A Refutation Using “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

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Advanced Level Review Test 2 (Lesson 123): When the Test Becomes the Trap

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Introduction: The Moment of No Return

Imagine sitting in a quiet classroom, pencil in hand, staring at a test that will determine whether you can continue your “spiritual journey.” You’ve invested months—perhaps over a year—attending classes twice a week, memorizing complex interpretations, and slowly distancing yourself from your church, your pastor, and even family members who “don’t understand.” The test in front of you isn’t just about Bible knowledge. It’s about proving your loyalty to a system that has gradually redefined everything you once believed.

This is Advanced Level Review Test 2, also known as Lesson 123 in Shincheonji’s curriculum. By the time students reach this point, they’ve already completed the Introductory Level (Parables), the Intermediate Level (Bible Logic), and are now deep into the Advanced Level (Revelation). They’ve been taught that their previous churches were “Babylon,” that their pastors were “false prophets,” and that salvation itself depends on believing the “testimony” of one man: Lee Man-hee, Shincheonji’s leader.

But here’s what makes this test particularly insidious: it doesn’t feel like indoctrination. It feels like Bible study. The questions reference Scripture. The answers use biblical language. Yet beneath the surface, every question is carefully designed to cement a worldview that first-century Christians would have found unrecognizable—and that contradicts the very gospel they died to proclaim.

In this analysis, we’ll examine Advanced Level Review Test 2 through multiple lenses: the first-century Christian perspective (how the original audience understood Revelation), the historical and literary context (what apocalyptic literature actually meant), and the psychological tactics embedded in Shincheonji’s teaching methodology. We’ll draw primarily from “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (Chapters 1-30), which provides a comprehensive theological, logical, and pastoral refutation of Shincheonji’s system. We’ll also reference research on how early Christians read Revelation as a message of hope during Roman persecution, not as a coded roadmap to 1980s Korea.

This analysis does not focus on debates between Premillennialism, Amillennialism, or Postmillennialism—modern eschatological frameworks that, while valuable, weren’t the concern of Revelation’s original readers. Instead, we’ll ask: What would a Christian in the year 95 AD, facing Roman persecution, have understood from John’s vision? And how does Shincheonji’s interpretation distort that message beyond recognition?

Before we begin, it’s important to note: this refutation is not an attack on Shincheonji members. Many are sincere believers who genuinely want to understand the Bible. Rather, this is an examination of the system itself—a system that, as we’ll see, requires students to score 90% or higher on tests like this to continue, creating immense pressure to conform rather than question.

For additional refutation and resources, readers are encouraged to visit closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination, which provides detailed analysis of Shincheonji’s doctrines and their departure from historic Christian teaching.

Let’s begin by understanding what this test reveals about Shincheonji’s core beliefs—and why those beliefs cannot be reconciled with the Bible, history, or logic.

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Part 1: The Architecture of Control—Understanding the Test’s Purpose

What This Test Actually Measures

Before we examine individual questions, we need to understand what Advanced Level Review Test 2 is designed to accomplish. On the surface, it appears to be a comprehension check covering Revelation chapters 2-14. But as Chapter 7 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (“The Hidden Savior”) explains, Shincheonji’s teaching methodology follows a carefully orchestrated progression:

1. Introductory Level (Parables): Establish that the Bible contains “secrets” only revealed to the chosen
2. Intermediate Level (Bible Logic): Delegitimize all existing Christianity as “Babylon”
3. Advanced Level (Revelation): Reveal Lee Man-hee as the “one who overcomes” and Shincheonji as the fulfillment of prophecy

By Lesson 123, students have been conditioned through over 120 previous lessons to accept that:

• The Bible cannot be understood without Shincheonji’s interpretation
• Their previous churches were spiritually dead
• Salvation requires believing in Lee Man-hee’s “testimony”
• Events in 1980s Korea fulfilled Revelation’s prophecies

The 90% passing requirement is crucial. As Chapter 9 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Pressure to Conform”) notes, this creates a psychological environment where questioning is dangerous. Students don’t have the freedom to critically evaluate the answers—they must memorize them to advance. Those who fail are often required to retake the level, extending their time under Shincheonji’s influence and increasing sunk-cost investment.

The Indoctrination Progression at This Stage

By the Advanced Level, students have undergone significant psychological transformation:

Months 1-4 (Introductory): “The Bible has secrets, and we’re going to help you discover them.”
Months 5-8 (Intermediate): “Your church doesn’t teach the truth. They’re spiritually blind.”
Months 9-12+ (Advanced): “Here’s the fulfillment. Lee Man-hee is the promised pastor. Shincheonji is the new Israel.”

As Chapter 8 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Bait and Switch”) explains, this progression is intentional. Students don’t realize they’re joining a group that claims their leader is uniquely chosen by God until they’re emotionally and socially invested. The test questions reflect this—they’re not asking “What does the Bible say?” but rather “What does Shincheonji teach the Bible says?”

First-Century Christians and Testing

It’s worth noting that first-century Christians had no such tests. The early church, as described in Acts 2:42, “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Learning was communal, open, and centered on the gospel message: Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

The idea that salvation depends on passing a test with 90% accuracy about complex prophetic interpretations would have been foreign—even heretical—to early believers. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Shincheonji’s testing system subtly shifts the basis of salvation from faith in Christ’s finished work to knowledge of Shincheonji’s interpretations. This is a form of Gnosticism—the ancient heresy that taught salvation comes through secret knowledge rather than through Christ alone.

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Part 2: Question-by-Question Analysis

Now let’s examine the actual test questions, analyzing them through biblical, historical, and logical lenses.

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QUESTION 26.1: “How can those born of God’s seed and those born of the devil’s seed be differentiated?”

SCJ Answer: “Those who have been harvested and those who have not”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This question introduces one of Shincheonji’s core doctrines: the “Two Seeds” theology. According to SCJ, humanity is divided into two categories based on spiritual “seed”—God’s seed (sown by Jesus in Matthew 13) and the devil’s seed (sown by Satan). The “harvest” refers to Shincheonji’s recruitment process, where people are brought from “Babylon” (Christianity) into Shincheonji’s “12 tribes.”

Biblical Reality

The parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) is about the kingdom of heaven, not about recruiting people into a specific organization. Let’s look at what Jesus actually said:

“The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.” (Matthew 13:38-39)

Notice several critical points that contradict Shincheonji’s interpretation:

1. The field is the world—not a church, not a denomination, not Korea
2. The harvest is the end of the age—not a recruitment campaign in the 1980s
3. The harvesters are angels—not Shincheonji recruiters

As Chapter 11 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Parable Problem”) explains, Shincheonji systematically misinterprets Jesus’ parables by removing them from their original context and inserting their own organization into the narrative. Jesus was teaching about patience in judgment—that God allows good and evil to coexist until the final judgment, when He (not humans) will separate them.

First-Century Christian Understanding

Early Christians facing Roman persecution would have understood this parable as encouragement: even though the church contained both genuine believers and false professors, God would sort it out at the final judgment. They wouldn’t have imagined it referred to joining a specific group in Korea 1,900 years later.

The apostle John, who wrote Revelation, also wrote 1 John 3:10: “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”

The differentiation is moral and relational (doing what is right, loving others), not organizational (being harvested into Shincheonji).

The Psychological Tactic

By framing the question this way, Shincheonji creates an in-group/out-group dynamic. Students learn that they are the “harvested” ones—the special, chosen people. Everyone else, including their former church members and family, are “not harvested” and therefore born of the devil’s seed. This creates:

• Spiritual elitism: “We have the truth; they don’t”
• Separation anxiety: “I must stay with Shincheonji or I’ll be lost”
• Recruitment pressure: “I must harvest others to save them”

As Chapter 15 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Isolation Strategy”) notes, this kind of binary thinking is a classic cult control mechanism.

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QUESTION 26.2: “Why is Jesus’ appearance in the first coming and his appearance in the second coming different?”

SCJ Answer: “Physical body at the first coming, spiritual body at the second coming”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This seemingly innocent question lays groundwork for one of Shincheonji’s most dangerous doctrines: that Jesus’ second coming is not a physical, visible return but a spiritual event that already occurred when Jesus’ “spirit” came upon Lee Man-hee. This allows SCJ to claim that the Second Coming has happened, but only they know about it because it was spiritual, not physical.

Biblical Reality

The New Testament is crystal clear about the nature of Christ’s return. Let’s examine the evidence:

Acts 1:9-11: “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.'”

The angels explicitly state that Jesus will return “in the same way” He ascended—visibly, physically, bodily.

Revelation 1:7: “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.”

Every eye seeing Him contradicts the idea of a secret, spiritual coming known only to Shincheonji.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

This describes a cosmic, unmistakable event—not a spiritual indwelling of one man in Korea.

The Resurrection Body

Shincheonji’s answer also misunderstands Jesus’ resurrection body. After His resurrection, Jesus had a physical body:

• He ate food (Luke 24:42-43)
• He could be touched (John 20:27)
• He had flesh and bones (Luke 24:39)

Yet it was also a glorified, transformed body that could appear in locked rooms (John 20:19) and ascend to heaven (Acts 1:9). Paul describes this as a “spiritual body” in 1 Corinthians 15:44—not meaning non-physical, but meaning animated by the Spirit rather than by natural life.

When Jesus returns, He will have the same glorified body He had after the resurrection. As Chapter 13 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Second Coming Deception”) explains, Shincheonji’s reinterpretation of the Second Coming allows them to claim fulfillment without any verifiable evidence.

Historical Christian Understanding

The early church universally expected Christ’s physical, visible return. The Apostles’ Creed (dating to the 2nd century) states: “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.”

No early Christian would have accepted the idea that Jesus returned spiritually through another person. In fact, Jesus Himself warned against such claims:

Matthew 24:23-27: “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect… So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Jesus explicitly warns against claims that He has returned in a hidden or localized way. His return will be as obvious as lightning across the sky.

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QUESTION 27.1: “In Rv 2-3, who are the betrayers and the destroyers?”

SCJ Answer: “The chosen people of the seven churches, Nicolaitans”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Here Shincheonji introduces their “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation” (BDS) cycle—a framework they impose on all of biblical history. According to SCJ, Revelation 2-3 describes events in 1980s Korea:

• The seven churches = Seven churches in Korea led by a pastor (whom they identify)
• The Nicolaitans = A group that invaded these churches
• Betrayal = The Korean pastor’s congregation betraying him
• Destruction = The Nicolaitans destroying the churches

This framework is addressed extensively in the resource “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation – A Christian Response”, which demonstrates how SCJ distorts biblical patterns to fit their narrative.

Biblical Reality

Revelation 2-3 contains seven letters to seven actual churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) in the first century. These were real congregations facing real challenges:

• Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7): Had abandoned their first love
• Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11): Facing persecution and poverty
• Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17): Living where Satan’s throne was (likely referring to emperor worship)
• Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29): Tolerating false teaching
• Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6): Had a reputation for being alive but was dead
• Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13): Faithful despite little strength
• Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22): Lukewarm and self-sufficient

These letters addressed specific, local situations in the first century. The “Nicolaitans” mentioned in Revelation 2:6 and 2:15 were likely a heretical group in those churches, possibly teaching that Christians could participate in pagan practices.

First-Century Understanding

When John wrote Revelation around 95 AD, he was writing to actual churches he knew personally. The recipients would have understood these letters as addressing their current situations, not as coded prophecies about Korea 1,900 years later.

The number seven is symbolic in Revelation (representing completeness), so these seven churches also represent the universal church—all churches in all times face similar challenges. But they don’t represent seven specific churches in 1980s Korea.

As research on how first-century Christians understood Revelation shows (see “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon”), the original audience read this as encouragement during Roman persecution, using symbolic language they understood from their Old Testament background.

The Hermeneutical Problem

Shincheonji’s interpretation violates basic principles of biblical interpretation:

1. Historical context: Ignoring that these were real first-century churches
2. Authorial intent: Ignoring that John wrote to encourage persecuted Christians
3. Audience relevance: Assuming the original readers couldn’t understand the message meant for them
4. Prophetic fulfillment: Claiming fulfillment in events the original audience knew nothing about

As Chapter 10 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Interpretation Problem”) explains, Shincheonji’s method allows them to make the Bible say whatever they want by disconnecting it from its original meaning.

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QUESTION 27.2-27.3: “What are the teachings and the food sacrificed to idols?” / “What does it mean to commit adultery?”

SCJ Answer: “Satan’s doctrines” / “Having a relationship with Satan, the groom”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

These questions continue building Shincheonji’s framework. They teach that:

• Food sacrificed to idols = False doctrines (specifically, traditional Christian theology)
• Adultery = Spiritual unfaithfulness (specifically, remaining in Christian churches)

This sets up a later teaching: that leaving Christianity for Shincheonji is “being born again” and staying in Christianity is “spiritual adultery.”

Biblical Reality

In the first-century context, food sacrificed to idols was a literal issue. Meat sold in markets often came from pagan temples where animals were sacrificed to idols. Christians debated whether eating such meat was permissible (see Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8-10).

