by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/31/2023)
Mark — Part 20
Mark 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Then the “sun will be darkened and the moon will not give any light.” This is very different than what happens to the sun and moon during The Sixth Seal.
Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
In The Sixth Seal, Joel prophesied that “the moon will turn into blood,” that is, blood red. But now the moon will go completely dark not giving any light at all. What would make the light of the sun and moon both be darkened? When our Lord’s Glory shines on this earth by His presence, the sun will barely be noticeable in the sky, and the moon will not appear at all.
Note the phrase, “after that tribulation.” There are two tribulations, or times of trouble. The First Tribulation is of The Antichrist and will not be like trouble to those who worship him, but only for The Elect who refuse to bow. To those who are deceived, it will be like old time revival, a lot of singing and dancing for joy, and there won’t be any atheists anymore.
Jesus is speaking of The Second Tribulation, which will begin after the change of body at His return. This will begin that time of weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth our Lord warned the hypocrites about, which is the destiny of all who are not found worthy of The First Resurrection. The Millennial Reign of Christ is The Second Tribulation.
1Co 15:51-55 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
This will be at The Last Trumpet, which is The Seventh Trumpet. Everyone living on earth when Jesus returns will instantly, in the blink of an eye, change from their flesh body into their angelic body. We are the angels, my friends, except that for now we dwell in these flesh bodies until they die or until our Lord returns.
Mark 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
The “stars of heaven” are the “angels or sons of God” who will return with Christ to be part of His Kingdom along with The Elect who will have overcome the deception of The Antichrist. So all of the angels in Heaven will also come to the earth to join us.
Mark 13:26-27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Call this the rapture if you want to, even though that word is not in the Bible, but we who are alive on earth at this moment are not leaving. After the brief tribulation of The Antichrist, our Lord is coming here to establish His Kingdom right here on earth. And everyone on earth, the good, the bad, and the ugly, are going to be gathered to The King of kings and Lord of lords in New Jerusalem. And every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is The Lord.
Mark 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
Jesus now commands us TO LEARN THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE. Recall when Jesus cursed the fig tree.
Mark 11:12-14 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
Jesus cursed that “Fig Tree” and it dried up from the roots. But the Fig Tree represented the Children of That Old Serpent, Satan, The Devil. And now, in teaching The Seven Seals, Jesus commands us to understand The Parable. The Children of The Devil will continue right up to the very end of this world, right up until Jesus returns. And it has been them who have been causing all of the serious trouble, death, and destruction in this world from In The Beginning.
Mark 13:29-31 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Jesus now emphasizes the significance of the conditions and events He has just taught us. Just as we can tell from new leaves budding from a fig tree that summer is near, so can we tell by observing each of The Seven Seals come to pass that our Lord’s Return is approaching. And note that the Kenites, the Sons of Cain, will continue right up until the end. This Second Heaven and Earth Age will pass away, being renewed into The Third Heaven and Earth Age, THE ETERNITY. God’s Word is Eternal.
Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
We can know the season, but we cannot know the exact day and hour when Jesus will return. Even the angels in Heaven do not know.
Mark 13:33-37 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Finally, Jesus commands His Disciples to be Watchmen right up to the end of the world, and that includes us, my friends. We are Watchmen.
Isa 21:11-12 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
THE SEVENTH SEAL: THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark — Part 21
Mark 14:1-2 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread was approaching in two days, and the chief priests and scribes conspired to arrest Jesus secretly so they could execute Him. But they decided to wait until later.
To determine when Passover is each year: “Calculate the Spring Equinox. Then 14 days later at sunset begins the 15th day (which is Passover), The High Sabbath of Christianity.” This must be done each year to know when to honor our Salvation.
For an example, on Sunday, March 20, 2016, was the Vernal Equinox (Spring Equinox). So this began the Hebrew month of Abib, the first month of the year. From that day we counted 14 days which brought us to April 3, 2016, which was the Passover Day and began the Passover Week of Sabbaths.
Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
A woman brought a box of spikenard which was very expensive and was used for burial, and she opened it and poured it on Jesus’ head. Somehow this woman knew that Jesus was about to be crucified.
