A nice summary of the last four years and a very clear view of the next four years.
The Last four years
Mark 8:22 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.
First we need to be led out of the town. CNN, MSNBC, and the prevailing wisdom, we need to leave all that behind. Second, we need someone to spit in our face, call us deplorable, garbage, and every other insult they can. This is what has happened to many of us to help those of us who were blind to see.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
So the first thought is that those leaders and rulers are giants. You have this idea that the talking heads on TV tower over you with their intellect. The flip side of that is you see all these ones as firewood to be tossed into the fire. Either way, you are not seeing aright.
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.
Trump is not a savior and Joy Reid and Rachel Maddow are not towering intellects.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
He didn't say don't talk to anyone, just don't talk to those in the town. We don't need to get into debates and arguments with those who are blinded by CNN, MSNBC and the mainstream media. That has not helped, that has simply caused them to become more belligerent and insulting accusing people of being Nazis and racists.
27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?
By the way? This has been a major talking point on social media, what is going on, is this the second coming?
28 And they answered, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.
Remember, this is what the disciples are saying, not Herod or the Romans. Even the disciples are saying we are still many years from the second coming. These prophets prepared the way for the Messiah. By saying this the disciples are giving themselves many more years before the Lord comes.
29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
How appropriate for Christmas. Christ means the anointed one. The oil signifies the Holy Spirit, when they are anointed it signifies their vessel is filled with oil. Mass means the gathering or assembly. Christ Mass is the assembly of the wise virgins whose lamps are lit and whose vessels are filled with oil.
30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
I think we can all appreciate this charge changes after the resurrection. Then we are charged to be His witnesses. Can you imagine someone latching onto this verse as the Lord's commandment to not preach the gospel? That would be myopic, ignoring all the other Bible verses, ignoring the context, and the result is an absurd "Don't tell anyone about Jesus" doctrine. We can laugh about that, but is it any different with "no one knows the day and hour"? Have you correlated that verse with all the other prophecies and words in the Bible because if you do it seems clear that word was only meant for that moment. If Jesus had said "and no one ever will" then that would directly contradict the Old Testament where it tells us God does nothing without telling His apostles and prophets.
The next four years
31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
This is a very good description of the tribulation and what will happen then. That is the next four years. Why must these things happen? Think about Daniel's three friends, why must they be tossed into the furnace of fire? Because when they are the whole world will see that Jesus is in the fire with them and will deliver them. This is a powerful testimony to the world, through it some will be saved and others will be condemned for continuing to reject Jesus as Lord.
32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
Once again, we see Christians like this. Notice how all the other disciples were saying things like John the Baptist, meaning Jesus is preparing the way for the Messiah but isn't the Messiah. Peter here saw that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to be King, but his view is not of a loving savior that delivers us all from sin. No, Peter is teaching dominion theology, Jesus is here to set up his kingdom. This is essentially teaching that the Antichrist is the Christ because that is the gospel that Islam has and that Dominion theology teaches.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
It is a satanic doctrine.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
There is only one way and that is the way of the cross.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
We do not have the ability to save our life, but we do have the ability to choose the cross and to lose our life for the Lord's sake. You have free will, choose wisely. Trying to save yourself will only result in failure and shame.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Is that logical? People use their logic to avoid the cross, but the cross is the only path that leads to the salvation of your soul. Why would you trade a fancy car and swimming pool for your eternal soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Wow, we hear of people who sell their soul to the devil. What do they get in exchange? Fame? Fortune? Why would you take a few years of fame and fortune in exchange for your eternal soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
You see, Jesus told them not to tell any man about Him being the Christ, but in the same passage He tells us that we must proclaim His word boldly and that includes all His words. That means we are to be His witnesses and to go into all the earth.