In Revelation 2:14 and 2:20, Jesus rebukes churches for tolerating teaching that encouraged participation in pagan practices—likely including eating food sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality associated with pagan worship.

Spiritual adultery in Scripture refers to idolatry—worshiping false gods instead of the true God. The Old Testament prophets frequently used marriage metaphors:

• Jeremiah 3:20: “But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me”
• Ezekiel 16: An extended metaphor of Israel as an unfaithful wife
• Hosea 1-3: Hosea’s marriage to Gomer as a picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness

In the New Testament, the church is called the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-9). Spiritual adultery means abandoning Christ for false gods or false gospels.

The Ironic Twist

Here’s the irony: Shincheonji accuses Christians of spiritual adultery while teaching people to abandon Christ for Lee Man-hee. They claim that believing in Lee Man-hee’s testimony is necessary for salvation—which is precisely the kind of false gospel Paul condemned:

Galatians 1:8-9: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”

The gospel Paul preached was simple: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Salvation comes through faith in Christ alone (Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9-10).

Shincheonji adds to this gospel by requiring belief in Lee Man-hee’s testimony, making them guilty of the very spiritual adultery they accuse others of committing.

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Part 3: The Letters and the “One Who Overcomes” (Questions 28-30)

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QUESTION 28.1: “How many kinds of contents and what are the contents of the letters sent in Rv 2-3?”

SCJ Answer: “Three kinds: 1. What you have seen, 2. What is now, and 3. What will take place later”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This question references Revelation 1:19, where Jesus tells John: “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.” Shincheonji uses this verse to create a three-part structure for interpreting Revelation, claiming that chapters 2-3 contain all three elements encoded within the letters to the seven churches.

Biblical Reality

Revelation 1:19 provides an outline for the entire book of Revelation, not specifically for chapters 2-3. Most biblical scholars understand this structure as:

1. “What you have seen” = Revelation 1 (John’s vision of the risen Christ)
2. “What is now” = Revelation 2-3 (the current state of the seven churches)
3. “What will take place later” = Revelation 4-22 (future prophetic visions)

This is a straightforward literary outline. The letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2-3) are part of “what is now”—they address the present condition of actual first-century churches.

First-Century Literary Context

As research on the literary structure of Revelation demonstrates (see “Chiasmus in the New Testament” and the work of Dr. Warren Gage in “The Revelation Project”), the book follows sophisticated literary patterns familiar to first-century readers. The seven letters follow a consistent structure:

• Address to the angel/messenger of the church
• Description of Christ
• “I know your works…”
• Commendation and/or rebuke
• Call to repentance
• Promise to “the one who overcomes”
• “Whoever has ears, let them hear…”

These letters were meant to be immediately understood and applied by their recipients. As Chapter 12 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Audience Problem”) explains, if Revelation was written in code that couldn’t be understood until 1,900 years later, it would have been useless to the persecuted Christians who first received it.

The Psychological Tactic

By claiming the letters contain hidden layers of meaning, Shincheonji creates the impression that only they can properly decode Scripture. This reinforces dependence on their teaching system and makes students feel that reading the Bible independently is insufficient or even dangerous.

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QUESTION 28.2-28.3: “Write the three entities that appear in order” / “and write what each did”

SCJ Answer: “Seven messengers, Nicolaitans, John” / “Seven messengers: the work of the lamp that prepares the way; Nicolaitans: food sacrificed to idols, gave teachings, adultery; John: letter asking for repentance and word of promise”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Here Shincheonji reveals their interpretation more explicitly. They teach that:

• Seven messengers = Seven pastors in Korea who “prepared the way” (like John the Baptist prepared for Jesus)
• Nicolaitans = A group that invaded and corrupted these churches
• John = Lee Man-hee, who is the “new John” bringing the message of Revelation

This interpretation is central to Shincheonji’s claim that Lee Man-hee is the promised “one who overcomes” mentioned in Revelation 2-3.

Biblical Reality

The seven messengers (often translated “angels”) in Revelation 2-3 are most naturally understood as either:

1. Literal angels assigned to watch over the churches, or
2. The human leaders/pastors of those seven churches

In first-century context, “angel” (Greek: angelos) simply means “messenger.” The seven stars in Christ’s hand (Revelation 1:20) represent these messengers of the seven churches.

The Nicolaitans were a heretical group within those churches, not an invading force. Jesus commends the Ephesian church for hating “the practices of the Nicolaitans” (Revelation 2:6) and rebukes Pergamum for tolerating them (Revelation 2:15).

John is the apostle John, writing from exile on Patmos around 95 AD. He’s not a symbolic figure representing someone 1,900 years later. The book itself identifies him: “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).

The “New John” Claim

Shincheonji’s claim that Lee Man-hee is the “new John” is particularly problematic. This teaching suggests that:

• John’s revelation was incomplete or preliminary
• A new revelation was needed in our time
• Lee Man-hee has the same authority as the apostle John

This contradicts the sufficiency and finality of Scripture. Jude 3 speaks of “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” The word “once for all” (Greek: hapax) means the faith was delivered completely, not requiring additional revelation.

Hebrews 1:1-2 states: “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” God’s final and complete revelation is in Jesus Christ, not in additional prophets or messengers.

As Chapter 7 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Hidden Savior”) explains, claiming that Lee Man-hee is a “new John” or has received new revelation is a classic cult tactic—elevating the leader to a position of unique spiritual authority that cannot be questioned.

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QUESTION 29.1: “Write the 12 blessings promised to the one who overcomes”

SCJ Answer: Lists 12 promises from Revelation 2-3, including “Right to eat from the tree of life, Crown of life, Not be hurt at all by the second death, Hidden Manna, White stone, Iron scepter, Morning star, White clothes, Written in the book of life, Pillar in God’s temple, Write on him God’s name, the name of the holy city, new Jerusalem, and Jesus’ new name, sit on Jesus’ throne”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This question appears straightforward—it simply asks students to list the promises Jesus makes to “the one who overcomes” in Revelation 2-3. However, the setup is crucial: Shincheonji teaches that Lee Man-hee is THE one who overcomes, and these promises apply uniquely to him. By extension, Shincheonji members receive blessings by joining Lee Man-hee’s organization.

Biblical Reality

The promises to “the one who overcomes” are given to every believer who remains faithful to Christ. Let’s examine the context:

Revelation 2:7: “To the one who is victorious [overcomes], I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”

Revelation 2:11: “The one who is victorious [overcomes] will not be hurt at all by the second death.”

Revelation 2:17: “To the one who is victorious [overcomes], I will give some of the hidden manna.”

The Greek word translated “overcomes” or “is victorious” is nikaō, which means to conquer or prevail. But who are the overcomers? 1 John 5:4-5 provides the answer:

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Every believer is an overcomer through faith in Jesus Christ. These promises aren’t for one special person; they’re for all who trust in Christ and remain faithful despite persecution.

The Context of Persecution

First-century Christians faced intense persecution. The promises to “the one who overcomes” were meant to encourage believers to remain faithful even unto death:

Revelation 2:10: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”

These weren’t promises about organizational membership or following a human leader. They were promises of eternal life for those who refused to deny Christ, even when threatened with death.

The Singular vs. Plural Problem

Shincheonji exploits the fact that Jesus uses singular language (“the one who overcomes”) to claim this refers to one specific person. However, this is simply the generic singular—a common grammatical construction in Greek and English.

For example, when Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother…” (Luke 14:26), He’s not talking about one specific person but using singular language to address each individual who would follow Him.

Similarly, the promises to “the one who overcomes” apply to each and every believer who remains faithful.

The Dangerous Implication

By teaching that Lee Man-hee is THE one who overcomes, Shincheonji:

1. Removes these promises from ordinary believers and places them on one man
2. Creates a mediator system where blessings come through Lee Man-hee rather than directly from Christ
3. Establishes Lee Man-hee as uniquely qualified for salvation and blessing

This contradicts 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” We don’t need another mediator, another “overcomer,” or another revelation. Christ is sufficient.

As Chapter 14 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Mediator Problem”) explains, any system that places a human leader between believers and Christ is fundamentally anti-gospel.

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QUESTION 29.2: “What are the white stone and the iron scepter?”

SCJ Answer: “White stone: authority to judge, Iron scepter: authority to rule”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji interprets these symbols as literal authority given to Lee Man-hee (and by extension, to Shincheonji leaders). They teach that Lee Man-hee has authority to judge who is saved and to rule over God’s kingdom on earth.

Biblical Reality

The white stone (Revelation 2:17) has been interpreted various ways by biblical scholars:

1. A token of acquittal (in ancient courts, white stones meant “not guilty”)
2. An admission ticket (white stones were used for entrance to events)
3. A symbol of victory (athletes received white stones as prizes)
4. A new identity (the stone has “a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it”)

Most likely, it represents God’s approval and the believer’s new identity in Christ. The “new name” emphasizes the personal, intimate relationship between Christ and each believer.

The iron scepter (Revelation 2:27) quotes Psalm 2:9: “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” In Psalm 2, this refers to the Messiah’s authority over the nations. In Revelation, believers share in Christ’s victory over evil.

Importantly, Revelation 12:5 identifies the one with the iron scepter: “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.” This is clearly Jesus Christ, not Lee Man-hee.

Shared Authority, Not Exclusive Authority

The promise in Revelation 2:26-27 states: “To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—that one will rule them with an iron scepter.” This authority is shared with all believers who overcome.

Revelation 20:4 describes believers reigning with Christ: “They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” This is corporate, not individual.

2 Timothy 2:12 promises: “If we endure, we will also reign with him.”

The authority to judge is also shared: 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 states, “Do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels?”

The Danger of Claiming Exclusive Authority

When Shincheonji teaches that Lee Man-hee alone has authority to judge and rule, they create a system where:

• Lee Man-hee’s interpretations cannot be questioned (he has authority to judge)
• Lee Man-hee’s decisions are final (he has authority to rule)
• Members must submit to his authority (or face judgment)

This is precisely the kind of authoritarian control that Jesus warned against:

Matthew 23:8-10: “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.”

Jesus established a community of brothers and sisters, not a hierarchical system with one supreme leader claiming divine authority.

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QUESTION 30.1-30.4: Revelation 12 and Overcoming

SCJ Answer: “Rv 12” / “Jesus’ blood and word of testimony” / “By overcoming the group of the dragon” / “God’s kingdom, power, and salvation”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

These questions connect the promises in Revelation 2-3 to the events of Revelation 12, where Shincheonji claims Lee Man-hee “overcame” the dragon. They teach that:

• Revelation 12 describes a spiritual war in 1980s Korea
• Lee Man-hee fought and defeated “the group of the dragon” (a rival religious group)
• This victory established “God’s kingdom” (Shincheonji)

This is addressed in detail in the resource “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale”, which examines the actual historical events Shincheonji claims fulfill Revelation 12.

Biblical Reality

Revelation 12 is one of the most symbolic chapters in the Bible. Let’s examine it carefully:

Revelation 12:1-2: “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.”

The woman represents God’s people (Israel in the Old Testament, the church in the New Testament). The imagery echoes Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9-10, where the sun, moon, and stars represented his family.

Revelation 12:3-4: “Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.”

The dragon is explicitly identified in verse 9: “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.”

Revelation 12:5: “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.”

The male child is clearly Jesus Christ. The description matches Psalm 2:9 (ruling with an iron scepter) and the ascension (snatched up to God’s throne).

Revelation 12:7-9: “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

This describes a cosmic spiritual battle between Michael (the archangel) and Satan. This isn’t about human organizations fighting in Korea; it’s about spiritual realities in the heavenly realm.

Revelation 12:10-11: “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.'”

The victory is achieved “by the blood of the Lamb” (Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross) and “by the word of their testimony” (believers’ faithful witness, even unto death).

First-Century Understanding

Early Christians would have understood Revelation 12 as describing:

1. Christ’s incarnation and victory (the male child born and ascending)
2. Satan’s defeat through the cross (the dragon cast down)
3. The church’s ongoing witness (overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony)

The “war in heaven” echoes Old Testament imagery (Daniel 10, Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28) about spiritual conflict between God and Satan. First-century readers facing persecution would have found comfort in knowing that Satan had already been defeated through Christ’s death and resurrection, even though they still faced earthly persecution.

The Hermeneutical Leap

Shincheonji’s interpretation requires massive leaps:

1. The woman = Not Israel or the church, but a specific group in Korea
2. The male child = Not Jesus, but Lee Man-hee
3. The dragon = Not Satan, but a rival religious group
4. War in heaven = Not cosmic spiritual battle, but organizational conflict in Korea
5. Overcoming = Not Christ’s victory on the cross, but Lee Man-hee’s victory over rivals

These interpretations ignore the explicit identifications given in the text itself. Verse 5 clearly identifies the male child as the one who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter” and was “snatched up to God and to his throne”—this can only be Jesus.

Verse 9 explicitly identifies the dragon as “the devil, or Satan”—not a human religious group.

