Other than John eating locusts and wild honey, do you have a reason to believe that Mark was specified for tribulation saints?
The concluding word in both Mark and Luke is very telling.
I used to teach HS science in the inner city. I had two overriding goals. I wanted kids to score in the 90 percentile range on the final statewide exam. The second goal was that as many students as possible would pass.
This is what the concluding word for Mark and Luke looks like.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
There is only one charge to them and that is to preach the gospel to all creation. Interesting that these signs do not appear to be those that would help you discern the true gospel from the phony but rather to be able to overcome during the tribulation. This is a very strong promise that they will not be harmed by vaccines designed to kill or poison you.
Now let's look at the charge in Luke
Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me.
This is what the watchmen have been doing. Moses is where we get the calendar, all the feast days, talk about Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot, Noah, Joseph, the Exodus, Joshua, and many other types and shadows of the rapture. Dr. Barry Awe has focused on these. The prophets have been dissected by such wonderful teachers like Chuck Missler and DTBM ministries who has done some wonderful historical analysis. We have others who have dug into the book of Revelation like the Prophecy club and a whole host of prophecies from both the OT, NT, even Enoch and the work that Repoman 64 is doing. The Psalms have turned out to be wonderfully prophetic and Pastor Sandy has focused on that to the point of it being amazing.
45 Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures;
Isn't this amazing that this is not in Mark? No charge to dig into the word or to have their mind renewed and transformed.
46 and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day;
When you dive into the word you are not simply interested in who, or what or where or when. You ultimately get to the question of why? Why does it have to be this way? I have touched on this in many posts. This is not an elementary lesson but when you get to why Christ must suffer and rise again it just really strengthens your faith to see that what is happening is what must happen to really accomplish all that the Lord wishes to accomplish.
47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Even this is more detailed than what is in Mark. In Mark you "preach the gospel" here you explain about sins and remission of sins and repentance. It is much more detailed on the walk that is necessary to be saved.
48 Ye are witnesses of these things.
What things? All of these things! All the words in the Bible that have been fulfilled! Witnesses of the remission of sins! Witnesses of repentance! Witnesses of how the word will sanctify us and transform our minds.
49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high.
There is no charge in Mark to tarry, no promise of power on high though "signs accompanying them" is referred to. The charge in Luke begins at Pentecost, the charge in Mark is almost as though it refers to after the rapture of the church. At that point the Lord doesn't need you to dig into the word, just needs you to preach the gospel that others have mined and brought to light. You know what the gospel is because of the rapture, all those who were raptured obviously were speaking the word that you are now to preach.
50 And he led them out until they were over against Bethany: and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
Can you see the two stages here, like a two stage rocket. Luke is referring to the believers blessed by the Lord at the time of His ascension all the way to the rapture. Mark is for those in the tribulation that have been "bitten by snakes".
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven.
Can we all see this? We are here on a mission that was handed to us at the time that Jesus was carried up to heaven and we will be responsible for right up until we also are carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 and were continually in the temple, blessing God.
So then, are you "continually in the temple, blessing God"? I like this word "blessing". He doesn't say "worshipping", doesn't say "praising", doesn't say "communing" or "praying" or "fellowshipping". Each one of us has a portion and that portion "blesses" God. Not all are prayer warriors, not all are worship leaders, not all are prophets or shepherds or teachers. That is true, but all of us can bless God continually.
Enoch is a type of the raptured church. Enoch was the seventh from Adam. He walked with God and lived for 365 years indicating that he walked with God every day. In Luke they are continually in the temple, blessing God, every day, and then, poof, they are not. The Gospel of Luke ends with the rapture, whereas Jesus rises up to heaven and sits at the right hand of God after speaking to the believers in Mark. They aren’t taken, they are left behind, but they know what they are to do.
