The First Resurrection

[robert derrick]

(Rev 14)
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

The everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached in mid-heaven to all people on earth: to worship God.
-No ending of Gospel 'age'. Therefore 1st Resurrection not necessarily past.
-To all people, not just the Jews. God will never again go to the Jews first, nor will he ever go to them only. The everlasting Gospel remains the same God would have all men to be saved, whether Jew or Greek.
-The command is to worship God, which is now only in spirit and in truth by the faith of Jesus being born again of the Spirit.

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city."

This is the last hour of judgment and tribulation, where Babylon is declared fallen, following the Gospel preached from the air.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

At his last hour there will be patient saints still keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus.
-These are born again saints saved by grace through the faith of Jesus.
-They will continue beyond this time unto the end, and some die in the Lord.
-This is the time of the dragon's wrath being cast down out of heaven, and his great city is fallen, and he himself will pursue the remnant of God's people on earth.
-All saints that die in the Lord by the faith of Jesus are blessed and holy to have part in the First Resurrection.
-They may rest from their own labors in order to reign with Him. Full-time ministry as priests and kings during the millennial reign of Christ.

"And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."

This is the First Resurrection at the end of the final hour. (Gal 6:8-9)
-One that remains and alive in Christ taken and the other left.

"And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God."

Those that are left behind are only those who worshipped the beast and not God.
-This is the period of great tribulation and anguish upon unrepentant man by the return of the Lord and the wrath of God. (Rom 2:9)
-This period was preceded by the great tribulation and purifying upon the repentant by the rise of the beast and the wrath of man. (Dan 12) (James 2)
-This period is much shorter than the other, when God allows tribulation to purify His own much longer than when He executes wrath upon man.
-During this period, the saints are in the air with the Lord in clouds, and they will soon return with Him to destroy the armies of man and reign with Him on earth.

 

[keithr]

Yes sir, we believe the first resurrection has taken place. I think you understand our understanding.

However, Paul taught in 2 Timothy 2 (Darby):

1) Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him [first resurrection and rapture], we ask you
2) not to be quickly shaken in your mind, and not be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come.
3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion [apostasy] comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,
4) he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
5) Don’t you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things?
6) Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7) For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.
8) Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
9) even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10) and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11) Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;
12) that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So if the first resurrection has taken place then the "man of sin", the "son of destruction", and the "lawless one", will have been revealed. When the church is raptured the Holy Spirit that is with them also leaves the earth, so that the "one who restrains now" "is taken out of the way", and those remaining would then see the lawless one sitting pretending to be God in the temple of God - "setting himself up as God". We don't see that, so the first resurrection cannot have already taken place, for the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of those alive in Christ happens very suddenly:

1Cor 15:51-52) Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

 

[keithr]

However, I have one serious issue with a pre-trib rapture that has not been sufficiently explained by Scripture:

You state the traditional single resurrection event before the tribulation, and then 'propose' a group of Christians that are not in the body of Christ: human spirit beings immortally in heaven as servants not sons.

They are not "human spirit beings", they are human beings who are resurrected as spirit beings, similar to the angels. Just because John describes them in his vision as people in heaven that doesn't mean that they will be in human form in heaven. The vision was just a way of helping John and us understand. The 24 elders also appeared as humans but we know that resurrected Christians will be changed and will be like Jesus now is ("it is not yet revealed what we will be" - 1 john 3:2). It does not state that they will have an immortal nature, although they have passed from death to life and will live eternally, and not need to go through the day of judgement (Millennial Age).

Show me independent Scriptural proof that is possible. Show Scripture where believers in Jesus, saved saints according to His Gospel, are not born of God and members of His body, and only serve Him but not reign with Him.

Revelation 7 is the Scriptural proof!

13) One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?”
14) I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.
15) Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
16) They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat;
17) for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Jesus will lead them to life-giving waters, so that they will live eternally. There would be no need for that if they were immortal. Similarly for the rest of mankind living on the earth after the Millennial Age, for eternity, when the New Jerusalem comes down to earth, there will be access to living waters and trees of life:

Revelation 22:1-2 (WEB):
He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Really? Ok. Explain how your belief at this time is any different from that false believe in Paul's time:

"Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." (2 Tim 2)

When did it occur, and who was in it?

I did explain it Bob, I stated very clearly we (Jehovah's witnesses) believe the first resurrection took place some time after Jesus was enthroned as King. That may or may not be true. Certainly no one observed it.