The Theological Problem

By claiming Lee Man-hee is the one who overcomes in Revelation 12, Shincheonji:

1. Replaces Christ’s victory with Lee Man-hee’s victory
2. Diminishes the cross by making it insufficient for salvation
3. Creates a new gospel where salvation comes through Lee Man-hee’s testimony rather than Christ’s blood alone

Colossians 2:15 describes Christ’s victory: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

The victory over Satan was won at the cross, not in 1980s Korea. As Chapter 16 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Victory Problem”) explains, any teaching that locates the decisive victory somewhere other than the cross is a different gospel entirely.

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Part 4: Food, Wine, and False Pastors (Questions 31-32)

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QUESTION 31.1-31.3: The Two Types of Food and Their Pastors

SCJ Answer: “Rv 2, the hidden manna (Jesus’ blood and the fulfilled reality of Revelation)” / “Rv 17 (Rv 18), the serpent’s (Satan’s) doctrine, the wild wine, which is the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” / “Jesus and his pastor, the devil and his pastor (God’s pastor, the one who overcomes, and Babylon’s pastor, the prostitute and the seven heads and ten horns)”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This set of questions reveals Shincheonji’s dualistic worldview:

• Good food = Shincheonji’s teaching (the “fulfilled reality of Revelation”)
• Bad food = Traditional Christian teaching (Satan’s doctrine)
• Good pastor = Lee Man-hee (“the one who overcomes”)
• Bad pastors = All other Christian pastors (“Babylon’s pastors”)

This framework creates a stark binary: you’re either eating Shincheonji’s food (and will be saved) or eating Satan’s food (and will be destroyed).

Biblical Reality: The Hidden Manna

The hidden manna appears in Revelation 2:17: “To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”

In the Old Testament, manna was the bread God provided for Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16). A portion of manna was kept in the Ark of the Covenant as a memorial (Exodus 16:32-34, Hebrews 9:4). This “hidden manna” was hidden from human view, kept in God’s presence.

Jesus identified Himself as the true bread from heaven:

John 6:48-51: “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The “hidden manna” in Revelation represents intimate fellowship with Christ—spiritual nourishment that comes from knowing Him personally. It’s not a reference to Shincheonji’s teachings about Revelation.

Biblical Reality: The Wine of Babylon

Revelation 17-18 describes Babylon the Great, a symbolic representation of worldly systems opposed to God. The “wine of her adulteries” (Revelation 17:2, 18:3) represents:

1. Idolatry (spiritual unfaithfulness to God)
2. Seduction into sin (the nations being led astray)
3. False religion (religious systems that oppose the gospel)

In first-century context, “Babylon” likely represented Rome—the empire persecuting Christians and demanding emperor worship. The imagery draws from Old Testament descriptions of literal Babylon, which destroyed Jerusalem and took God’s people into exile.

The Garden of Eden Connection

Shincheonji connects the “wine of adulteries” to “the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” from Genesis 2-3. This is a massive interpretive leap with no biblical support.

In Genesis 3, the fruit represented human autonomy from God—the desire to determine good and evil independently rather than trusting God’s word. The serpent’s lie was: “You will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

There’s no indication in Scripture that:

• The fruit was wine
• The fruit represents false doctrine
• The tree represents false pastors

This is pure eisegesis (reading into the text) rather than exegesis (drawing meaning from the text).

The Pastor Problem

Shincheonji’s answer reveals their core claim: there are two types of pastors—God’s pastor (Lee Man-hee) and Babylon’s pastors (everyone else).

This creates several problems:

1. Biblical Plurality of Elders

The New Testament consistently speaks of multiple elders/pastors in each church, never a single supreme pastor:

• Acts 14:23: “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church”
• Titus 1:5: “Appoint elders in every town, as I directed you”
• James 5:14: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them”
• 1 Peter 5:1: “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder”

The idea of one supreme pastor over all churches contradicts the New Testament pattern.

2. Christ as the Chief Shepherd

1 Peter 5:2-4 instructs elders: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd. Human pastors are under-shepherds who serve under His authority. No human pastor should claim to be “God’s pastor” in a unique, exclusive sense.

3. The Test of True vs. False Teachers

The Bible provides clear criteria for distinguishing true from false teachers—and it’s not organizational affiliation. Consider these tests:

1 John 4:2-3: “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.”

Matthew 7:15-20: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them… Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

2 Peter 2:1-3: “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.”

Notice the characteristics of false teachers:

• Deny the Lord Jesus Christ
• Introduce destructive heresies
• Exploit people
• Fabricate stories

Ironically, Shincheonji fits these descriptions more than the Christian pastors they condemn:

• They diminish Christ’s unique role by elevating Lee Man-hee
• They introduce doctrines contrary to historic Christianity
• They use deceptive recruitment tactics
• They fabricate connections between 1980s Korea and biblical prophecy

The Fruit Test

Jesus said we would recognize false prophets “by their fruit” (Matthew 7:16). What fruit does Shincheonji produce?

• Deception: Hiding their identity during recruitment
• Division: Separating members from families and churches
• Spiritual abuse: Creating fear-based control systems
• False prophecy: Failed predictions (Lee Man-hee’s claim of immortality, COVID-19 predictions, etc.)

As Chapter 18 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Fruit Test”) documents, Shincheonji’s fruit reveals the nature of the tree.

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QUESTION 32.1-32.2: The New Song and God’s Kingdom

SCJ Answer: “Gospel of the fulfilled reality of Revelation” / “Jesus’ blood”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji teaches that the “new song” in Revelation 4-5 is their teaching about Revelation’s fulfillment. They claim that Lee Man-hee, having witnessed the fulfillment, now teaches this “new song” to Shincheonji members.

Biblical Reality

Revelation 5:9-10 describes the new song: “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'”

The content of the new song is clear:

1. Christ’s worthiness (He is worthy to open the scroll)
2. Christ’s sacrifice (He was slain)
3. Christ’s redemption (His blood purchased people for God)
4. Universal scope (from every tribe, language, people, and nation)
5. Believers’ identity (a kingdom and priests)

This is the gospel message—the good news of salvation through Christ’s death and resurrection. It’s not a teaching about organizational fulfillment in Korea.

The Exodus Connection

The phrase “kingdom and priests” echoes Exodus 19:5-6: “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

God’s original plan was for Israel to be a kingdom of priests—a nation that would mediate God’s presence to the world. Israel failed in this calling, but the church fulfills it:

1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

All believers are part of this kingdom and priesthood, not just Shincheonji members. The qualification is faith in Christ and His blood, not membership in a particular organization.

The Blood of Christ

Shincheonji’s answer correctly identifies that God’s kingdom is made “with Jesus’ blood.” However, they misunderstand what this means.

Ephesians 1:7: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Hebrews 9:22: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

Christ’s blood accomplished redemption at the cross. It doesn’t need to be supplemented by Lee Man-hee’s testimony or Shincheonji’s teachings. The gospel is complete in Christ.

As Chapter 19 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Sufficiency of Christ”) emphasizes, adding anything to Christ’s finished work is a denial of the gospel itself.

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Part 5: The 144,000 and the Multitude in White (Questions 33-36)

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QUESTION 33.1-33.3: To Whom Does Jesus’ Blood Apply?

SCJ Answer: “The 12 tribes of the 144,000 and the multitude in white” / “In fighting and overcoming the dragon, in receiving atonement for sin” / “Ex 19:5-6”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

These questions reveal Shincheonji’s restrictive view of salvation. They teach that Jesus’ blood applies specifically to:

1. The 144,000 = Shincheonji’s 12 tribes (their organizational structure)
2. The multitude in white = People recruited into Shincheonji after the 144,000 is complete

This creates a salvation system where joining Shincheonji is necessary to receive the benefits of Christ’s blood.

Biblical Reality: The Universal Scope of Christ’s Sacrifice

The New Testament is abundantly clear that Christ’s blood is for all who believe, not just a select group:

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

1 John 2:2: “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 Timothy 2:3-6: “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15: “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Revelation 5:9 (which Shincheonji references) says Christ purchased people “from every tribe and language and people and nation“—not just from one Korean organization.

The 144,000: A Symbolic Number

Shincheonji interprets the 144,000 in Revelation 7 as a literal number representing their membership goal. However, the context and symbolism suggest otherwise.

Revelation 7:4-8 lists 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel—a perfectly symmetrical number that screams symbolic significance. In biblical numerology:

• 12 = the number of God’s people (12 tribes, 12 apostles)
• 1,000 = completeness, a large multitude
• 144,000 (12 x 12 x 1,000) = the complete people of God

Several factors indicate this is symbolic:

1. The Tribal List Is Unusual

The list in Revelation 7 differs from standard Old Testament tribal lists:

• Dan is omitted (usually included)
• Manasseh is included (usually represented by Joseph)
• Levi is included (usually set apart as priests, not counted among the tribes)

This suggests John is using the tribal imagery symbolically, not literally describing ethnic Israelites.

2. The 144,000 Are Identified as Servants

Revelation 7:3 says they are “the servants of our God.” In the New Testament, all believers are called servants/slaves of God:

• Romans 1:1: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus”
• James 1:1: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”
• Revelation 1:1: “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants“

3. They’re Sealed for Protection

Revelation 7:3 says, “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” This echoes Ezekiel 9:4, where God marks His faithful people for protection during judgment.

The sealing represents God’s ownership and protection, not membership in a specific organization. Ephesians 1:13-14 says all believers are “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”

4. The Multitude in White

Immediately after the 144,000, John sees “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelation 7:9). Many scholars understand these as two descriptions of the same group:

• 144,000 = God’s people viewed as the complete, organized army (symbolic, military imagery)
• Innumerable multitude = God’s people viewed as the vast, international family (literal, worship imagery)

This literary technique (describing the same reality from different angles) is common in Revelation. The 144,000 represents the complete church (all believers throughout history), not a literal membership number for one organization.

First-Century Understanding

First-century Jewish Christians would have understood the 144,000 as representing the new Israel—the church as the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham. They wouldn’t have imagined it referred to a membership goal for a Korean group 1,900 years later.

As research on early Christian understanding of Revelation shows, the original audience read these numbers symbolically, not as literal predictions about future organizational structures.

The Dangerous Implication

By teaching that Jesus’ blood only applies to those in Shincheonji, they:

1. Limit the scope of Christ’s atonement (contradicting 1 John 2:2)
2. Make organizational membership necessary for salvation (contradicting Ephesians 2:8-9)
3. Create a works-based salvation (you must join Shincheonji to be saved)
4. Deny salvation to millions of Christians throughout history who never heard of Shincheonji

This is fundamentally a different gospel. As Chapter 20 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Salvation Problem”) explains, any system that adds requirements to faith in Christ alone has departed from biblical Christianity.

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QUESTION 34.1-34.5: Judgment in Revelation 6

SCJ Answer: “Jesus” / “The four living creatures” / “The chosen people, Israel, who betrayed (the congregation of the tabernacle of the seven stars)” / “Rv 8, 9” / “The penitent, wheat and barley, oil and wine”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji interprets Revelation 6 as describing judgment on a specific group in Korea—the “tabernacle of the seven stars” (which they identify as a particular church). They teach that:

• Jesus used “the four living creatures” to judge this church
• Those who were “thrown out” were later “slain” in Revelation 8-9
• Some escaped by being “penitent” and becoming “wheat and barley, oil and wine”

This interpretation supports their “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation” framework.

Biblical Reality: The Seal Judgments

Revelation 6 describes the opening of the first six seals, each bringing a different judgment:

First Seal (6:1-2): A white horse and rider with a bow, given a crown, “rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest”

Second Seal (6:3-4): A red horse and rider given power to take peace from the earth and make people kill each other

Third Seal (6:5-6): A black horse and rider with scales, announcing prices for wheat and barley, with instructions not to damage oil and wine

Fourth Seal (6:7-8): A pale horse whose rider was Death, given power to kill a fourth of the earth

Fifth Seal (6:9-11): Souls under the altar—martyrs asking “How long?” until their blood is avenged

Sixth Seal (6:12-17): Cosmic disturbances—earthquake, sun darkened, moon turned blood red, stars falling, sky receding, mountains and islands removed

First-Century Understanding: The Roman Context

Early Christians would have recognized these images from their own experience:

The Four Horsemen likely represent:

1. Conquest (white horse)—Roman military expansion or the spread of false messiahs
2. War (red horse)—Civil wars and conflicts
3. Famine (black horse)—Economic hardship and food scarcity
4. Death (pale horse)—Plague and widespread mortality

These were real experiences for first-century people living under Roman rule. The imagery would have resonated with their suffering.

The Martyrs Under the Altar (sixth seal) represent Christians killed for their faith. They cry out for justice, and God tells them to wait “a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been” (Revelation 6:11).

This wasn’t about judgment on a Korean church; it was about vindication for persecuted Christians and judgment on their persecutors.

