”, in other Epistles This is a token of Paul’s Apostleship!
“But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the Gospel of the Circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived thegrace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”
— Gal. 2:6-9
Evidently, “the Gospel of the Uncircumcision” was a manifest token of “the Apostleship” that Paul had been given “toward the Gentiles” Amazingly, Peter, James, and John “added nothing” to Paul while they were in conference together On the contrary, or “contrariwise” these pillar Apostles were surprised to see the grace of God with Paul! This further proves the point being argued from the beginning of Galatians. Namely, that Paul’s “Gospel” and Apostleship did not come by men, that is, by the Apostles, “but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” Paul was unique because he was the PropheticApostle!
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me…”
— Gal. 1:15-16
“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a Prophet unto the nations.”
— Jer. 1:5
Experientially, Paul’s spectacular conversion through encountering “the Daystar” was on par with the ordination of Prophets in the Old Testament At least, this is how Paul viewed it. Under inspiration, Paul said, “God…separated me from my mother’s womb” This is a bold claim in biblical terminology. The Jews regarded such men to be Prophets! This is the same thing that God said to Jeremiah at his ordination Therefore, essentially, Paul was claiming to be a Prophet while bearing witness of the propheticthings revealed to him and then he went on to describe how he didn’t go to Jerusalem upon being converted to submit himself to the Apostles, but instead went to Sinai in Arabia for three years.
In context, following the argument, these “three years” in Arabia stand for Paul’s qualification as an Apostle. Paul was clearly drawing a comparison with the twelve Apostles. They were blessed to have three years with Jesus Christ in bodily presence, and Paul had his own prophetic journey of threeyears that amounted to a “revelation of Jesus Christ” Prophets see things! This is why they used to be called Seers
Moses saw something when he ascended SinaiElijah saw something when he ascended Sinai Peter, James, and John saw something when they ascended “the Holy Mount” north of the Sea of Galilee (-17:13, -9:13, ). Similarly, if Paul ascended Sinai in Arabia, we can be sure that he saw something! Perhaps this is why Paul was drawing a comparison between the Pillar Apostles and himself in even though James the greater is here replaced by James the lesser.
Did Paul See the 3rd Heaven at Sinai in Arabia?
The Book of Acts closely follows the life and ministry of Peter and Paul – shifting from Peter to Paul – even as God was turning from the Jews to the Gentiles in the 1st century. However, despite the detailed history provided on Paul, his time in Arabia is omitted from the record. It could have been provided in Its placement would have been in between and But for some reason the narrator overlooks these three years of Pauline history. We do not read about it until the Book of Galatians. Similarly, the Book of Acts provides no record of history on when Paul saw “the Third Heaven” We do not read about it until the Book of 2nd Corinthians. However, amazingly, Paul’s testimony of Arabia and the Third Heaven are explicitly joined together in Scripture. -2:10 is directly linked to -12:7. See the time stamp of “fourteen years” in and
“Then fourteenyears after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.”
— Gal. 2:1
“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.”
— 2 Cor. 12:2
This is how we know that Paul saw the Third Heaven at Sinai in Arabia. The two accounts are corresponding with time stamps for no other reason than to excite this interpretation in the reader. An overview of biblical history will bring this into view.
Paul was converted, fled Damascus went to Sinai in Arabia and then returned again to Damascus, before finally coming to Jerusalem to see the Apostles However, Paul only spent fifteen days with Peter Jerusalem could not endure Paul’s preaching Consequentially, God sent Paul away to Tarsus, Cilicia He remained there until he was fetched by Barnabas and brought to Antioch of Syria, where a move of God had taken place among Greeks, so they both remained there for 1 year in ministry Meanwhile, Paul was never known by any of the Churches in Judaea. This brings us to In other words, they were still very vulnerable to being deceived by slanderous reports about Paul.
“Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me.”
— Gal. 1:20-24
Paul and Barnabas eventually embarked upon their 1st missionary journey to the Gentiles. A record of this mission is recorded in -14:28. The cities that pertained to Galatia were heavily evangelized. Antioch of Pisidia was in GalatiaIconium was in GalatiaLystra, Derbe, and Lycaonia were in Galatia Many churches were planted in this region! Hence, when and if any controversies arose, Paul would have wanted to safeguard the Galatians by writing an Epistle.