Who was in it? All spirit begotten holy ones with the heavenly calling who had died prior to the resurrection Rev 20:6. Those who die between that time and the return of Jesus will be changed in a twinkling of an eye 1 Cor 15:52, those alive at Jesus' return will die and meet him in the air 1 Thes 4:17, most people have labelled that the rapture sir.

 

[robert derrick]

However, Paul taught in 2 Timothy 2 (Darby):

1) Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him [first resurrection and rapture], we ask you
2) not to be quickly shaken in your mind, and not be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come.
3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion [apostasy] comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,
4) he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
5) Don’t you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things?
6) Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7) For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.
8) Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
9) even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10) and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11) Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;
12) that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So if the first resurrection has taken place then the "man of sin", the "son of destruction", and the "lawless one", will have been revealed. When the church is raptured the Holy Spirit that is with them also leaves the earth, so that the "one who restrains now" "is taken out of the way", and those remaining would then see the lawless one sitting pretending to be God in the temple of God - "setting himself up as God". We don't see that, so the first resurrection cannot have already taken place, for the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of those alive in Christ happens very suddenly:

1Cor 15:51-52) Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

Ok, thought you were suggesting resurrection past already now. My mistake.

One side note: I do not believe it is necessary to believe the resurrection occurs before the rise of the beast, but rather is revealed and exposed for what he really is with departure of the true believers.

 

[robert derrick]

I did explain it Bob, I stated very clearly we (Jehovah's witnesses) believe the first resurrection took place some time after Jesus was enthroned as King. That may or may not be true. Certainly no one observed it.

Who was in it? All spirit begotten holy ones with the heavenly calling who had died prior to the resurrection Rev 20:6. Those who die between that time and the return of Jesus will be changed in a twinkling of an eye 1 Cor 15:52, those alive at Jesus' return will die and meet him in the air 1 Thes 4:17, most people have labelled that the rapture sir.

So, in a way this does propose a phased in First resurrection, or at least a single event followed by a trail of the dead as they die. In this way the dead in Christ do rise first before the changing of the alive, and also they were immediately present with the Lord.

Also it does not necessarily violate Paul's denouncement of the first resurrection being 'past', as though it was completely over with and no more to be resurrected, and without resurrection hope the faith is overthrown according to 1 Cor 15.

So, in effect, as you say it cannot be proven one way or other, unless some scripture appears to at least suggest it, and it really does not change anything in a practical way: the dead are rising first and at the end thereof, those alive and remain are changed to meet with them.

So the debate is no longer about when the first resurrection event occurs itself, but when it ends with the changing.

And the 'taking out of the way' only applies to those alive and remain, which is the original sense. So the debate ought be focused on the 'change' of the alive in Christ. When 'exactly' does that occur.

Little note: 1. the rise first is in direct future tense, as in the normally understood version of a future single event. 2. Paul said to die is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord, not immediately resurrected with the immortal body.

 

[robert derrick]

They are not "human spirit beings", they are human beings who are resurrected as spirit beings, similar to the angels. Just because John describes them in his vision as people in heaven that doesn't mean that they will be in human form in heaven. The vision was just a way of helping John and us understand. The 24 elders also appeared as humans but we know that resurrected Christians willi be changed and will be like Jesus now is ("it is not yet revealed what we will be" - 1 john 3:2). It does not state that they will have an immortal nature, although they have passed from death to life and will live eternally, and not need to go through the day of judgement (Millennial Age).

Revelation 7 is the Scriptural proof!

13) One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?”
14) I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.
15) Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them.
16) They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat;
17) for the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of life-giving waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Jesus will lead them to life-giving waters, so that they will live eternally. There would be no need for that if they were immortal. Similarly for the rest of mankind living on the earth after the Millennial Age, for eternity, when the New Jerusalem comes down to earth, there will be access to living waters and trees of life:

Revelation 22:1-2 (WEB):
He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Ok, I at least think I see your argument more clearly.

1. eternal spirit beings as angels not in human form.
-We do know of spirit begin angels having temporary human form, but I still don't see any Scripture to suggest humans become eternal spirit beings without human form.

2. 'People' becomes 'figurative', or at best a reference to their past lives as humans on earth.
-Always suspect to me to do so, when common reasoning says otherwise, especially when it is 'necessary' to do so, in order to help prove a teaching. And this is a lynchpin point. Otherwise it proves resurrected saints from all over the earth and of every nation, not just the Jews, out of great tribulation: first resurrection not past with tribulation.
-The plainness of this Scripture must be sidelined in order to maintain a past resurrection, and different eternal status and position of slain saints washed in the blood of the Lamb.