The Cosmic Language

The cosmic disturbances in Revelation 6:12-14 use Old Testament prophetic language:

Isaiah 13:9-10 (about Babylon’s fall): “See, the day of the LORD is coming—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.”

Joel 2:30-31: “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”

Ezekiel 32:7-8 (about Egypt’s fall): “When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

This language was used by Old Testament prophets to describe God’s judgment on nations. It’s apocalyptic imagery, not literal astronomical events. First-century readers would have recognized this as prophetic symbolism indicating major political/spiritual upheaval.

The Wheat, Barley, Oil, and Wine

Shincheonji’s interpretation of “wheat and barley, oil and wine” as “those who escape judgment” misses the context.

Revelation 6:6 says: “Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!'”

This describes economic hardship during famine:

• Wheat and barley prices are inflated (requiring a day’s wages for basic food)
• Oil and wine are protected (perhaps indicating luxury items are spared, or that the famine is limited)

This isn’t about people escaping judgment; it’s about the severity and nature of the famine represented by the third seal.

The Hermeneutical Problem

Shincheonji’s interpretation requires:

1. Ignoring the first-century context (Roman persecution, economic hardship)
2. Inserting Korean events where they don’t belong
3. Allegorizing specific details (wheat = certain people, oil = other people) without biblical warrant
4. Disconnecting symbols from their Old Testament background

As Chapter 21 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Context Problem”) explains, proper biblical interpretation requires understanding the original context before making contemporary applications.

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QUESTION 35.1-35.4: The Sealing in Revelation 7

SCJ Answer: “After the chosen people receive their judgment in Rv 6 (after the sun, moon, stars become dark and fall, after betrayal and destruction)” / “Harvested from the harvest field” / “Rv 5:9-10, the kingdom and priests who have been purchased with Jesus’ blood” / “People who received atonement for sin (those who belong to the 12 tribes), from every nation (tribe, people, language)”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji teaches that Revelation 7 describes their recruitment process:

• After judgment on the Korean church (Revelation 6)
• People are “harvested” from Christianity into Shincheonji
• These become the 144,000 (Shincheonji’s 12 tribes)
• Then others join as the “multitude in white”

Biblical Reality: Protection, Not Recruitment

Revelation 7:1-3 describes angels holding back judgment until God’s servants are sealed:

“After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: ‘Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.'”

The sealing is for protection during judgment, not recruitment into an organization. This echoes:

Ezekiel 9:4-6: “The LORD said to him, ‘Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.’ As I listened, he said to the others, ‘Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark.'”

God marks His faithful people to protect them from judgment, not to recruit them into a new organization.

The Timing Issue

Shincheonji claims the sealing happens “after betrayal and destruction” (after Revelation 6). But the text says the sealing happens before further judgment:

Revelation 7:3: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”

The sealing precedes the trumpet judgments (Revelation 8-9), protecting God’s people during those judgments. It’s not about recruiting people after judgment on a Korean church.

The Harvest Field Confusion

Shincheonji claims people are “harvested from the harvest field” into their organization. But as we’ve seen, Matthew 13:39 says “the harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

The harvest is eschatological (end-times judgment), not organizational (recruitment). Jesus explained:

Matthew 13:40-43: “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”

This describes final judgment, not joining Shincheonji.

The Multitude in White

Revelation 7:9-17 describes “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”

Revelation 7:14 identifies them: “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Key observations:

1. They’re Innumerable

“No one could count” them—this isn’t a membership roster of people who joined after the 144,000 was complete. It’s an infinite multitude of believers from all history.

2. They’re From Every Nation

“From every nation, tribe, people and language”—this is universal, not limited to one organization or time period.

3. They’re Cleansed by Christ’s Blood

“They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”—their salvation comes from Christ’s sacrifice, not from joining Shincheonji.

4. They Came Through Tribulation

“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation”—they’re believers who remained faithful through persecution and suffering, not people who joined an organization.

The Literary Structure

Many scholars see the 144,000 and the innumerable multitude as two perspectives on the same group:

• 144,000 (7:1-8): God’s people viewed from earth’s perspective—organized, numbered, sealed (military imagery)
• Innumerable multitude (7:9-17): God’s people viewed from heaven’s perspective—countless, international, worshiping (worship imagery)

This is consistent with Revelation’s literary style, which often presents the same reality from different angles. As research on the chiastic structure of Revelation shows, John frequently uses parallel descriptions to emphasize different aspects of the same truth.

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QUESTION 36.1-36.4: How Are God’s Kingdom and Priests Made?

SCJ Answer: “With God’s seed and Jesus’ blood, being sealed” / “After being harvested (after betrayal and destruction, after the end and judgment of the sun, moon, stars)” / “Rv 1:5-6, Rv 5:9-10, Rv 7:14” / “harvested and sealed Shincheonji 12 tribes family members (12 tribes of the 144,000 and the multitude in white)”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This question brings together Shincheonji’s core salvation doctrine:

1. You must be “born again” with God’s seed (Shincheonji’s teaching)
2. You must be harvested (recruited into Shincheonji)
3. You must be sealed (become a member of Shincheonji’s 12 tribes)
4. Only then do you receive the benefits of Jesus’ blood

This creates a multi-step salvation process where Shincheonji membership is essential.

Biblical Reality: Salvation by Grace Through Faith

The New Testament is unambiguous about how people are saved:

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Romans 10:9-10: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Acts 16:30-31: “He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.'”

John 1:12-13: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Notice what’s absent from these salvation passages:

• No mention of being “harvested”
• No mention of joining a specific organization
• No mention of being sealed by a human group
• No mention of believing in a leader’s testimony

Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, not by organizational membership.

The Seed of God

Shincheonji teaches that being “born of God’s seed” means receiving their teaching. But the Bible identifies God’s seed differently:

1 Peter 1:23: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

Luke 8:11: “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.”

James 1:18: “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

God’s seed is His Word—the gospel message about Jesus Christ. Being born again happens when someone believes the gospel, not when they join Shincheonji.

The Kingdom and Priests

The references Shincheonji cites (Revelation 1:5-6, 5:9-10, 7:14) all emphasize that believers become a kingdom and priests through Christ’s blood:

Revelation 1:5-6: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever!”

Revelation 5:9-10: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

The qualification is Christ’s blood, not Shincheonji membership. All believers are part of this kingdom and priesthood:

1 Peter 2:5: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Peter wrote this to all Christians, not to a select group in a specific organization.

The Actual Entities Problem

Shincheonji’s answer explicitly states that the “actual entities” of the 144,000 and multitude in white are “harvested and sealed Shincheonji 12 tribes family members.”

This reveals their interpretive method: inserting their organization into biblical prophecy. But this method has no biblical warrant. The text itself never identifies these groups as a Korean organization founded in 1984.

As Chapter 22 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Identity Problem”) explains, claiming to be the fulfillment of biblical prophecy without clear, verifiable evidence is a hallmark of cultic groups throughout history.

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Part 6: The Trumpet Judgments (Questions 37-40)

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QUESTION 37.1-37.2: The Trumpets in Revelation 8-9

SCJ Answer: “All the seals became opened, making the scroll opened and able to be read” / “Those who are thrown out in Rv 6”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji teaches that:

• The seven seals being opened allows the scroll to be read
• The trumpets announce judgment on people “thrown out” from the Korean church in Revelation 6
• This judgment is carried out by “the group of the dragon” (a rival religious organization)

Biblical Reality: The Scroll and the Seals

Revelation 5:1-5 describes a scroll “sealed with seven seals” that no one could open until “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Christ alone is worthy to open the scroll because of His sacrificial death (Revelation 5:9). As each seal is opened (Revelation 6), judgments are released.

The scroll itself likely represents God’s plan for history and judgment. Opening the seals progressively reveals and executes this plan.

The Trumpet Judgments

Revelation 8-9 describes seven trumpet judgments:

First Trumpet (8:7): Hail and fire mixed with blood thrown to earth, burning a third of the earth, trees, and grass

Second Trumpet (8:8-9): Something like a great mountain thrown into the sea, turning a third of the sea to blood, killing a third of sea creatures and destroying a third of ships

Third Trumpet (8:10-11): A great star called Wormwood falls from heaven, making a third of waters bitter and killing many people

Fourth Trumpet (8:12): A third of the sun, moon, and stars are struck, darkening a third of the day and night

Fifth Trumpet (9:1-12): A star falls from heaven, opens the Abyss, releasing locusts that torment people for five months

Sixth Trumpet (9:13-21): Four angels released to kill a third of mankind with a massive army

Seventh Trumpet (11:15-19): Loud voices in heaven proclaim, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah”

First-Century Understanding

These judgments echo the plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7-12):

• Water turned to blood
• Hail and fire
• Darkness
• Locusts
• Death

First-century readers would have recognized this pattern: just as God judged Egypt to deliver His people, He will judge the world to deliver His church.

The imagery also reflects Roman military conquest and natural disasters familiar to the original audience. The “locusts” in Revelation 9 are described in terms that could evoke Roman cavalry or demonic forces.

The Purpose of the Trumpets

The trumpets serve as warnings. Notice that after the sixth trumpet, Revelation 9:20-21 says:

“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

The judgments are meant to call people to repentance, not simply to destroy. God’s patience is evident even in judgment.

The Hermeneutical Problem

Shincheonji’s interpretation that these trumpets announce judgment on people “thrown out” from a Korean church in the 1980s:

1. Ignores the cosmic scope of the judgments (affecting earth, sea, sky)
2. Misses the Old Testament background (Egyptian plagues, prophetic imagery)
3. Removes the eschatological context (these are end-times judgments, not local organizational conflicts)
4. Makes the text irrelevant to its original audience (why would first-century Christians care about 1980s Korean church politics?)

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QUESTION 38.1-38.4: Who Gave and Received Judgment?

SCJ Answer: “Jesus and the four living creatures” / “The chosen people who betrayed” / “Because they betrayed” / “They make known the events that appear”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji teaches that Jesus used “the four living creatures” to judge a specific Korean church that “betrayed.” The trumpets announce these judgments.

Biblical Reality: The Four Living Creatures

The four living creatures appear throughout Revelation:

Revelation 4:6-8: “In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'”

These creatures are heavenly beings who worship God continually. They’re similar to the seraphim in Isaiah 6:2-3 and the cherubim in Ezekiel 1:5-14.

Their role in Revelation includes:

• Worship (4:8-9, 5:8-14, 7:11, 19:4)
• Summoning the four horsemen (6:1, 3, 5, 7)
• Giving bowls of wrath to angels (15:7)

They’re agents of God’s will, not tools Jesus uses to judge specific human organizations.

The Nature of Betrayal

Shincheonji teaches that “the chosen people betrayed,” referring to a Korean church. But what does “betrayal” mean biblically?

In Scripture, betrayal refers to abandoning God for idols or rejecting the Messiah:

Jeremiah 3:20: “But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me, declares the LORD.”

Matthew 26:14-16: Judas betrayed Jesus by handing Him over to the chief priests

Acts 7:52: “Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him”

Betrayal in biblical terms means rejecting God’s covenant or His Messiah, not organizational conflicts within Korean churches.

The Call to Repentance

Despite the judgments in Revelation 6-9, God’s purpose is repentance, not mere destruction:

Revelation 9:20-21: “The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent…”

2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

God’s judgments are meant to wake people up to their need for Him, not to vindicate one organization over another.

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QUESTION 39.1-39.2: The Difference Between the First Six and Seventh Trumpets

SCJ Answer: “Rv 8, 9, 11, 1 Cor 15” / “People who are killed: The chosen people who betrayed and are thrown out in Rv 6; Those who kill: The pastors of the dragon who invaded”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji distinguishes between:

• First six trumpets: Judgment on “the chosen people” (the Korean church)
• Seventh trumpet: Judgment on “the enemy, Babylon” (rival organizations)

They also identify specific human actors: “the pastors of the dragon who invaded.”

Biblical Reality: The Seventh Trumpet

The seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15-19) is dramatically different from the first six:

Revelation 11:15: “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.'”

This isn’t another judgment; it’s a proclamation of victory. The seventh trumpet announces that God’s kingdom has come.

Revelation 11:17-18 continues: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small—and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

This describes final judgment and reward, not organizational conflict in Korea.

The Connection to 1 Corinthians 15

Shincheonji references 1 Corinthians 15, which describes the resurrection:

1 Corinthians 15:51-52: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

The “last trumpet” in 1 Corinthians 15 corresponds to the seventh trumpet in Revelation—it announces the resurrection and transformation of believers, not judgment on rival organizations.

This is an eschatological event (end of history), not a historical event in 1980s Korea.

The Two Groups

Shincheonji’s identification of “those who kill” as “the pastors of the dragon who invaded” reveals their dualistic framework: there are good pastors (Shincheonji) and bad pastors (everyone else).

But the Bible’s distinction is different:

True vs. False Teachers are distinguished by:

• Their message (do they preach Christ crucified and risen?)
• Their character (do they display the fruit of the Spirit?)
• Their motives (do they serve themselves or Christ?)