A controversy did arise after the 1st missionary journey when "certainmen" came from Judaea to Antioch of Syria Let the reader observe how the same origin of heresy is emphasized again in Galatians, where Paul spoke of "certain" men that "came fromJames" The controversy of led to a conference of all the Elders and Apostles in Jerusalem, as recorded in to pass judgment on the matter in question. Paul picks up here in clarifying to readers that "fourteen years" had passed since he was in Cilicia and Syria. Essentially, this is "fourteen years" and counting from Paul’s time spent at Sinai in Arabia, because after Sinai only 15days were spent in Jerusalem and then Paul went directly to Tarsus, Cilicia Why is this important? Because a corresponding number of years was given in -12:5.
“If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteenyears 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. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.”
— 2 Cor. 11:30-12:5
Paul was taken to the third Heaven while at Sinai in Arabia! Do you see it? A clear connection is being made between -2:10 and 2 Corinthian 11:30-12:5. The Epistle to the Galatians counts up from Sinai (“after” – ). The 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians counts back to Sinai (“ago” – ).
Following the conference, described in Paul began to evangelize the Corinthians in his 2nd Missionary Journey. A historical record of this evangelism is in Paul spent over 1 year and 6 months in Corinth Therefore, it is safe to say that the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians was written at least a couple years after the conference. This would account for why Paul said, “above fourteen years ago”, when counting back to Sinai
Sadly, the same slanders eventually caught up with Paul in Corinth, according to Therefore, in yet another defense of his apostleship (see ), Paul was compelled to recount his personal testimony to the Corinthians, starting from when he fled Damascus, leading the reader to the revelations he received at Sinai in Arabia Again, by saying, “above fourteen years ago” readers are made to remember and count from the earlier date provided by Paul, when he said, “Then fourteen years after I went…” These time stamps allow us to connect these two records of history and identify that Paul was speaking about the same event.
This is conclusive evidence that Paul went to Sinai in Arabia and saw a vision of the third Heaven, similar to how Moses saw Heaven during his time at the peak of Sinai Perhaps this is the time and place when Saul’s name was changed to Paul, just like how Jacob’s name was changed to Israel in Mahanaim Israel went away from that divine encounter with an added infirmity, halting upon his thigh, because God is pleased to make great men weak. The same could be said of the Apostle Paul.
“Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.”
— Gal. 4:13-15
“Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.”
— Gal. 6:11
Surely, Paul saw great and mighty things at Sinai! He was a changed man He would never be the same! Neither would his eyes ever fully recover from beholding the glory of the DaystarTheBook of Galatians is the only letter that specifically identifies the “infirmity of the flesh” that Paul had as it pertained to his eyes Presumably, this is also why Paul signed off in his Epistles by writing the salutations of each one in very large handwriting ( See ). Is this infirmity, spoken about in Galatians, a corresponding part of the “infirmities” that Paul was speaking about in Or should we chalk this up as another mere coincidence? You be the judge. My advice is to let Scripture interpret Scripture.
Paul was speaking about how he was humbled with infirmities because of “the abundance of the revelations” that were given to him above fourteen years ago at Sinai in Arabia when he saw the Third Heaven Hereby, Paul became the foremost apostolic authority on Sinai. He explained how Sinai relates to Zion – mountain to mountain – and he explained how these mountains on earth relate to the City of Jerusalem in Heaven. These dogmatic interpretations can be observed in -4:7, & How did Paul muster such boldness in the making of these interpretations? Did Paul see HeavenlyJerusalem located in the Third Heaven while at Sinai? Paul’s doctrine speaks volumes about his authority as one beholden to Sinai, Zion, and Heavenly Jerusalem.
The duty of the Mediator was to stand in between the LORD and the congregation of Israel, to receive the Word of God on their behalf and deliver it them, because it was too dangerous for the people to receive it for themselves.