3. It did appear what we will be like in Rev 1: a glorified resurrected body of a human being. Hair, head, eyes, breast, 2 arms and hands, loins, 2 legs and feet. Resurrected people of God.

4. Leading them to living waters not necessary if immortal. This is new for me.
-Adam and Eve were immortal and had free access to the tree of life and commanded to eat freely thereof. And their nature was immortal. After sin they needed the tree of life in order to liver forever in their present state. This is not as the nations with New Jerusalem descended, where they will need the tree of life for healing.
-In the 2nd Adam we once again partake of the divine nature by the Spirit, even as Adam and Eve, though in corruptible body awaiting the incorruptible.
-There seems to be a distinction therefore between necessary to drink and eat and free access but not necessary...
-You suggestion is that they must drink in order to remain immortal. Which would be true for the natural people of eternity.
-The problem of course is that you are comparing them to angels and their spirit being immortal state, which no Scripture suggests any angel 'loses' their immortal state of being if they do not do something, other than obeying God. By rebellion Lucifer is the devil destined to the lake of fire cast out of heaven, yet he is still immortal.
-So the necessity of drinking waters to remain immortal rings like that of the gods drinking ichor to remain immortal.
-So, it cannot be that immortality once given can be lost, except for the one case of Adam, not of angels and 'immortal spirit beings without human form'. And these have already won the race of Christ that Adam failed in. They are entitled to the living waters as much as any other saints in Christ Jesus washed in the blood of the Lamb unto the end.

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Rev 22)

Everyone that overcomes will be given to eat of the tree of life by right and freely. The Lamb leading such is not from time to time the Lamb taking them by the hand, when He determines it is time so that they remain immortal, but rather is simply eternal acknowledgement that such a right from God has only come to them by their following the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. His marks will eternally preach to all why the right to eternal Life is given in the first place. It is a Scripture that declares their perfection in eternal obedience to the Lamb, so that they will never fall, as did Lucifer and the angels of rebellion, nor as Adam, nor as those who once believed and fell from grace likewise by not keeping His commandments.

I understand where you are coming from now and see your arguments, but am not convince.

There is no separate group of 'angelic spirit beings' that were once human beings on earth.

There is no 2nd class of Christian citizenship in the commonwealth of Israel by washing in the blood of the Lamb. They all are eternally brethren in the body of Christ and servants of God (Rev 22), and reigning with Him. They shall see His face, and they shall have all tears wiped away, and God shall dwell among them.

"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev 21)

God's people are Christians washed in the blood of His dear Son, and what they were as nation or tongue on earth matters not.

Furthermore, I would say the whole teaching of such immortal spirit beings that have no human form, yet are washed in the blood of the Lamb, is the express effort to try and confirm another teaching: That the word and wisdom of the LORD began in just such a state, though not yet human. A kind of foreshadowing of 'good things' to come.

There is no such state in Scripture expressly written as, nor inferred directly to, of a created spirit being separate and above the angels in the beginning, nor that of redeemed spirit beings separate and above the angels in future.

Both sides of that teaching are flimsy and both require plain Scripture being reduced to being 'figurative' only:

The Word was not God Himself, and the people were not in human form.

I like you guys. I really do. I do appreciate your zeal and devotion to study, and I will not personally mock any of you anymore, and if you want to accuse me of rejecting the deity of Christ, because I reject His deification, no problem. I know for a certain what I believe and obey and am in Christ Jesus.

However, zeal without knowledge is not good, and zeal with false knowledge is even worse. For your own souls' sakes, I truly suggest you consider the light that is in thee be darkness indeed...

 

[keithr]

(Rev 14)
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

Before this verse, note the beginning of the chapter:

1) I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.
2) I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps.
3) They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.
4) These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
5) In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.​

This is Jesus with the 144,000 sealed Israelites on the earth, on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. From heaven is heard the sound of harpists - the resurrected church (Revelation 5:8). The 144,000 sing a new song that only they could learn. These are the first to be redeemed from among remaining mankind (excluding the church and the tribulation saints who have already been redeemed).

The everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached in mid-heaven to all people on earth: to worship God.
-No ending of Gospel 'age'. Therefore 1st Resurrection not necessarily past.

As previously mentoned, there will be the same requirement for eternal life after the first resurrection as is required before, including a belief in the Gospel. John 12:48, "He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day". At the end of the Millennial Age everyone will need to believe the Gospel - it won't be forgotten about.

Rev 20:9) They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.