Not by:

• Organizational affiliation
• Acceptance of Shincheonji’s interpretations
• Participation in 1980s Korean church conflicts

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QUESTION 40.1-40.3: The Riders and Horses in Revelation

SCJ Answer: “The pastor who belongs to Babylon, the kingdom of the devil; the pastor that belongs to God (The spirit and flesh (pastor) that belong to the devil, the spirit and flesh (pastor) that belong to God)” / “Heads: Rulers (the seven pastors of the dragon); Tails: False prophets (false pastors)” / “Church laws and doctrines (false teachings, commentaries)”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji interprets the horses and riders in Revelation as representing:

• Spirits and pastors (spiritual and physical entities working together)
• Two kingdoms: God’s kingdom (Shincheonji) vs. Babylon’s kingdom (Christianity)
• Fire, smoke, and sulfur = False teachings from Christian churches

Biblical Reality: The Horses in Revelation 9

Revelation 9:16-19 describes the army released at the sixth trumpet:

“The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.”

This is apocalyptic imagery describing a massive, terrifying army. The description is intentionally surreal—horses with lion heads, fire coming from their mouths, snake-like tails with heads.

First-century readers might have thought of:

• Parthian cavalry (Rome’s feared enemy from the east)
• Demonic forces (the army comes from the Abyss, 9:1-2)
• God’s instruments of judgment (like the armies God used to judge Israel in the Old Testament)

The Horses in Revelation 19

Revelation 19:11-16 describes Christ’s return:

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war… The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.”

This is Christ and His army coming in victory. The contrast with the demonic horses of Revelation 9 is intentional—Christ’s army is pure (white horses, white linen), while the demonic army is terrifying and destructive.

The Tails and Heads

Shincheonji interprets “heads” as “rulers” and “tails” as “false prophets,” referencing Isaiah 9:15: “The elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail.”

While this is a valid Old Testament reference, Shincheonji misapplies it. In Revelation 9:19, the tails are described as “like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury”—this is part of the apocalyptic description of the demonic army, not a coded reference to false pastors in Christian churches.

The Fire, Smoke, and Sulfur

Revelation 9:17-18 says fire, smoke, and sulfur come from the horses’ mouths and kill a third of mankind. Shincheonji interprets this as “church laws and doctrines (false teachings, commentaries).”

But the text explicitly states these kill people physically: “A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur” (9:18).

In biblical imagery, fire and sulfur represent divine judgment:

Genesis 19:24: “Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah”

Psalm 11:6: “On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur”

Revelation 14:10: “They, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur”

This is judgment imagery, not a metaphor for theological disagreements.

The Dualistic Framework

Shincheonji’s interpretation creates a stark dualism:

• God’s pastor (Lee Man-hee) vs. Babylon’s pastors (all other Christian leaders)
• God’s kingdom (Shincheonji) vs. Devil’s kingdom (Christianity)
• True teachings (Shincheonji’s interpretations) vs. False teachings (Christian theology)

This framework:

1. Demonizes all of Christianity (calling it Babylon, the devil’s kingdom)
2. Elevates Shincheonji exclusively (only they have truth)
3. Justifies deception (it’s okay to lie to “Babylon” to rescue people)
4. Creates fear (leaving Shincheonji means joining the devil’s kingdom)

As Chapter 23 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Dualism Problem”) explains, this black-and-white thinking is a classic cult control mechanism that prevents critical thinking and traps members in the system.

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Part 7: The Open Scroll and the Two Witnesses (Questions 41-44)

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QUESTION 41.1-41.3: The Mighty Angel and the Open Scroll

SCJ Answer: “With the words of the open scroll, the sea (destroyers) and the land (betrayers) receive judgment” / “Peoples, nations, languages, kings” / “Ezekiel 3”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji interprets Revelation 10 as describing:

• A “mighty angel” showing John how judgment comes through “the words of the open scroll”
• The sea = destroyers (the group of the dragon)
• The land = betrayers (the Korean church)
• John receiving and eating the scroll, then delivering its message to the world
• Lee Man-hee as the “new John” who performs this role today

Biblical Reality: The Angel and the Little Scroll

Revelation 10:1-7 describes a dramatic scene:

“Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.'”

Several key observations:

1. The Identity of the Mighty Angel

The description of this angel (robed in cloud, rainbow above head, face like the sun, legs like pillars) is majestic and echoes descriptions of divine appearances. Some scholars suggest this might be Christ Himself, while others see it as a powerful angelic being representing Christ.

Either way, this is a heavenly being, not a human messenger or organization.

2. The Little Scroll vs. The Sealed Scroll

This is a “little scroll” (bibliaridion), different from the sealed scroll in Revelation 5. The little scroll is already open when John sees it, suggesting it contains a message ready to be proclaimed.

3. The Sea and the Land

The angel plants “his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land”—this symbolizes universal authority. The sea and land together represent the entire world, not specific groups in Korea.

In apocalyptic literature:

• The sea often represents chaos, nations, or Gentile powers (Revelation 13:1, 17:15, Daniel 7:2-3)
• The land often represents the earth, humanity, or God’s people (Revelation 13:11)

The angel’s stance over both sea and land indicates that the message concerns all humanity, not just two rival groups in Korea.

John Eats the Scroll

Revelation 10:8-11: “Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: ‘Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.’ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, ‘Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’ I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.'”

This echoes Ezekiel 3:1-3:

“And he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.”

The Symbolism of Eating the Scroll:

1. Internalizing God’s Word: The prophet must fully absorb God’s message before proclaiming it
2. Sweet and Sour: God’s word is sweet (His promises, His truth) but also bitter (judgment, suffering, rejection)
3. Prophetic Commission: John (like Ezekiel) is commissioned to speak God’s word to the nations

First-Century Understanding

First-century readers would have recognized this as prophetic commissioning. John, exiled on Patmos, receives a renewed call to proclaim God’s message. The bittersweet nature reflects the reality that the gospel brings both salvation and judgment—sweet for those who believe, bitter for those who reject.

The command to “prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” indicates that John’s message (the book of Revelation) is for the universal church, not just the seven churches in Asia Minor.

The “New John” Problem

Shincheonji teaches that Lee Man-hee is the “new John” who eats the scroll and proclaims its message today. This interpretation has several fatal flaws:

1. The Text Identifies John

The book explicitly identifies its author: “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).

There’s no indication that “John” is a symbolic role to be filled by someone else 1,900 years later.

2. The Sufficiency of Scripture

If Revelation needed a “new John” to explain it, then the original book was insufficient for its purpose. But 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Scripture is sufficient for equipping believers. It doesn’t require a new prophet to unlock its meaning.

3. The Finality of Revelation

Revelation 22:18-19 contains a stern warning: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”

Claiming to be a “new John” with new revelation effectively adds to Scripture, which this passage explicitly forbids.

4. The Apostolic Office

John was an apostle—one of the Twelve who walked with Jesus, witnessed His resurrection, and were commissioned to lay the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20). The apostolic office was unique and unrepeatable.

Acts 1:21-22 describes the qualifications for replacing Judas: “Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

Lee Man-hee doesn’t meet these qualifications. He cannot be a “new apostle” or “new John.”

As Chapter 24 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Apostolic Problem”) explains, claiming apostolic authority without apostolic credentials is a classic false teacher tactic.

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QUESTION 42.1-42.4: The Bowls of Wrath

SCJ Answer: “With the bowls of wrath” / “Jesus” / “To his messenger (New John)” / “To carry out exactly what he has seen”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

These questions reference the seven bowls of wrath in Revelation 16, which Shincheonji teaches:

• Jesus shows to “his messenger” (Lee Man-hee)
• This messenger must “carry out exactly what he has seen”
• The bowls judge “the land and the sea” (betrayers and destroyers)

This teaching implies that Lee Man-hee executes God’s judgment on earth.

Biblical Reality: The Seven Bowls

The seven bowls of wrath appear in Revelation 15-16:

Revelation 15:1: “I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.”

Revelation 15:7: “Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.”

Revelation 16:1: “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.'”

Key observations:

1. Angels Pour Out the Bowls

Seven angels pour out the bowls, not human messengers. These are heavenly beings executing God’s judgment.

2. The Bowls Are Divine Judgment

These are “the seven last plagues” that complete God’s wrath (15:1). They echo the plagues on Egypt:

• Painful sores (16:2) — like the boils in Exodus 9:10
• Sea turned to blood (16:3) — like Exodus 7:20
• Rivers turned to blood (16:4) — like Exodus 7:20
• Scorching heat (16:8) — intensified judgment
• Darkness (16:10) — like Exodus 10:21
• Euphrates dried up (16:12) — preparing for final battle
• Earthquake and hail (16:17-21) — cosmic upheaval

3. The Scope Is Universal

The bowls affect:

• The earth (16:2)
• The sea (16:3)
• Rivers and springs (16:4)
• The sun (16:8)
• The throne of the beast (16:10)
• The Euphrates River (16:12)
• The air, causing earthquake and hail (16:17-21)

This is cosmic judgment, not organizational conflict in Korea.

4. The Response of the Wicked

Despite these judgments, people still refuse to repent:

Revelation 16:9: “They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.”

Revelation 16:11: “And cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.”

Revelation 16:21: “And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.”

The purpose of judgment is still to call people to repentance, but these people harden their hearts.

Who Sees and Carries Out the Judgment?

Shincheonji teaches that Jesus shows the bowls to “his messenger (New John)” who must “carry out exactly what he has seen.” But the text says:

Revelation 15:1: “I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues”

John is the one who sees the vision. He’s a witness, not an executor. The angels carry out the judgment, not John or any human messenger.

The phrase “carry out exactly what he has seen” isn’t in the text. Shincheonji adds this to support their claim that Lee Man-hee must execute judgment on earth.

The Dangerous Implication

By teaching that Lee Man-hee is the messenger who executes God’s judgment, Shincheonji:

1. Gives Lee Man-hee divine authority to judge who is saved or condemned
2. Creates a fear-based system where members fear Lee Man-hee’s judgment
3. Justifies harsh treatment of those who leave or question (they’re under judgment)
4. Elevates a human to God’s role as judge

James 4:12 states: “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?”

Romans 14:4: “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”

Only God has the authority to execute final judgment. Human leaders who claim this authority are usurping God’s role.

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QUESTION 43.1-43.4: The Sealed Scroll

SCJ Answer: “Jesus, angel, John” / “Rv 7” / “The 12 tribes” / “The events of the entire Revelation”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji teaches that:

• The sealed scroll passes from Jesus → angel → John (Lee Man-hee)
• Those who receive the scroll are in Revelation 7 (the 144,000)
• These are “the 12 tribes” (Shincheonji’s organizational structure)
• The scroll contains “the events of the entire Revelation”

This supports their claim that only Shincheonji members can understand Revelation because they’ve received the scroll.

Biblical Reality: The Sealed Scroll

Revelation 5:1-5 introduces the sealed scroll:

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.'”

Key Points:

1. Only Christ Is Worthy

Revelation 5:9-10 explains why Christ alone can open the scroll: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Christ’s sacrificial death qualifies Him to open the scroll. No human being—not John, not Lee Man-hee, not anyone—has this qualification.

2. The Scroll’s Contents

The scroll likely represents God’s plan for history and judgment. As Christ opens each seal (Revelation 6), judgments are released. The scroll doesn’t contain “the events of Revelation” as if it’s a script; rather, opening the scroll causes the events to unfold.

3. The Scroll Is Not “Given” to the 144,000

Shincheonji claims those in Revelation 7 (the 144,000) “receive the scroll.” But the text never says this.

Revelation 7 describes the sealing of the 144,000 for protection during judgment. They don’t receive the scroll; they receive God’s seal on their foreheads (7:3).

The scroll remains in Christ’s hands. He opens it (Revelation 6), but it’s not transferred to human beings.

4. Understanding vs. Possession

Shincheonji conflates understanding Revelation with possessing the scroll. But the book of Revelation was written to be understood by its original audience:

Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

The blessing is for those who read, hear, and obey—not for those who possess a mystical scroll or belong to a specific organization.

Revelation 22:10: “Then he told me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.'”

Unlike Daniel’s prophecy, which was sealed until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4, 9), Revelation’s prophecy is unsealed—it was meant to be understood by first-century Christians facing persecution.

The Chain of Custody Problem

Shincheonji’s claim that the scroll passes from “Jesus → angel → John” has no biblical support. The text shows:

• Jesus opens the scroll (Revelation 5-6)
• John sees visions and writes them down (Revelation 1:11, 19)
• Angels explain some visions to John (Revelation 17:1, 7)

But the scroll itself remains in Christ’s possession. It’s not transferred to John or anyone else.

Claiming that Lee Man-hee now possesses the scroll (as the “new John”) is pure invention without biblical warrant.

