Why did God not allow Paul to be exalted by people the way pagans honored their gods?
God prevented Paul from being exalted like pagan deities because the danger was that people would make statues and idols of him, which God could not allow. He also gave Paul a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble, lest the abundance of revelations make him proud.
Les explains that the danger was that people would exalt Paul as pagans honored their gods and goddesses, making statues and idols fashioned after him; God could not have that. To ensure Paul never forgot, God gave him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger or angel of Satan to buffet or attack him, lest he be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations. Those revelations included the doctrines of grace, the Gospel, church age teachings, and a glimpse of glory. God did not want Paul to get the big head or become proud, so the thorn kept him humble. Les notes the Greek implies the thorn was like being crucified—a constant pain, as if Paul was constantly suffering crucifixion.
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.