As the above verse shows, there are saints (believers) at the end of the age, and those that are deceived by Satan when he is released and side with him. All those judged worthy of eternal life will be saints (holy ones) who believe in God and Jesus, and ackowledge that Jesus has redeemed them from their sins. Nevertheless, the resurrection of the church preceded this by over 1,000 years.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

At his last hour there will be patient saints still keeping God's commandments and the faith of Jesus.
-These are born again saints saved by grace through the faith of Jesus.

It doesn't say that they are begotten again, and they are not born again as that happens in the first resurrection (Jesus was the first born of the dead at his resurrection [Revelation 1:5], likewise Christians are born at their resurrection) - it just says that they keep the commandments of God and have faith in Jesus. These are the tribulation saints who come to believe after the rapture, before and during the Great Tribulation. Hence the voice from heaven says that those saints who die from then on are blessed, because not only can they rest from maintaining their faith under persecution and difficult times, but also "their works follow with them", meaning that because of their faith and works they will be resurrected as spirit beings - "Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them" (Rev 7:15). Note it says, blessed are the "dead which die" - they are referred to as dead because they have not yet attained eternal life, unlike Christians (who have already been resurrected at this point in time). It is similar to Revelation 20:5 which says, "The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished" - they're alive and live through the Millennial Age but are reckoned dead because they have not yet been judged worthy of eternal life.

-All saints that die in the Lord by the faith of Jesus are blessed and holy to have part in the First Resurrection.

It doesn't say that they will have a part in the first resurrection. The first resurrection has already occurred before this time!

"And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped."

This is the First Resurrection at the end of the final hour.

I don't think this is referring to the first resurrection! As I mentioned, the first resurrection has already taken place, and also Paul describes how it will happen: "the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever". Rev 14:14-16 is a different event, one that is preceded by three angels announcing messages to everyone on the earth - we don't get that warning that the rapture (and first resurrection) is about to happen.

"And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God."

-During this period, the saints are in the air with the Lord in clouds, and they will soon return with Him to destroy the armies of man and reign with Him on earth.

Rev 14:20) The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.

Blood as deep as a horse's bridle for about 183 miles - there's probably not many people left to destroy!

It sounds to me as though this passage is referring to the final judgement at the end of the Millennial Age.

 

[keithr]

3. It did appear what we will be like in Rev 1: a glorified resurrected body of a human being. Hair, head, eyes, breast, 2 arms and hands, loins, 2 legs and feet. Resurrected people of God.

Well, in Revelation 5:6 Jesus is described differently - "I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth".

4. Leading them to living waters not necessary if immortal. This is new for me.
-Adam and Eve were immortal and had free access to the tree of life and commanded to eat freely thereof. And their nature was immortal.

They were not immortal! Only God was immortal (1 Timothy 6:16). Not until after Jesus' resurrection was there ever any indication that humans could become immortal (by a complete change of nature):

2 Timothy 1:10) but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.

-You suggestion is that they must drink in order to remain immortal. Which would be true for the natural people of eternity

Again you are confusing living eternally with immortality - they are two different things.

-The problem of course is that you are comparing them to angels and their spirit being immortal state, which no Scripture suggests any angel 'loses' their immortal state of being if they do not do something, other than obeying God. By rebellion Lucifer is the devil destined to the lake of fire cast out of heaven, yet he is still immortal.

No angel is immortal, especially Satan who will be destroyed:

Hebrews 2:14 (ESV): ... that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

I like you guys. I really do. I do appreciate your zeal and devotion to study, and I will not personally mock any of you anymore, and if you want to accuse me of rejecting the deity of Christ, because I reject His deification, no problem. I know for a certain what I believe and obey and am in Christ Jesus.

I have never accused you of rejecting the deity of Jesus. You seem to be confusing me with others, who may be Jehovah's Witnesses, but I am not a JW, and never have been. I've never been to any of their meetings or churches (Kingdom Halls). Just sharing some beliefs and understanding with them doesn't make me one of them, any more than it makes you one of them! There are many different Christian denominations but only one true church:

2 Timothy 2:19) However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

 

[keithr]

Here are some clues from the Old Testament that the church does not go through the Great Tribulation, i.e. the rapture is pre-tribulation.

Isaiah 26:
19) Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

[Refers to the resurrection]​

20) Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

[The resurrected Christians have a home in our Father's house - John 14:2-3. This verse alludes to the church being raptured and hiding during the tribulation.]​

21) For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

[The Great Tribulation.]​

Psalm 27:5) For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

[During the "time of trouble" the church will be hidden in God's house, and they will be set upon a rock, i.e. Jesus.]​

Psalm 57:1) Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

[Again, alludes to the church being hidden during a time of trouble.]​

Psalm 83:3 (MKJV) They take shrewd counsel against Your people, and plot against Your hidden ones.