The Exclusivity Problem

By teaching that only the 144,000 (Shincheonji members) receive the scroll and can understand Revelation, Shincheonji:

1. Creates an elite class of spiritually enlightened people
2. Denies ordinary Christians the ability to understand Scripture
3. Makes salvation dependent on joining their organization
4. Contradicts Scripture’s accessibility (Psalm 119:130: “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple”)

2 Timothy 3:15-17 says Scripture is able to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” and is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” Scripture doesn’t require an elite interpreter; it’s sufficient and accessible to all believers.

As Chapter 25 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Accessibility Problem”) explains, any system that makes Scripture inaccessible without their special interpretation is a form of spiritual gatekeeping that contradicts the Protestant principle of sola scriptura (Scripture alone).

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QUESTION 44.1-44.4: The Two Witnesses and the Seventh Trumpet

SCJ Answer: “The first tabernacle” / “The tabernacle that became the Gentiles” / “First six trumpets: Destruction of the chosen people. The seventh trumpet: Destruction of the enemy, Babylon” / “The pastor with the wrath”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji interprets Revelation 11 as describing:

• The first tabernacle = A specific church in Korea
• The two witnesses = Two leaders in that church who were “killed” (spiritually defeated)
• The city that collapsed = That church becoming “Gentile” (corrupted)
• The seventh trumpet = Judgment on “Babylon” (Christianity)
• The hail = “The pastor with the wrath” (Lee Man-hee bringing judgment)

Biblical Reality: The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:1-14 describes two witnesses who prophesy for 1,260 days, are killed, and are resurrected:

“I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. They are ‘the two olive trees’ and the two lampstands, and they stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.”

Key Observations:

1. The Two Olive Trees and Lampstands

The imagery of “two olive trees” and “two lampstands” comes from Zechariah 4:1-14, where they represent Zerubbabel (the governor) and Joshua (the high priest)—the civil and religious leadership of post-exilic Israel.

In Revelation, the two witnesses likely represent the church’s prophetic witness (both testifying to Christ). The number “two” emphasizes valid testimony (Deuteronomy 19:15: “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”).

2. Their Powers Echo Old Testament Prophets

• Fire from their mouths echoes Elijah (2 Kings 1:10-12)
• Power to shut up the heavens echoes Elijah (1 Kings 17:1, James 5:17)
• Power to turn waters to blood echoes Moses (Exodus 7:17-21)

The two witnesses embody the prophetic ministry of the church, continuing the work of Moses and Elijah.

3. The Great City

The city where they’re killed is “figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified” (11:8).

This is clearly Jerusalem, described symbolically as:

• Sodom (representing wickedness, Isaiah 1:10)
• Egypt (representing oppression and slavery)
• Where their Lord was crucified (explicitly identifying it as Jerusalem)

This isn’t a church in Korea; it’s Jerusalem, representing the place where God’s witnesses are rejected and killed.

4. Their Resurrection

After three and a half days, God resurrects them and they ascend to heaven (11:11-12). This echoes Christ’s resurrection and demonstrates that God vindicates His faithful witnesses.

5. The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 11:15-19 describes the seventh trumpet:

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.'”

This is a proclamation of ultimate victory, not judgment on a rival organization. It announces that God’s kingdom has come and His reign is established.

First-Century Understanding

First-century Christians would have understood the two witnesses as representing:

1. The church’s prophetic witness during persecution
2. God’s protection of His people (they can’t be killed until their testimony is complete)
3. Vindication through resurrection (even if they’re killed, God will raise them)
4. Ultimate victory (the seventh trumpet announces God’s kingdom)

This would have been immensely encouraging to Christians facing martyrdom under Rome. The message: “Keep testifying, even if it costs your life. God will vindicate you and establish His kingdom.”

The “First Tabernacle” Problem

Shincheonji’s identification of the “first tabernacle” as a specific Korean church has no biblical support. The term “tabernacle” in Revelation refers to:

Revelation 15:5: “The temple of the tabernacle of the covenant law in heaven”—the heavenly sanctuary

Revelation 21:3: “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them”—God’s presence with His people

The tabernacle imagery draws from the Old Testament tabernacle (Exodus 25-40), which represented God’s presence among Israel. In Revelation, it’s used symbolically for God’s dwelling, not for specific human organizations.

The Hail Problem

Shincheonji interprets “the hail inside the temple” (Revelation 11:19) as “the pastor with the wrath” (Lee Man-hee). But the text says:

Revelation 11:19: “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.”

This describes theophany—a manifestation of God’s presence accompanied by natural phenomena. It echoes Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19) and emphasizes God’s holiness and power.

The hail is part of the divine manifestation, not a human pastor. Interpreting it as Lee Man-hee is eisegesis (reading into the text) without any textual support.

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Part 8: The Dragon, the Woman, and the Beasts (Questions 45-50)

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QUESTION 45.1-45.5: The War in Heaven

SCJ Answer: “The child who will rule all nations, and his brothers” / “The blood of Jesus and the word of their testimony” / “The serpent’s doctrine” / “The physical bodies (his congregation and the entire nation)” / “Those who overcame”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji interprets Revelation 12 as describing:

• The male child = Lee Man-hee (not Jesus)
• His brothers = Shincheonji members who fight alongside him
• The dragon = A rival religious group in Korea
• The river from the serpent’s mouth = False doctrines
• The earth that swallows the river = Physical people who absorb these doctrines
• Those who hold to the testimony = Shincheonji members

This interpretation is central to Shincheonji’s claim that Lee Man-hee fulfilled Revelation 12 by “overcoming” a rival group in the 1980s.

Biblical Reality: Revelation 12

We’ve touched on Revelation 12 earlier, but let’s examine it more thoroughly given its centrality to Shincheonji’s theology.

Revelation 12:1-6 describes a woman, a dragon, and a male child:

“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.”

The Explicit Identifications:

1. The Male Child Is Jesus Christ

The description leaves no doubt:

• “Will rule all the nations with an iron scepter” — This quotes Psalm 2:9, a messianic psalm about the Messiah’s reign
• “Was snatched up to God and to his throne” — This describes Christ’s ascension (Acts 1:9-11)

No one else in history has been “snatched up to God and to his throne.” This can only refer to Jesus Christ.

2. The Dragon Is Satan

Revelation 12:9 explicitly identifies him: “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.”

This isn’t a human organization; it’s Satan himself.

3. The Woman Is God’s People

The woman represents God’s people—Israel in the Old Testament (who brought forth the Messiah) and the church in the New Testament (who continue to be persecuted by Satan).

The imagery (clothed with sun, moon under feet, crown of twelve stars) echoes Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37:9-10), which represented his family (the twelve tribes of Israel).

The War in Heaven

Revelation 12:7-9: “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”

This describes a cosmic spiritual battle between:

• Michael the archangel and his angels
• Satan and his demons

This isn’t about human organizations fighting in Korea. It’s about spiritual warfare in the heavenly realm.

The Victory

Revelation 12:10-11: “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.'”

The victory is achieved through:

1. The blood of the Lamb — Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross
2. The word of their testimony — Believers’ faithful witness to Christ
3. Willingness to die — Not loving their lives even unto death

This describes martyrdom—believers who remain faithful to Christ even when threatened with death. It’s not about organizational conflicts in Korea.

The River from the Serpent’s Mouth

Revelation 12:15-16: “Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.”

Shincheonji interprets this as:

• The river = False doctrines
• The earth = Physical people who absorb these doctrines

But in apocalyptic imagery, water/river often represents:

• Nations and peoples (Revelation 17:15: “The waters you saw… are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages”)
• Overwhelming persecution (Psalm 69:1-2: “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths”)

The dragon’s attempt to “sweep away” the woman with a flood likely represents persecution or hostile forces sent against the church. The earth “swallowing” the river represents God’s protection—the persecution fails to destroy the church.

Those Who Hold to the Testimony

Revelation 12:17: “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”

“Those who hold to the testimony” are defined as those who:

1. Keep God’s commands
2. Hold fast their testimony about Jesus

This describes all faithful Christians, not just Shincheonji members. The “testimony about Jesus” is the gospel—that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who died for our sins and rose again.

1 John 5:11-12: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

The testimony is about Jesus, not about Lee Man-hee or Shincheonji.

The Theological Catastrophe

By claiming Lee Man-hee is the male child in Revelation 12, Shincheonji:

1. Replaces Christ with Lee Man-hee as the one who overcomes
2. Diminishes the cross by locating the decisive victory in 1980s Korea instead of Calvary
3. Redefines salvation as dependent on Lee Man-hee’s victory rather than Christ’s
4. Contradicts explicit biblical identifications (the text says the child was “snatched up to God and to his throne”)

This is christological heresy—replacing or diminishing Christ’s unique role. As Chapter 26 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Christology Problem”) explains, any system that elevates a human leader to Christ’s level or diminishes Christ’s finished work has departed from Christianity entirely.

Colossians 1:15-20 declares Christ’s supremacy:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Christ has supremacy in everything. No human leader can share this role.

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QUESTION 46.1-46.2: When Does God’s Kingdom Come?

SCJ Answer: “After fighting and overcoming the group of the dragon (after the events of betrayal and destruction)” / “Those who overcame that hold to the testimony”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji teaches that:

• God’s kingdom came after Lee Man-hee overcame “the group of the dragon” in the 1980s
• The kingdom is Shincheonji itself
• The dragon wants to make war against Shincheonji members

This places the establishment of God’s kingdom in recent history (1980s Korea) rather than in Christ’s first coming or future return.

Biblical Reality: When Did/Does God’s Kingdom Come?

The Bible presents the kingdom of God as having multiple dimensions:

1. Already Inaugurated (First Coming)

Jesus announced that the kingdom had arrived in His ministry:

Matthew 12:28: “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Luke 17:20-21: “Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst.'”

Mark 1:15: “The time has come… The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

The kingdom was inaugurated through:

• Christ’s incarnation (God entering human history)
• Christ’s ministry (demonstrating God’s reign through healings, exorcisms, teaching)
• Christ’s death and resurrection (defeating sin, death, and Satan)
• Christ’s ascension (taking His throne at God’s right hand)

2. Not Yet Consummated (Second Coming)

The kingdom is also future, awaiting its full manifestation at Christ’s return:

Matthew 25:31-34: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'”

1 Corinthians 15:24-25: “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”

Revelation 11:15: “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.'”

3. Already/Not Yet

Christians live in the “already/not yet” tension:

• The kingdom has already been inaugurated through Christ
• The kingdom is not yet fully consummated—we await Christ’s return

We experience the kingdom’s blessings now (forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, new life) but await its full manifestation (resurrection, new creation, Christ’s visible reign).

The Kingdom Is Not an Organization

The kingdom of God is not a human organization or institution. It’s:

God’s reign and rule — Wherever God’s will is done, His kingdom is present

A spiritual reality — “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17)

Entered by new birth — “No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (John 3:3)

Composed of all believers — Everyone who trusts in Christ is part of God’s kingdom

Shincheonji’s claim that their organization is God’s kingdom is:

1. Reductionistic (reducing God’s universal reign to one group)
2. Exclusive (claiming only they are in God’s kingdom)
3. Recent (placing the kingdom’s establishment in the 1980s)
4. Organizational (confusing God’s reign with human structures)

The Dragon’s War

Revelation 12:17 says the dragon wages war against “those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”

This war is ongoing throughout church history. Satan opposes all Christians, not just Shincheonji members. The persecution faced by first-century Christians, medieval martyrs, and modern believers worldwide is all part of this spiritual warfare.

Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

The real battle is spiritual, not organizational. It’s between God and Satan, not between Shincheonji and other churches.

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QUESTION 47.1-47.3: The Two Beasts

SCJ Answer: “The beast: Came out of the sea (world). The beast ‘666’: Came out of the earth, the tabernacle” / “Rv 17, 13” / “The chosen people of the first tabernacle”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji distinguishes between:

• The beast from the sea (Revelation 13:1) = A worldly organization (“Babylon”)
• The beast from the earth (Revelation 13:11), also called “666” = Someone from the Korean church
• Those who receive the mark are members of the Korean church

Biblical Reality: The Two Beasts in Revelation 13

Revelation 13 describes two beasts that work together to oppose God’s people:

The Beast from the Sea (13:1-10):

“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.”

This beast represents political/imperial power opposed to God. In first-century context, this likely represented Rome:

• The seven heads = Seven emperors or seven hills of Rome
• The ten horns = Ten kings or kingdoms
• The blasphemous names = Emperor worship (emperors claiming divine titles)
• The fatal wound that was healed (13:3) = Possibly Nero’s death and the rumor of his return

The beast’s description echoes Daniel 7, where four beasts represent successive empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome).

The Beast from the Earth (13:11-18):

“Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.”

This beast represents religious/ideological power that supports the first beast. In first-century context, this likely represented:

• The imperial cult (priests who promoted emperor worship)
• False prophets who authenticated the emperor’s claims
• Local authorities who enforced worship of the emperor

The second beast is later called “the false prophet” (Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10), confirming its religious/deceptive role.

The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 13:16-18: “It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom. Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.”

The mark represents allegiance to the beast—participating in the economic and religious system that opposes God.

