The Game plan for the tribulation saints
Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
The Gospel of Mark is known as the Gospel of Peter. Mark abandoned the ministry of Paul and later was mentored by Peter who denied the Lord when He was crucified. Both of these brothers indicate those who are left behind after the rapture. I believe the agenda of the book of Mark is very much for those left behind after the rapture. Another way to look at this, Mark is the gospel for dummies (think of all those how to books with that title) whereas Luke is the full gospel. Mark begins with John the Baptists ministry while Luke begins with John the Baptists conception. Anyway, this chapter sounds like the situation right after the rapture. You will have a great multitude turning to the Lord, but they will have nothing to eat. Think about it, those who are raptured are those with all the oil, those left behind have no oil. Also consider this, we already fed a multitude and had 12 baskets full, those are the 12 apostles. This event took place at the beginning of the church age during Jesus' ministry. Now this time we will have seven baskets full indicating the churches. Jesus was the one feeding everyone before, as Peter said "You have the words of life". After Jesus ascended the churches needed to learn to feed the believers with the word of God. Well this is also a picture of the rapture, some Christians have learned to walk by faith, others are simply spectators expecting someone else to feed them.
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
The "three days" should remind us of the three days that Jesus was in the tomb. Sending them away fasting should remind us of Jesus being baptized (depicting his death and resurrection) and then being thrust out into the wilderness to fast for forty days. The wilderness should also remind us of this. Then compare this with Revelation 12. The manchild is caught up reminding us of Jesus being taken up, this is the rapture. The woman is thrust out into the wilderness fleeing from the dragon and the two witnesses have a ministry to feed the woman for 1,260 days. During the book of Acts we had two witnesses (Peter and Paul) and during the tribulation we'll have two witnesses. These are the two olive trees in Zechariah, and these are the ones selling oil that the foolish virgins go to.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
Seven indicates the seven churches.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. 8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. 9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
The seven baskets remind us of the seven people who were waiting tables in Acts with Stephen (
Acts 6:5). Jesus is our forerunner, He has cut the path of faith. The apostles also walked this path, paving it. The men of faith during the church age also walked this path, the narrow path that few find, making it easier to find and follow. After the rapture many Christians will be left behind and realize they are on the broad way that leads to destruction. They will repent, turn around and find the narrow path. Therefore the experience of Jesus and the Acts of the apostles is a game plan for them. Those who repent after the rapture will be in the same situation as those who were left behind after Jesus' ascension.
Healing the Laodiceans after they are left behind
Mark 8:10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
In Matthew and Luke we are told that it is an evil and adulterous generation that seeks a sign and the only sign they will get is the sign of Jonah. But here there is no sign given. So let us consider this using the understanding that Matthew has a specific agenda to the Jews who are saved at the end of the seven year tribulation, Mark has an agenda to the tribulation saints rescued out of the tribulation (primarily by being martyred) and Luke is to the pre tribulation saints raptured at the start. Why is someone who is adulterous asking for a sign? They don't want to get caught.
So consider the sign of Jonah, he was spit up out of the mouth of a fish after three days. That sounds like Laodicea, Jesus said He would spew them out of His mouth. The apostles left behind after Jesus resurrection and ascension were the sign of Jonah. They went to and fro throughout the city telling them to repent because they were about to be judged. Likewise the Christians left behind after the rapture are the sign of Jonah as well. In Luke we are being told that the rapture will be the sign of Jonah and in Matthew we are being told that the two witnesses killed and then raised will be the sign of Jonah. But in the first half of the tribulation no sign is given because they just had the rapture. If seeing the rapture and knowing that you are now left behind does not cause you to repent, then you have hardened your heart, you will not repent and so it is pointless giving you another sign if you are going to ignore the rapture.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. 17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Your faith will be strengthened if you spend time in the word and in reflecting on all the things the Lord has brought you through. Continue to reflect on them because it will impress you more and more how the Lord has been working in your life and leading you to such a moment as this. Then that faith becomes a lens by which you can view the Lord's speaking and get a clearer understanding. Our journey of faith should cause us to abandon our natural concepts and views. In another gospel Jesus explained that the leaven of the pharisees is the traditional teaching of men that is in conflict with the word of God. The leaven of Herod would be those "Christians" involved in politics and who think they will bring in the Lord's kingdom by passing laws and electing representatives.
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
There is a blindness pervasive in the church in Laodicea and among those who are left behind. It is the teaching of the nicolaitans. The teaching of the elites. They teach some men are giants, like trees walking, and the rest of us are peons who should know our place and do what we are told.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
We need to see clearly, every man is simply a man. Some are very capable in some things but lack in others. No one is complete in themselves and no one is unnecessary. It is like the human body, every part of the body has an important function. So we don't disrespect leaders, but we also don't idolize them and put them on a pedestal.