[The nations conspire against God's people Israel and plot against the church, who God hides by rapturing them.]​

Zephaniah 2:3 (WEB) Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger.

[The church will be hidden during the day of God's wrath - the Great Tribulation.]​

Another example, or type, is Enoch, who was caught up (raptured) before the tribulation of the flood - prophetic of the church being raptured before the Great Tribulation.

 

[Robert Gwin]

However, Paul taught in 2 Timothy 2 (Darby):

1) Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him [first resurrection and rapture], we ask you
2) not to be quickly shaken in your mind, and not be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as if from us, saying that the day of Christ has already come.
3) Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion [apostasy] comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction,
4) he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
5) Don’t you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things?
6) Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season.
7) For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.
8) Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of his coming;
9) even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10) and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11) Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie;
12) that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So if the first resurrection has taken place then the "man of sin", the "son of destruction", and the "lawless one", will have been revealed. When the church is raptured the Holy Spirit that is with them also leaves the earth, so that the "one who restrains now" "is taken out of the way", and those remaining would then see the lawless one sitting pretending to be God in the temple of God - "setting himself up as God". We don't see that, so the first resurrection cannot have already taken place, for the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of those alive in Christ happens very suddenly:

1Cor 15:51-52) Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

We believe that one has been revealed as well Keith. The apostasy has ended, and Jehovah's people are being gathered as we are deep into the last days Isa 2:2-4

 

[Robert Gwin]

So, in a way this does propose a phased in First resurrection, or at least a single event followed by a trail of the dead as they die. In this way the dead in Christ do rise first before the changing of the alive, and also they were immediately present with the Lord.

Also it does not necessarily violate Paul's denouncement of the first resurrection being 'past', as though it was completely over with and no more to be resurrected, and without resurrection hope the faith is overthrown according to 1 Cor 15.

So, in effect, as you say it cannot be proven one way or other, unless some scripture appears to at least suggest it, and it really does not change anything in a practical way: the dead are rising first and at the end thereof, those alive and remain are changed to meet with them.

So the debate is no longer about when the first resurrection event occurs itself, but when it ends with the changing.

And the 'taking out of the way' only applies to those alive and remain, which is the original sense. So the debate ought be focused on the 'change' of the alive in Christ. When 'exactly' does that occur.

Little note: 1. the rise first is in direct future tense, as in the normally understood version of a future single event. 2. Paul said to die is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord, not immediately resurrected with the immortal body.

I think it is fairly easy to see the three sections to that resurrection, the literal first resurrection of the holy ones who had died prior to Jesus' presence, then those who die during his presence, and then those who are still alive at his return. The entire assemblage will be with Christ at that point.

 

[robert derrick]

Well, in Revelation 5:6 Jesus is described differently - "I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth".


They were not immortal! Only God was immortal (1 Timothy 6:16). Not until after Jesus' resurrection was there ever any indication that humans could become immortal (by a complete change of nature):

2 Timothy 1:10) but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Good News.


Again you are confusing living eternally with immortality - they are two different things.


No angel is immortal, especially Satan who will be destroyed:

Hebrews 2:14 (ESV): ... that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,


I have never accused you of rejecting the deity of Jesus. You seem to be confusing me with others, who may be Jehovah's Witnesses, but I am not a JW, and never have been. I've never been to any of their meetings or churches (Kingdom Halls). Just sharing some beliefs and understanding with them doesn't make me one of them, any more than it makes you one of them! There are many different Christian denominations but only one true church:

2 Timothy 2:19) However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

Great. I apologize. For some reason I thought you were one of those that believe the word was created in the beginning, and then became a man....

 

[robert derrick]

Here are some clues from the Old Testament that the church does not go through the Great Tribulation, i.e. the rapture is pre-tribulation.

Isaiah 26:
19) Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

[Refers to the resurrection]​

20) Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

[The resurrected Christians have a home in our Father's house - John 14:2-3. This verse alludes to the church being raptured and hiding during the tribulation.]​

21) For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

[The Great Tribulation.]​

Psalm 27:5) For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

[During the "time of trouble" the church will be hidden in God's house, and they will be set upon a rock, i.e. Jesus.]​

Psalm 57:1) Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

[Again, alludes to the church being hidden during a time of trouble.]​

Psalm 83:3 (MKJV) They take shrewd counsel against Your people, and plot against Your hidden ones.

[The nations conspire against God's people Israel and plot against the church, who God hides by rapturing them.]​

Zephaniah 2:3 (WEB) Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of Yahweh’s anger.