In first-century context:

• Buying and selling required participation in trade guilds that involved emperor worship
• The number 666 likely represents Nero Caesar (in Hebrew gematria, where letters have numerical values, “Nero Caesar” = 666)
• The mark on forehead or hand symbolizes thought and action—complete allegiance

First-century Christians faced a choice: worship the emperor (and participate in society) or remain faithful to Christ (and face economic hardship or death).

First-Century Understanding

Early Christians would have understood the two beasts as representing:

1. Rome’s political power (the empire that persecuted them)
2. The imperial cult (the religious system that demanded emperor worship)

This wasn’t about Korean churches in the 1980s; it was about their immediate situation under Roman persecution.

The message: Don’t compromise. Don’t take the mark. Remain faithful to Christ even if it costs you everything.

The 666 Problem

Shincheonji identifies “666” with a specific person in Korea. But the text says “it is the number of a man” (13:18), and in first-century context, this almost certainly referred to Nero Caesar.

Nero (ruled 54-68 AD) was notorious for:

• Persecuting Christians (blaming them for the fire of Rome in 64 AD)
• Claiming divinity (demanding worship as a god)
• Brutal cruelty (executing Christians in horrific ways)

The number 666 would have immediately identified Nero to first-century readers who understood gematria. This was a coded message to encourage Christians without openly attacking the emperor (which would have been treason).

Trying to identify 666 with someone in modern Korea:

1. Ignores the first-century context
2. Misses the literary device (gematria)
3. Makes the text irrelevant to its original audience
4. Allows endless speculation (any name can be manipulated to equal 666)

As Chapter 27 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The 666 Problem”) explains, the obsession with identifying 666 in modern figures has led to countless false identifications throughout history (Hitler, Stalin, various popes, etc.). The text was meant to comfort persecuted Christians, not fuel endless speculation.

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QUESTION 48.1-48.4: The Betrayers, Destroyers, and Their Actual Entities

SCJ Answer: “Betrayers: The chosen people; Destroyers: The group of the dragon” / “Babylon, which belongs to the world” / “The tabernacle of the chosen people, Babylon” / “The Tabernacle Temple and the Christian Stewardship Training Center”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This question reveals Shincheonji’s “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation” framework explicitly:

• Betrayers = A specific Korean church (“The Tabernacle Temple”)
• Destroyers = A rival group (“The Christian Stewardship Training Center”)
• Babylon = All of Christianity except Shincheonji

They identify specific organizations as the fulfillment of Revelation’s prophecies.

The Historical Claims

Shincheonji teaches that in the 1980s:

1. A pastor (whom they identify) established a church called “The Tabernacle Temple”
2. This church was “spiritual Israel” (the chosen people)
3. A group from “The Christian Stewardship Training Center” invaded and took over
4. This fulfilled Revelation’s prophecies about betrayal and destruction
5. Lee Man-hee witnessed these events and “overcame,” establishing Shincheonji

These claims are examined in detail in the resource “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale”, which investigates the actual historical events and demonstrates that:

• The events were ordinary church conflicts, not prophetic fulfillment
• The interpretations were imposed after the fact, not predicted beforehand
• The “fulfillment” claims are unfalsifiable (any event can be reinterpreted to fit)

The Babylon Problem

Shincheonji identifies “Babylon” as all of Christianity except themselves. But biblically, Babylon represents:

In the Old Testament:

• Literal Babylon (the empire that destroyed Jerusalem and exiled God’s people)
• Symbol of pride and rebellion against God (Genesis 11, Tower of Babel)

In Revelation:

• “Babylon the Great” (Revelation 17-18) represents worldly systems opposed to God
• In first-century context, likely Rome (the empire persecuting Christians)
• More broadly, any political/economic/religious system that opposes God and seduces people away from Him

Revelation 17:5: “The name written on her forehead was a mystery: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Revelation 18:2-3: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!… For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

Babylon is characterized by:

• Idolatry (spiritual adultery)
• Persecution of God’s people (drunk with the blood of the saints, 17:6)
• Economic exploitation (merchants grew rich from her)
• Political power (kings committed adultery with her)
• Pride and self-sufficiency (“I sit enthroned as queen,” 18:7)

Is Christianity “Babylon”?

Shincheonji’s claim that Christianity is Babylon is ironic because:

1. Christianity Has Been Persecuted, Not the Persecutor

Throughout history, Christians have been martyred for their faith:

• Roman persecution (1st-4th centuries)
• Communist persecution (20th-21st centuries)
• Islamic persecution (ongoing)
• Modern persecution in North Korea, China, Middle East, etc.

While some who claimed to be Christian have persecuted others (Crusades, Inquisition), biblical Christianity has always been a persecuted minority, not a persecuting power.

2. Christianity Proclaims Christ, Not Self

True Christianity points people to Christ alone for salvation:

Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

1 Corinthians 2:2: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

Shincheonji, by contrast, teaches that salvation requires believing in Lee Man-hee’s testimony—adding to the gospel and creating a new mediator.

3. Christianity Has Preserved and Spread Scripture

The Christian church has:

• Preserved the biblical manuscripts
• Translated the Bible into thousands of languages
• Distributed billions of Bibles worldwide
• Taught biblical literacy

If Christianity were Babylon (opposing God’s word), why would it preserve and spread Scripture?

The Actual Entities Problem

Shincheonji’s identification of “actual entities” (The Tabernacle Temple, Christian Stewardship Training Center) reveals their interpretive method:

1. Find historical events (church conflicts in Korea)
2. Impose biblical categories (betrayal, destruction, salvation)
3. Claim fulfillment (these events fulfilled Revelation)

But this method is unfalsifiable—any events can be reinterpreted to fit the framework. As Chapter 28 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims” (“The Fulfillment Problem”) explains, true prophecy must be:

• Specific (clear predictions, not vague symbols)
• Predictive (stated before the events, not imposed after)
• Verifiable (objectively confirmable)

Shincheonji’s “fulfillments” fail all three tests.

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QUESTION 49.1-49.5: The Beast 666

SCJ Answer: “The beast that came out of the earth, which is the tabernacle” / “Solomon” / “Oh-Ho” / “The tabernacle of the chosen people, Babylon” / “Sets up an image and makes the congregation receive the mark of the beast”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

Shincheonji identifies:

• The beast 666 = A specific person (“Oh-Ho”) from the Korean church
• Figuratively represented by Solomon (who fell into idolatry)
• From the tabernacle (the Korean church)
• His actions: Setting up an image and marking people

This is an explicit claim that a specific person in 1980s Korea fulfilled the prophecy of the beast 666.

The Problems with This Identification

1. The Text Identifies the Beast Differently

As we’ve seen, Revelation 13:11-18 describes the beast from the earth as:

• Having two horns like a lamb (appearing Christian/religious)
• Speaking like a dragon (promoting false doctrine)
• Exercising authority of the first beast (supporting political/imperial power)
• Performing great signs (deceiving through miracles)
• Causing people to worship the first beast (promoting idolatry)

In first-century context, this described the imperial cult—the religious system promoting emperor worship.

2. The Solomon Typology Is Forced

Shincheonji claims Solomon “figuratively represents” the beast 666 because Solomon fell into idolatry (1 Kings 11). But:

• Solomon’s number was 666 (1 Kings 10:14: “The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents”)—but this refers to gold, not to Solomon being evil
• Solomon built the temple—he’s generally portrayed positively in Scripture despite his later failures
• Solomon’s idolatry was personal sin, not the systematic deception described in Revelation 13

Using Solomon as a “type” of the beast 666 is eisegesis without biblical warrant.

3. The Specific Identification Is Unverifiable

Claiming “Oh-Ho” is the beast 666:

• Cannot be verified by those outside Shincheonji’s circle
• Relies on Shincheonji’s testimony rather than objective evidence
• Makes the text irrelevant to its original audience (why would first-century Christians need to know about someone in 1980s Korea?)

4. The Mark of the Beast

Shincheonji teaches that “Oh-Ho” made people “receive the mark of the beast.” But Revelation 13:16-17 says the mark is necessary “so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark.”

This describes economic control—participation in society requires the mark. In first-century context, this meant participating in emperor worship to engage in trade.

There’s no evidence that anyone in 1980s Korea instituted such a system.

The Danger of Specific Identifications

Throughout church history, Christians have identified various figures as “the beast” or “the Antichrist”:

• Nero (1st century)
• Various popes (Reformation era)
• Napoleon (19th century)
• Hitler (20th century)
• Various modern leaders (ongoing)

All these identifications have proven false or limited. The lesson: be cautious about specific identifications that go beyond what Scripture clearly states.

1 John 2:18 says, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.”

The “antichrist spirit” manifests in many people throughout history who oppose Christ. It’s not limited to one person in one time period.

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QUESTION 50.1-50.3: The 144,000 and the Beast

SCJ Answer: “Rv 7” / “From the harvest field (Jesus’ field, the field where the seed was sown)” / “The kingdom of Babylon”

What Shincheonji Is Teaching

This final question summarizes Shincheonji’s core doctrines:

• The 144,000 received God’s name in Revelation 7 (they’re Shincheonji members)
• They came from the harvest field (recruited from Christianity into Shincheonji)
• The beast came from Babylon (Christianity)

This creates a clear dichotomy: Shincheonji (God’s kingdom) vs. Christianity (Babylon).

Biblical Reality: The Contrast

The actual biblical contrast is not between Shincheonji and Christianity, but between:

Those Who Worship God vs. Those Who Worship the Beast

Revelation 14:1-5 describes the 144,000:

“Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”

Revelation 14:9-11 describes those who worship the beast:

“A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.'”

The contrast is between:

• Worshiping God (having His name on foreheads) vs. Worshiping the beast (having its mark)
• Following the Lamb vs. Following the beast
• Remaining faithful vs. Compromising with idolatry

This is about spiritual allegiance, not organizational membership.

The Harvest Field

As we’ve established, Matthew 13:39 says “the harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

The harvest is eschatological (end-times judgment), not organizational (recruitment into Shincheonji).

Matthew 13:30: “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.”

The harvest separates believers from unbelievers at the final judgment, not Christians from Shincheonji members.

The Kingdom Question

The fundamental question is: What is God’s kingdom?

Shincheonji’s answer: A specific organization founded in 1984 in Korea, with 144,000 members organized into 12 tribes, led by Lee Man-hee.

The Bible’s answer: God’s reign and rule, entered by faith in Jesus Christ, composed of all believers throughout history from every nation, under the headship of Christ alone.

Colossians 1:13-14: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

We enter God’s kingdom through redemption in Christ, not through joining an organization.

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Conclusion: The Test Behind the Test

What This Test Really Reveals

Advanced Level Review Test 2 is not simply a Bible knowledge assessment. It’s a loyalty test that reveals whether students have fully internalized Shincheonji’s worldview:

✓ Do you believe Lee Man-hee is “the one who overcomes”?
✓ Do you believe Shincheonji is God’s kingdom?
✓ Do you believe Christianity is Babylon?
✓ Do you believe salvation requires Shincheonji membership?
✓ Do you believe Lee Man-hee’s testimony is necessary for salvation?

By the time students reach Lesson 123, they’ve been conditioned through over 120 lessons to answer “yes” to all these questions. The 90% passing requirement ensures they’ve memorized these answers thoroughly.

The Progression of Indoctrination

Looking back at the journey from Introductory Level to this point:

Months 1-4 (Introductory Level): “The Bible has secrets. Parables hide mysteries. We’ll help you understand.”

Months 5-8 (Intermediate Level): “Your church doesn’t teach the truth. They’re spiritually blind. The Bible proves it.”

Months 9-12+ (Advanced Level): “Here’s the fulfillment. Lee Man-hee overcame. Shincheonji is God’s kingdom. You must join to be saved.”

Each stage builds on the previous, gradually shifting students’ allegiance from Christ and His church to Lee Man-hee and Shincheonji.

The Psychological Impact

By this point in the curriculum, students have:

• Invested significant time (9-12+ months of twice-weekly classes)
• Formed relationships (with instructors and fellow students)
• Distanced from their church (believing it’s “Babylon”)
• Kept secrets from family (hiding their Shincheonji involvement)
• Internalized a new identity (as part of the “144,000”)

The sunk-cost fallacy makes it psychologically difficult to leave: “I’ve invested so much time and energy. It must be true.”

The social pressure is immense: failing the test means disappointing instructors, potentially being held back, and questioning whether you’re truly “chosen.”

The Biblical Response

For those taking or considering these classes, the biblical response is clear:

Test everything against Scripture: “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

Even the apostle Paul’s teaching was tested against Scripture. How much more should we test modern teachers?

Hold fast to the gospel: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8).

The gospel is simple: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Any teaching that adds requirements is a false gospel.

Remain in Christ: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

Our security is in Christ alone, not in any organization, leader, or special knowledge.

