In other articles in this issue, we have spoken mainly about the government of God “after the fact,” so to speak—a reaping of what we have sown. That is, we have spoken of how God in His goodness and wisdom exercises government in our lives as believers when we fail. All this is in love, yet also in keeping with His holy nature, because we belong to Him. However, there is an aspect of God’s ways with us which is anticipative—a wisdom that foresees how a set of circumstances will provoke the flesh to act and, in a combination of grace and government, brings in that which will prevent the failure. We see this exemplified in the thorn in the flesh that was given to Paul.
As the vessel chosen of God to be given the special revelation of the truth of the assembly, Paul had a unique place among the apostles. In keeping with this revelation, he was “caught up to the third heaven” where he “heard unspeakable words” (2 Cor. 12:22I 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 Corinthians 12:2),4). All this was a most amazing experience, and as far as we are told, an experience that no other was privileged to have. While Paul was enjoying this experience, he was not even conscious of whether he was in the body or not, and the flesh could not be active in such a scene as this. Rather, he speaks of himself as “a man in Christ” (2 Cor. 12:22I 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 Corinthians 12:2)).
A Prevention
However, when Paul came back to earth, God foresaw the danger that he might well “be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations” (2 Cor. 12:77And 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. (2 Corinthians 12:7)). The experience in the third heaven, while most uplifting, did not change the flesh in Paul at all, and he was just as prone to being lifted up in pride as he was before. The Lord foresaw this in His faithful servant and, in both His grace and His government, gave him a thorn in the flesh to prevent it. Paul at first was greatly distressed by this thorn, and three times he asked the Lord to remove it (2 Cor. 12:88For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (2 Corinthians 12:8)). We are not told exactly what it was, but evidently it was something physical that he felt was a great hindrance to him. Yet later, as he saw the effect of this thorn in keeping the flesh from acting, he could say, “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” (2 Cor. 12:1010Therefore 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. (2 Corinthians 12:10)).
So it is with us today, except that we are often unaware of it in our lives. Often we do not see as clearly as Paul and discern the grace of God in His governmental ways with us. Another has put it very well:
I think we confine our thoughts to the removal of distance between us and the Lord, when the activity of our flesh has brought it in. We do not sufficiently think of how often He prevents a distance between Himself and us. It would throw light on many circumstances in our history—many a sorrow, many a trouble, many an untoward circumstance that we had wished otherwise—if our hearts were in the divine consciousness that there was One who knows that there is in us fleshly material to be worked upon, so that distance would come in, and who knows exactly when to interpose. What light would shine upon us in many a dark day! Oh! what a blessed sort of love that is which not only can stoop to remove the defilement when it is there, but anticipates the working of that evil nature in me and puts a hindrance in the way of it! It gives me the blessedness of learning what the flesh is, in communion with God, instead of learning it in company with the devil, and you must learn it in one of these two ways. If you do not learn what sort of a creature you are in communion with God, as Paul did, then you will have to learn it in company with the devil as Peter did! How very solemn! There was, then, on the Apostle’s part, the learning of himself in communion with God, and there was the anticipative love of the blessed Lord.
We need not say any more, except to wish that our hearts were more in tune with the Lord’s heart, so that we might learn the flesh in us in communion with Him, instead of by having Satan get an advantage of us. The bitter experience of a thorn in the flesh is much to be preferred to the bitter experience of seeing the activity of the flesh, for then the power of Christ rests upon us, and in our human weakness we have His strength.
W. J. Prost