[The church will be hidden during the day of God's wrath - the Great Tribulation.]​

Another example, or type, is Enoch, who was caught up (raptured) before the tribulation of the flood - prophetic of the church being raptured before the Great Tribulation.

"Another example, or type, is Enoch, who was caught up (raptured) before the tribulation of the flood - prophetic of the church being raptured before the Great Tribulation."

The real type if Noah. " For as in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the son of man be..."

Noah kept the Lord's commandments by building the ark, which bore him above the waters: 1st resurrection, as they destroyed the wicked. He entered into the ark, just 7 days prior to the sudden flood. The wicked had no idea what was coming, until the end.

Noah had enduring great tribulation while preparing the ark: keeping the commandments of God in the midst of a hostile and wicked world.

The 'great tribulation' period is only the last great tribulation over the whole world, of which there have been many for God's people.

There are two kinds of tribulation in the world: the tribulation of persecution by the wrath of man that purifies the believers, and the tribulation of judgment by the wrath of God that destroys the unbelievers.

The last great tribulation on the earth will begin with that of man's wrath under the rise of the beast upon the saints, and will end at the very last moment with that of God's wrath under the return of the Lord upon the wicked.

Tribulation and persecution purifies the saints, and God will not take them out of the way of it. Tribulation and anguish destroys the wicked, and God will take the saints out of the way of it.

The saints, both dead and alive, will be taken out of the way at the Lord's return, when the wrath of God will be upon the earth for a short season.

 

[robert derrick]

Before this verse, note the beginning of the chapter:

1) I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.
2) I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps.
3) They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.
4) These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
5) In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.​

This is Jesus with the 144,000 sealed Israelites on the earth, on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. From heaven is heard the sound of harpists - the resurrected church (Revelation 5:8). The 144,000 sing a new song that only they could learn. These are the first to be redeemed from among remaining mankind (excluding the church and the tribulation saints who have already been redeemed).


As previously mentoned, there will be the same requirement for eternal life after the first resurrection as is required before, including a belief in the Gospel. John 12:48, "He who rejects me, and doesn’t receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I spoke, the same will judge him in the last day". At the end of the Millennial Age everyone will need to believe the Gospel - it won't be forgotten about.

Rev 20:9) They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them.

As the above verse shows, there are saints (believers) at the end of the age, and those that are deceived by Satan when he is released and side with him. All those judged worthy of eternal life will be saints (holy ones) who believe in God and Jesus, and ackowledge that Jesus has redeemed them from their sins. Nevertheless, the resurrection of the church preceded this by over 1,000 years.


It doesn't say that they are begotten again, and they are not born again as that happens in the first resurrection (Jesus was the first born of the dead at his resurrection [Revelation 1:5], likewise Christians are born at their resurrection) - it just says that they keep the commandments of God and have faith in Jesus. These are the tribulation saints who come to believe after the rapture, before and during the Great Tribulation. Hence the voice from heaven says that those saints who die from then on are blessed, because not only can they rest from maintaining their faith under persecution and difficult times, but also "their works follow with them", meaning that because of their faith and works they will be resurrected as spirit beings - "Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them" (Rev 7:15). Note it says, blessed are the "dead which die" - they are referred to as dead because they have not yet attained eternal life, unlike Christians (who have already been resurrected at this point in time). It is similar to Revelation 20:5 which says, "The rest of the dead didn’t live until the thousand years were finished" - they're alive and live through the Millennial Age but are reckoned dead because they have not yet been judged worthy of eternal life.


It doesn't say that they will have a part in the first resurrection. The first resurrection has already occurred before this time!


I don't think this is referring to the first resurrection! As I mentioned, the first resurrection has already taken place, and also Paul describes how it will happen: "the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever". Rev 14:14-16 is a different event, one that is preceded by three angels announcing messages to everyone on the earth - we don't get that warning that the rapture (and first resurrection) is about to happen.


Rev 14:20) The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.

Blood as deep as a horse's bridle for about 183 miles - there's probably not many people left to destroy!

It sounds to me as though this passage is referring to the final judgement at the end of the Millennial Age.

"It doesn't say that they are begotten again...they will be resurrected as spirit beings"

And here is the end of the matter: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb must be born of God. Why?

Because to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, we must first drink the blood of the Son.

And they who drink of His blood are members of His body. Once we drink of His blood, His life is in us, flowing thru us, even as His blood thru His body.

First cleanse the inside of the cup, and then the outside will be washed clean. First drink the blood of the Son, that we may then be washed thereby.

