Today’s titles are; Verses 1-13 The Transfiguration. Verses 14-29 The powerlessness of the disciples. Verses 30-32 Jesus again speaks of his death. Verses 33-41 Who is the greatest. Verses 42-50 Temptations to sin. Mark 9 and verse 1 reads.
Mark 9:1] And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Jesus is talking about after his resurrection that they would see him for forty days. Notice that he comes with power, he has defeated Death. His disciples would forget this as well as other things Jesus taught them. I think for their sakes and for our example for these end times. 1Cor.10:11.
Mark 9:2] And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
Six days after telling them they would see him again after his crucifixion. Now, this word transfigured is G3339 metamorphoō. Pronounced met-am-or-fo’-o. And means; to transform (literally or figuratively metamorphose). 1. to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure. a. Christ appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration. This is the Shekinah Glory of the LORD. We have another description of Jesus in his Shekinah Glory in Revelation 10 and verse 1 reads.
Rev.10:1] And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Back to Mark 9 and verse 3 reads.
Mark 9:3] And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
Nothing could whiten them or make Him any purer. We have another description by Daniel in Dan.7 and verse 9 reads.
Dan.7:9] I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
Back to Mark 9 and verse 4 reads.
Mark 9:4] And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
Elijah the prophet of prophets, and Moses the lawgiver. All three, Jesus, Elijah and Moses were all in transfigured bodies. Check my study in Topical Teachings “Transfigured” for a good study. Now, Elijah and Moses are the two olive trees and the two witnesses prophesied for the end times that we as Elect must know. Let’s go to Zechariah 4 and read all of it for our understanding in these end times, verse 1 reads.
Zec.4:1] And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
As one who’s eyes and ears has been opened, an Elect.
Zec.4:2] And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
[3] And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
John and James would ask to have these positions. But it is not for me to give Jesus would tell them.
Zec.4:4] So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
[5] Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
[6] Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zerubbabel means; Sown in Babylon. Born in confusion but he comes out of confusion in the end times. He says by the Holy Spirit, this is what is in the pipes. The Holy Spirit of the LORD flows to his Elect through these two Olive Trees.
Zec.4:7] Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
[8] Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[9] The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
[10] For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Here is that plumb bob that makes the way straight for the second advent, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. These seven eyes are the seven thousand Elect in the end times.
Zec.4:11] Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
[12] And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
Through the two Olive Trees the Truth, the Holy Spirit, are given to his Elect.
Zec.4:13] And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
[14] Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
Elijah and Moses are these two Olive Trees, and are called his two anointed ones here in verse 14. Let’s go to Revelation 11 and verse 3 reads.
Rev.11:3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
This is half of the seven years of tribulation given for the antichrist. We notice here they will have about ten days more than Satan.
Rev.11:4] These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
[5] And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Remember 2Kings 1. Elijah called down fire from heaven on about 102 people on that mountain also.
Rev.11:6] These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Moses used these powers, given to him by God, to influence the coming out of Egypt.
Rev.11:7] And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
[8] And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Here is the only time where we can definitely say when the end is coming.
Rev.11:9] And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
[10] And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
[11] And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
[12] And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
[13] And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
These seven thousand are the fallen angels, they will die immediately at the seventh trump. All this to show you that these two, Moses and Elijah will come again. They are the two witnesses and the two Olive Trees. They will feed God’s Elect in the end times. Back to Mark 9 and verse 5 reads.
Mark 9:5] And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
[6] For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
They knew the names of those they saw standing with Jesus. Now, the Father will speak.
Mark 9:7] And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
At this moment God opened their ears. Peter would speak of this in 2Peter 1 and verse 16 reads.
2Pet.1:16] For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
[17] For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
[18] And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
Back to Mark 9 and verse 8 reads.
Mark 9:8] And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
[9] And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
Jesus tells them not to mention this until after his resurrection. Will they remember?
Mark 9:10] And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
Did not Jesus tell them already that he would be crucified and will rise again on the third day? Very specific instructions from Jesus here. How Peter, James and John wouldn’t remember after the crucifixion, I believe God had opened their ears in verse 5 and needed to shut them to prevent the twelve, especially Peter, from preventing God’s Word from coming to pass exactly as it is written.
Mark 9:11] And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Written in Malachi 4 and verse 1 reads.
Mal.4:1] For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Speaking of the Day of the LORD, the seventh trump, when Jesus returns at the second advent.
Mal.4:2] But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
[3] And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
This power is given to his Elect in these end times.
Mal.4:4] Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Remember this even until this day.
Mal.4:5] Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
[6] And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Notice the plural in fathers, God the Father and Satan, the father of the Kenites, the serpent’s seed. This will happen, but Jesus also said it has happened already. Mark 9 and verse 12 reads.
Mark 9:12] And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
[13] But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
And here is where he says it, that Elijah has come already. He is talking about John the Baptist who came in the spirit of Elijah. They beheaded him and will crucify our Lord as well.
Mark 9:14] And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
[15] And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
[16] And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
[17] And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
Not only his disciples, but the scribes also could not heal this man’s child.