Mark 14:4-5 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Some who were watching thought that the woman was wasting expensive ointment, because it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Oh, what a righteous thought not to want to waste it on anointing Jesus.
Mark 14:6-8 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Then Jesus rebuked them for thinking such thoughts, and said that the woman was doing a good work to prepare His body for burial.
Mark 14:9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
Then Jesus said that this woman would always be remembered for her offering, because she had spent all that she had on the spikenard.
Mark 14:10-11 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
Then Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests to betray Jesus.
Mark 14:12-16 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
Jesus sent His Disciples into the city of Jerusalem to prepare a room for them to honor The Passover Supper. Obviously, Jesus had already made arrangements ahead of time, because He told them to go to the city and meet a man carrying a pitcher of water and he will show you the meeting room. And when they got there they found the man and he showed them the room.
Mark 14:17-21 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
Then that evening while they were eating, Jesus told His Disciples that one of them sitting at the table would betray Him, and they were very upset about it wondering who it could be.
Mark 14:22-25 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
The word “testament” is from “dee-ath-ay’-kay” which means “properly a disposition, that is, (specifically) a contract (especially a devisory will).” So this word means “contract, will, testament, or covenant.”
Then Jesus blessed and broke the bread and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat: this is My body.” And after that He blessed the cup and passed it around to them to drink, and said, “This is My blood of The New Covenant which is shed for many.”
Exo 12:6-8 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
This is The Law of The Passover Lamb. It must be killed and its blood painted over the side posts and lintel of the door of the house. And the flesh must be roasted and eaten that night, and any remaining the next day must be burned up. But this annual sacrifice was AN EXAMPLE for The Lord’s People, because The Messiah was to become The Passover Lamb to seal in His Own Blood The New Covenant. Once The New Covenant is consecrated, our own bodies become The House for God to dwell in, and The Blood of The Lamb represents The Holy Spirit within us., because The Spirit is in The Blood.
Jesus was to be The Passover Lamb of God for the whole world, once and for all time. And it was required by God’s Law that His Disciples eat His flesh and put His blood over the door posts of their minds, that is, to drink His blood in a sense in order to receive His Spirit. And He showed them how to do this lawfully by substituting The Unleavened Bread of Life for His body and The Wine, “The Blood of Grapes,” for His blood. This was The Last Supper where His Disciples honored The Passover Lamb.
Mark 14:26-27 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
Jesus took His Disciples to The Mount of Olives and told them that they would abandon Him that night because of the Prophesy, “I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.”
Zec 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Everything that Jesus said and did, and everything that happened to Him was the fulfillment of Prophesy.
Mark 14:28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
Then Jesus told them that later, after He had risen from the dead, He would meet all of them in Galilee.
Mark 14:29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
When Jesus said that, Peter swore an oath that he would never abandon Him even if everyone else did.
Mark 14:30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
And Jesus answered Peter, that that very night Peter would deny Jesus three times.
Mark 14:31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
And so Peter doubled down on his oath and said even if he had to die, that he would never deny Him. And the other Disciples said the same. It is a terrible mistake to ever contradict anything Jesus said, and Peter is about to learn a hard lesson.
Mark 14:32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
Gethsemane was at the foot of Mount Olives about three quarter miles from the walls of Jerusalem. Its name means “an oil press” and may have been a small farm.
Mark 14:33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
Jesus was taking upon Himself The Sins of The Whole World. The word, “heavy,” is from, “ad-ay-mon-eh’-o,” which means, “to be in distress (of mind).”
Mark 14:34-36 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Jesus prayed that The Cup would not be necessary. But do not misunderstand. Jesus was not praying for Himself, but for us.
Rev 16:17-19 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
When Jesus returns He will stand on the Mount Olives, and a great earthquake will occur that will split open into a deep chasm in the earth from the east to the west all the way through the city of Jerusalem, which will completely destroy the city and The Temple of Abomination. Then The Lord will Pour Out The Cup of The Wine of The Fierceness of His Wrath, and all cities and nations on earth will also fall. Then will begin The Second Tribulation when all of that weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth will begin and last for one thousand years. This is The Cup Jesus prayed He wanted to avoid if possible.
Mark 14:37-42 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.
The word, “temptation,” is from, “pi-ras-mos’,” which means, “a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity.”
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.