And they which drink of His blood have eternal life in them, and they shall never die. Eternal life and immortality begins with the faith of Jesus in the heart to drink and be washed by His blood as members of His body.

Immortality is not 'gifted' after death. That is a paganist 'deification' of a dead mortal. It is not the gift of eternal life upon receiving the gift of faith, while we yet live bodily in this world.

It all comes down to the blood of the Lamb, and to even consider some who drink and are washed in the blood of the Lamb as somehow 'too late', and so inferior to others drinking and being washed in the same blood, is such a complete stray from all that is Scripture and God in Christ Jesus and the brotherhood of the saints of God, that it would naturally cause one to believe they understand it not, because they have not drank of it and been washed in it themselves.

All who drink of the blood of the Lamb are members of His body and washed thereby to be presented to Him in the resurrection of the just as a chaste virgin, whether in times of peace or in times of trouble, especially in times of Jacob's trouble.

 

[robert derrick]

Two main Scriptures people use to say that the resurrection must come before the rise of the 1st beast:

1. Christians are not ordained to wrath.

Ordained to the wrath of God? No. To the wrath of man? Certainly.

We must enter into His kingdom by much tribulation. Great tribulation begins with man's wrath upon the righteous, the time of purification of the faithful to the end. Great tribulation ends with God's wrath upon the unrighteous, the time of judgment of the disobedient to the end.

2. The church is taken out of the way that the man of sin may appear as God.

The 1st beast does not appear as he really is in the beginning of his rise to power. No cult leader does that. It is only after the truly faithful depart and leave his lovers and followers only, that he begins to 'appear' as he really is, to show forth plainly what he really is: a false leader in the faith, who only made himself to appear as true by lip service to the faith of Jesus, but now openly commands as God, no more deception as as a lover of God preaching His commandments.

That is why he is a mystery: because his rise in the ministry of Christ is as a kind of great apostolic leader, but the thoughts and intents of his heart were not manifest openly, until the latter days of his rule.

And the biggest mystery of iniquity is that he did not start out that way. No man wakes up one day thinking to become a great cult leader. He begins truly sincere, but at some point the sincerity is without honesty, and the only thing he is sincere about in the end is his own rise to power.

In the meantime, many fall away to him as head of the body rather than holding to the only true Head of the body: Jesus.

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (2 Thess 2)

But there will be many that remain faithful to the end, and the time of his deceivableness upon the righteous will be cut short upon the saints by the resurrection of the body of Christ.

 

[keithr]

And here is the end of the matter: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb must be born of God. Why?

Because to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, we must first drink the blood of the Son.

Hebrews 9:22 (ESV): Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

So to be washed in the blood of the Lamb means that their sins have been forgiven and they have been cleansed and purified. It does not imply that they are begotten again.

John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name".
That only applies up until the first resurrection and rapture. After that there is no opportunity to become the sons of God, the chance will have passed. There is only one first resurrection, and the believers after that cannot go back in time to have a part in the first resurrection - they have missed it! Hence our message should be to people to not delay getting baptised and consecrating themselves to God and Jesus, because the opportunity could end at any moment.

Consider the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. When Jesus returns for his bride (first resurrection) those not prepared will miss out and not be able to enter into the marriage feast. Those who only start to believe after the marriage feast will certainly miss out!

6) But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8) The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9) But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10) While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
11) Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’
12) But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13) Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

 

[robert derrick]

Hebrews 9:22 (ESV): Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

So to be washed in the blood of the Lamb means that their sins have been forgiven and they have been cleansed and purified. It does not imply that they are begotten again.

John 1:12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name".
That only applies up until the first resurrection and rapture. After that there is no opportunity to become the sons of God, the chance will have passed. There is only one first resurrection, and the believers after that cannot go back in time to have a part in the first resurrection - they have missed it! Hence our message should be to people to not delay getting baptised and consecrating themselves to God and Jesus, because the opportunity could end at any moment.

Consider the parable of the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. When Jesus returns for his bride (first resurrection) those not prepared will miss out and not be able to enter into the marriage feast. Those who only start to believe after the marriage feast will certainly miss out!

6) But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8) The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9) But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10) While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
11) Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’
12) But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13) Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

"So to be washed in the blood of the Lamb means that their sins have been forgiven and they have been cleansed and purified. It does not imply that they are begotten again."

To be washed in the blood of the Lamb, one must first drink of the blood, and they who drink are filled whole with His blood: Born of God by the Spirit and having eternal Life of the blood of Jesus: members of His body.