Mark 9:18] And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
In Matthew 17 we find this man is called Lunatic. G4583 from G4582 and means; moon-struck or crazy. Anything of the moon is of Satan. This man’s child was possessed by the spirit of Satan himself.
Mark 9:19] He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
[20] And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
[21] And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
[22] And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
[23] Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
[24] And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Something we all should remember, asking the LORD for help is believing already. But this unbelief is something different, it is the pain of the father for his child.
Mark 9:25] When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
[26] And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
[27] But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
Jesus showed his compassion for the father and the child. But many said that the child was dead, Jesus simply took him by the hand and he arose. Jesus defeated death before he was even crucified by this very act. Heb.2:14.
Mark 9:28] And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
[29] And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
In Matthew 4 Jesus was tempted by Satan after fasting for forty days. Showing us here that it doesn’t take much to overcome Satan, simply faith. And in Luke 10:19 Jesus gave us power over all evil spirits. Now think of these end times, let’s go to Amos 8 and verse 11 reads.
Amos 8:11] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
This is the famine of the end times, for hearing (ears to hear) the Words of the LORD. Back to Mark 9 and verse 30 reads.
Mark 9:30] And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.
[31] For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
How many times has Jesus told them that he was going to be crucified? This is why I said that the LORD had to have blinded them for his Word’s sake. Many places in God’s Word his disciples should have known of his crucifixion, Psa.22 for one. But also prophesied in Psalms 41 and verse 9 reads.
Psa.41:9] Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Judas would betray him.
Psa.41:10] But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.
And he would be raised up again on the third day. Let’s go to 1Corinthians 15 and verse 4 reads.
1Cor.15:4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
According to the scriptures, Psa.41:10. Back to Mark 9 and verse 32 reads.
Mark 9:32] But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Why would they be afraid to ask? Maybe out of love. Jesus’s mother Mary had the same misunderstanding in Luke 2 and verse 48 reads.
Luke 2:48] And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Jesus was teaching in the synagogue when he was twelve years old. Mary and Joseph would not find him for three days.
Luke 2:49] And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Uppercase F in Father.
Luke 2:50] And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
[51] And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Could they not understand that he would be crucified because of love? Maybe. Back to Mark 9 and verse 33 reads.
Mark 9:33] And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
[34] But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Were they disputing in the flesh or the spirit, think about it, either way they were embarrassed to admit it.
Mark 9:35] And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
It is better written in Luke 22 and verse 25 reads.
Luke 22:25] And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
[26] But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
[27] For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
[28] Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
[29] And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
[30] That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
What an awesome promise Jesus gave to them. First promised in Psalms 122 and verse 5 reads.
Psa.122:5] For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Now let’s go to Revelation 20 and verse 4 reads.
Rev.20:4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Not only for the twelve apostles, but for God’s Elect also. Back to Mark 9 and verse 36 reads.
Mark 9:36] And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
[37] Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
Receive every child of God as you received Jesus, I cannot put it any better.
Mark 9:38] And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
That was very bold of John to say this. This person cast out devils in Jesus’s name. Did not Jesus give to all that followed him the power to cast out devils? Luke 10:19. But John said, he did not follow “Us”, we follow Jesus and not John or any other of the disciples.
Mark 9:39] But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
[40] For he that is not against us is on our part.
In the name of Jesus only, can anyone cast out devils or heal anyone.
Mark 9:41] For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
[42] And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Back to the children. Children said here for those that are young in the Word, not that they are children. Woe to those that teach his children to fly to save their souls. Eze.13:19-23. For false teachers shall be among us in these end times. Check out this word Offend. It is G4624 skandalizō pronounced skan-dal-id’-zo. And means; to entrap that is trip up (figuratively stumble [transitively] or entice to sin apostasy or displeasure). 1. to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend. 1. to cause to fall away. In other words, it means the Apostasy of the end times.
Mark 9:43] And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Again, this word Offend is G4624, here it means; 2. to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority. In other words, think of the church. We are many members of the body of Christ. One speaks or is the mouth. Another takes the gospel to others, the feet. And we know the hand does the work for the church. If the hand offends, hinders knowledge of the LORD, then cut it off. Kick them out of the church for the church’s sake.
Mark 9:44] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Let’s go to Isaiah 66 and verse 24 reads.
Isa.66:24] And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Back to Mark 9 and verse 45 reads.
Mark 9:45] And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
[46] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
There goes the foot, they gave false testimony to the congregation, and took not the Word of God to others.
Mark 9:47] And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
[48] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
The eyes should be opened by God, but instead have been blinded by him. Cast them out of the church also.
Mark 9:49] For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
[50] Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
Salt is good, be salty when you teach the Word of God to others. Teach with boldness and without apology, never please man, but be pleasing to the LORD. Let’s go to Ephesians 4 and verse 29 reads.
Eph.4:29] Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And in Colossians 4 and verse 5 reads.
Col.4:5] Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
[6] Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
The church should work as one, but with each individual working for the church. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible