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NASB | Isaiah 57:1 The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Isaiah 57:1 The righteous man perishes [at the hand of evil], and no one takes it to heart; Faithful and devout men are taken away, while no one understands That the righteous person is taken away [to be spared] from disaster and evil. |
Bible Question:
Just one point I'd like to address. The thorn in the flesh that Paul had to deal with. Are you saying it was some type of sickness? He said it was a messenger of Satan. I read a book dealing with 'the thorn in the flesh' issue. In the book, the author went thru scripture and found instances where the term 'thorn in the flesh' was used and if I'm not mistaken, they referred to a person or a people. I will try and get the book and pull out those scriptures. Well maybe two points I'd like to address. If we always pray 'if the LORD wills', can we ever pray according to I John 5:14-15. Thanks again. Yours in Christ |
Bible Answer: Hi Mbooker: Re: thorn in the flesh In my Schofield study Bible a note is given "It has been conjectured that Paul's thorn in the flesh was chronic Ophthalmia, inducing bodily weakness and a repulsive appearance" The references given to back up this idea are Gal. 4:15, 1 Cor. 2:3-4 and 2 Cor. 10:10 We know that this is not positively known. However, whatever it was, it was an infirmity which Paul had to endure with God's help. It is possible the Spirit of God does not tell us the actual condition so that we might apply the consolations given to Paul to ourselves when we are passing through trials. I believe that we should pray as outlined in 1 John 5: 14-15 "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us" I guess the point I was trying to make is that we cannot pressure God into our will if it is not his will. Think of the Lord Jesus in the garden and how that being in agony he prayed "If it be possible let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt". We know that it was God's eternal purpose that the Lord Jesus would drink of the awful cup of suffering and agony on the cross for our sins. We know that Jesus was in total communion with his father and that God heard him, but Jesus was obedient to his father's will, even the death of the cross. Once a friend of my was telling me that if he had enough faith and asked God, God would give him money, a wonderful house and a new car. My response was "Maybe and maybe not. It may be God's will that you have little money, that your house might be a missionary shack in a far off country and that you will have to walk rather than drive. It is nice chatting about these things. Your brother by his grace alone Robert |