One cannot drink of Jesus' blood and not be member of His body, for the blood of His body flows through them all.

Have you drank of His blood?

 

[keithr]

To be washed in the blood of the Lamb, one must first drink of the blood, and they who drink are filled whole with His blood: Born of God by the Spirit and having eternal Life of the blood of Jesus: members of His body.

One cannot drink of Jesus' blood and not be member of His body, for the blood of His body flows through them all.

Where's the Scriptual evidence to back up your claim? I can't find any references to being filled with blood or of having Jesus' blood flowing through us.

The only passage I'm aware of which talks of drinking Jesus' blood is John 6, when Jesus said we should eat his flesh too:

47) Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
48) I am the bread of life.
49) Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
50) This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.
51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52) The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53) Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves.
54) He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55) For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56) He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.
57) As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.
58) This is the bread which came down out of heaven—not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59) He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60) Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?”
61) But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
62) Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
63) It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
64) But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him.
65) He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”
66) At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Note that Jesus explains that his literal flesh (and blood) would be of no benefit to them. His body (and blood) he sacrificed "for the life of the world" (v. 51), i.e. all mankind (Jews, Christians and gentiles). He ws speaking metaphorically, saying that he was the bread of life which came down from heaven, the anti-typical manna. Then he plainly stated what he meant - "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life". In order to have eternal life, and for Jesus to resurrect us, we need to believe and absorb Jesus' teachings and commandments.

As priests we may symbolically sprinkle or plead the blood of Jesus - in word only, not literally! We are calling upon, or claiming, the merit of Jesus' sacrifice. Likewise, those believers living through the tribulation can be washed clean of their sins by the merit of Jesus' sacirfice, symbolically washing their robes his blood - it does not mean that they have been begotten again. All those resurrected in the second resurrection will likewise have their sins and unrighteousness symbolically covered by Jesus' blood, i.e. they are redeemed through the merit of Jesus' sacrifce of his life, just the same as Christians are.

 

[robert derrick]

Where's the Scriptual evidence to back up your claim? I can't find any references to being filled with blood or of having Jesus' blood flowing through us.

The only passage I'm aware of which talks of drinking Jesus' blood is John 6, when Jesus said we should eat his flesh too:

47) Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
48) I am the bread of life.
49) Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
50) This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.
51) I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52) The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53) Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves.
54) He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55) For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56) He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.
57) As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.
58) This is the bread which came down out of heaven—not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59) He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60) Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?”
61) But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
62) Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
63) It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.
64) But there are some of you who don’t believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn’t believe, and who it was who would betray him.
65) He said, “For this cause I have said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.”
66) At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

Note that Jesus explains that his literal flesh (and blood) would be of no benefit to them. His body (and blood) he sacrificed "for the life of the world" (v. 51), i.e. all mankind (Jews, Christians and gentiles). He ws speaking metaphorically, saying that he was the bread of life which came down from heaven, the anti-typical manna. Then he plainly stated what he meant - "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life". In order to have eternal life, and for Jesus to resurrect us, we need to believe and absorb Jesus' teachings and commandments.

As priests we may symbolically sprinkle or plead the blood of Jesus - in word only, not literally! We are calling upon, or claiming, the merit of Jesus' sacrifice. Likewise, those believers living through the tribulation can be washed clean of their sins by the merit of Jesus' sacirfice, symbolically washing their robes his blood - it does not mean that they have been begotten again. All those resurrected in the second resurrection will likewise have their sins and unrighteousness symbolically covered by Jesus' blood, i.e. they are redeemed through the merit of Jesus' sacrifce of his life, just the same as Christians are.

"Note that Jesus explains that his literal flesh (and blood) would be of no benefit to them."

Of course we do not drink His blood in the flesh, but we do drink His blood in the Spirit while yet in our mortal bodies by the inner man.

The main reason for God's law against drinking physical blood was to do away with any notion that Jesus was demanding they drink His blood while a man on earth.

And yet His blood is drink indeed: Truly. In truth. Really, literally in the Spirit and the kingdom of God, which is born in us (Luke 17:21), which kingdom likewise is not just a metaphor. The drinking of His blood by our inner man, the new man and creature born of God, is not mere metaphor, because we drink His blood in and by His Spirit, Who is not merely metaphor.

If His blood wherein is His life is metaphor only, and we do not drink His blood literally, not even in the Spirit, then we are neither in His Spirit nor in Christ literally, but only symbolically.

But if we do literally walk in His Spirit while in our mortal bodies, by faith of Jesus in the inner man, then we must also drink of His blood by His Spirit by that same faith of Jesus in our hearts.