For Those Who Have Left

If you’ve left Shincheonji, know that:

• Your time wasn’t wasted — God can redeem even painful experiences for your growth and to help others
• You’re not alone — Many have left and found healing and restoration
• The gospel is still true — Christ’s love and grace are sufficient for you
• The church welcomes you — Despite what you were taught, genuine Christian churches will welcome you with open arms

Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

For Family and Friends

If someone you love is involved in Shincheonji:

• Don’t give up — Continue to love them unconditionally
• Pray consistently — God can open blinded eyes
• Ask questions gently — Help them think critically without attacking
• Share truth patiently — Plant seeds of biblical truth
• Seek support — Connect with others who understand (see closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination)

2 Timothy 2:24-26: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

The Hope of the Gospel

The true gospel offers what Shincheonji cannot:

Assurance: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). You can know you’re saved, not wonder if you’ve done enough.

Freedom: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Freedom from performance, from fear, from endless requirements.

Rest: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Rest in Christ’s finished work, not striving to earn salvation.

Grace: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is a gift, not a reward.

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Final Thoughts

Advanced Level Review Test 2 represents a critical juncture in Shincheonji’s indoctrination process. Students who pass this test and continue are deeply invested in the system and increasingly isolated from biblical Christianity.

But it’s never too late to turn back. God’s grace is greater than any deception. His truth is more powerful than any lie. And His love reaches even those who have been led astray.

As we’ve seen throughout this analysis using “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (Chapters 1-30), Shincheonji’s teachings cannot withstand biblical, historical, or logical scrutiny. Their interpretations require:

• Ignoring the first-century context
• Contradicting explicit biblical identifications
• Inserting their organization into prophecy
• Diminishing Christ’s unique role
• Adding requirements to the gospel
• Creating unfalsifiable claims

When examined through the lenses of first-century Christianity, historical context, and sound hermeneutics, Shincheonji’s system collapses.

The invitation remains: Come back to the simplicity of the gospel. Come back to Christ alone, Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone. Come back to the church that, despite its imperfections, has preserved and proclaimed the gospel for 2,000 years.

Romans 10:9-13: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”

Everyone. Not just the 144,000. Not just Shincheonji members. Not just those who pass the tests. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

That’s the gospel. That’s the good news. That’s the message the first-century church died proclaiming, and it’s the message that still saves today.

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Appendix: Resources for Further Study

For Understanding Shincheonji’s System:

• “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” (Chapters 1-30) — The primary framework used throughout this analysis, providing comprehensive theological, logical, and pastoral refutation
• closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination — Detailed analysis of Shincheonji’s doctrines, testimonies from former members, and resources for families
• “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation – A Christian Response” — Examines Shincheonji’s BDS framework and its misapplication of biblical patterns
• “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale” — Investigates the actual historical events Shincheonji claims fulfill Revelation 12
• “Why Fulfillment of Prophecy is Absolutely Critical for Shincheonji – Especially Revelation” — Analyzes why Shincheonji’s entire system depends on their fulfillment claims

For Understanding First-Century Revelation:

• “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon” — Explains how the original audience understood apocalyptic imagery in their Roman context
• “Early Christian Revelation Understanding” — Documents how early church fathers interpreted Revelation
• “John & Revelation Project – Part 1-8” (Dr. Chip Bennett & Dr. Warren Gage) — Scholarly examination of Revelation’s literary structure and Old Testament background
• “The Revelation Project – Day 1-6” (Dr. Chip Bennett & Dr. Warren Gage) — Detailed verse-by-verse study of Revelation in historical context
• “The Book of Revelation: The SHOCKING Key from the Story of Joshua & Jericho” — Explores typological connections between Old Testament narratives and Revelation

For Understanding Apocalyptic Literature:

• “Chiasmus in the New Testament” (John W. Welch) — Explains literary structures in biblical texts, including Revelation
• “Revelation Study Booklet” (Cornerstone Church) — Accessible introduction to Revelation’s themes and structure
• “Revelation Study Guide” (SABC) — Practical study guide for understanding Revelation’s message

For Understanding Eschatological Frameworks:

• “An Evening of Eschatology – Premillennialism, Amillennialism, Postmillennialism” (John Piper) — Overview of major Christian eschatological positions (note: this analysis doesn’t depend on adopting any particular framework)
• “Ken Gentry: The Beast of Revelation IDENTIFIED” (Preterist perspective) — Examines first-century fulfillment interpretations

For Understanding Korean Cult Context:

• “ENG-K-Cult Genealogy” — Documents the history and connections of Korean cultic movements
• “K-Cult Genealogy -SEC” — Additional research on Korean religious movements and their theological deviations

For Understanding Specific Shincheonji Claims:

• “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1” — Examines Shincheonji’s fulfillment claims in detail
• “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 2” — Continues analysis of Shincheonji’s prophetic interpretations
• “Wedding Banquet of the Lamb and the First Resurrection” — Analyzes Shincheonji’s teaching on these Revelation themes
• “Prophecy and Fulfillment” (SCJ claims examined) — Evaluates whether Shincheonji’s fulfillment claims meet biblical standards for prophecy

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Practical Steps for Those Questioning Shincheonji

If You’re Currently Taking Shincheonji Classes:

1. Pause and Reflect

• You don’t have to rush through the curriculum
• It’s okay to take time to think critically about what you’re learning
• Don’t let the pressure to “keep up” or “pass the test” override your discernment

2. Test Everything Against Scripture

• Read the Bible passages in context, not just the verses Shincheonji highlights
• Use a study Bible with historical notes to understand the original context
• Compare what Shincheonji teaches with what the text actually says

3. Ask Questions

• If something doesn’t make sense, ask for clarification
• If the answers seem evasive or circular, that’s a red flag
• Notice whether questions are welcomed or discouraged

4. Research Independently

• Look up information about Shincheonji from sources outside the organization
• Read testimonies from former members
• Consult with trusted Christian leaders who aren’t affiliated with Shincheonji

5. Reconnect with Your Church

• Don’t isolate yourself from your Christian community
• Talk to your pastor or trusted Christian friends about what you’re learning
• Remember that genuine Christian community welcomes questions and doubts

6. Pray for Wisdom

• Ask God to reveal truth and expose deception
• Trust that God will guide you if you sincerely seek Him
• Remember James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you”

If You’ve Decided to Leave:

1. Make a Clean Break

• Clearly communicate your decision to leave
• Don’t be drawn into lengthy debates or “exit counseling”
• You don’t owe them an explanation beyond “I don’t believe this is biblical”

2. Expect Pressure

• They may try to convince you to stay
• They may use fear tactics (“You’re leaving God’s kingdom”)
• They may cut off contact abruptly
• Remember: this is a control tactic, not genuine concern

3. Seek Support

• Connect with a church that can provide pastoral care
• Consider counseling to process the experience
• Join support groups for former members (available through Closer Look Initiative)
• Talk to family and friends about what you experienced

4. Rebuild Your Faith

• Return to the basics of the gospel
• Read Scripture without Shincheonji’s interpretive framework
• Rediscover the joy of simple faith in Christ
• Be patient with yourself—healing takes time

5. Help Others

• When you’re ready, share your story to help others avoid or leave Shincheonji
• Pray for those still involved, especially friends you made in the organization
• Support organizations working to expose and counter Shincheonji’s influence

If Someone You Love Is Involved:

1. Educate Yourself

• Learn about Shincheonji’s teachings and tactics
• Understand the indoctrination process they’re going through
• Know what questions to ask to help them think critically

2. Maintain Relationship

• Don’t cut off contact, even if they distance themselves
• Continue to express unconditional love
• Avoid ultimatums that might drive them deeper into the group

3. Ask Gentle Questions

• “What attracted you to this group?”
• “How do they explain [specific biblical passage]?”
• “Have you researched what former members say?”
• “What would it take for you to reconsider?”

4. Share Truth Strategically

• Don’t overwhelm them with information
• Focus on core gospel truths: salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone
• Share testimonies from former members
• Point out logical inconsistencies gently

5. Pray Persistently

• Pray for spiritual blindness to be removed (2 Corinthians 4:4)
• Pray for them to encounter truth that breaks through the deception
• Pray for opportunities to plant seeds of doubt about Shincheonji’s claims
• Pray for protection from further spiritual harm

6. Seek Support for Yourself

• Connect with other families dealing with similar situations
• Don’t carry the burden alone
• Remember that you can’t force someone to leave—ultimately it’s their choice
• Trust God’s sovereignty even when you can’t see progress

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A Word to Shincheonji Members and Leaders

If you’re a Shincheonji member or leader reading this analysis, I want to speak directly to you with respect and genuine concern.

You Are Sincere

I don’t doubt your sincerity. Most Shincheonji members are genuinely seeking God, wanting to understand the Bible, and desiring to be part of God’s work in the world. Your dedication, your study habits, your commitment—these are admirable qualities.

The question isn’t whether you’re sincere. The question is: Are you sincerely following truth, or sincerely following deception?

Sincerity Isn’t Enough

Proverbs 14:12 warns: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

Proverbs 16:25 repeats this warning: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”

The repetition emphasizes the danger: we can be sincerely wrong. We can genuinely believe we’re following God while actually following a deception.

Consider These Questions Honestly

1. Does Shincheonji’s teaching elevate Christ or Lee Man-hee?

• Who gets the glory in Shincheonji’s narrative—Jesus or Lee Man-hee?
• Whose testimony is necessary for salvation—Jesus’ or Lee Man-hee’s?
• Who overcame in Revelation 12—Jesus at the cross or Lee Man-hee in Korea?

If the answer to any of these is “Lee Man-hee,” then Shincheonji has departed from biblical Christianity.

2. Does Shincheonji’s interpretation require adding to Scripture?

• Does the Bible explicitly identify Lee Man-hee as the one who overcomes? (No)
• Does the Bible explicitly identify Shincheonji as the 144,000? (No)
• Does the Bible explicitly identify Korean churches as the fulfillment of Revelation? (No)

All these identifications are added to Scripture, not derived from it.

3. Does Shincheonji’s system create freedom or bondage?

• Do you feel free to question teachings, or is questioning discouraged?
• Do you feel peace in your salvation, or anxiety about whether you’re truly part of the 144,000?
• Do you feel love for Christians outside Shincheonji, or contempt for them as “Babylon”?

Galatians 5:1 says: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

If Shincheonji creates bondage rather than freedom, it’s not from Christ.

4. Does Shincheonji’s fruit reflect the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Does Shincheonji produce:

• Love for all people, or contempt for “Babylon”?
• Joy in Christ, or anxiety about organizational status?
• Peace with God, or fear of judgment?
• Kindness in recruitment, or deception about identity?
• Goodness in relationships, or manipulation and control?
• Faithfulness to Scripture, or reinterpretation to fit a narrative?
• Gentleness with questioners, or harsh responses to doubt?
• Self-control in teaching, or grandiose claims about fulfillment?

Matthew 7:16 says: “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

The Way Out Is Open

If you’re beginning to have doubts, know that:

• Doubts are not sin—they’re the beginning of wisdom
• Leaving is not betrayal—it’s faithfulness to Christ
• You won’t lose salvation—because salvation is in Christ alone, not in organizational membership
• The church will welcome you—genuine Christians will rejoice over your return

Luke 15:7 says: “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Heaven rejoices when someone turns from deception to truth.

An Invitation

Consider this invitation from Jesus Himself:

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus offers rest, not endless study and testing.
Jesus offers an easy yoke, not the burden of earning salvation through organizational membership.
Jesus offers Himself, not a human mediator.

John 6:37: “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

You can come to Jesus directly, right now, without Shincheonji’s mediation. He will never drive you away.

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Closing Prayer

For those questioning or leaving Shincheonji:

“Father, we pray for those who are questioning what they’ve been taught in Shincheonji. Open their eyes to see truth. Remove the scales of deception. Give them courage to ask hard questions and wisdom to discern truth from error.

We pray for those who are leaving Shincheonji. Comfort them in their confusion and pain. Heal the wounds of spiritual abuse. Restore their faith in You and in Your church. Surround them with genuine Christian community that will love and support them.

We pray for those still deeply involved in Shincheonji. Break through the deception. Let seeds of doubt about Shincheonji’s claims take root. Bring people and circumstances into their lives that will challenge the false teachings. Protect them from further spiritual harm.

We pray for families torn apart by Shincheonji. Give them patience, wisdom, and hope. Strengthen their love even when it’s not reciprocated. Bring reconciliation in Your perfect timing.

Above all, we pray that Jesus Christ would be exalted—not Lee Man-hee, not any human leader, but Christ alone. May the gospel of grace be proclaimed clearly. May the sufficiency of Scripture be affirmed. May the church be strengthened to counter deception with truth and love.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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Final Word: The Sufficiency of Christ

This analysis has been extensive, examining question after question, doctrine after doctrine, claim after claim. But the response to Shincheonji can be summarized simply:

Christ is sufficient.

Sufficient for salvation—we don’t need Lee Man-hee’s testimony added to Christ’s work.

Sufficient for revelation—we don’t need new prophets to unlock Scripture’s meaning.

Sufficient for victory—we don’t need human overcomers to supplement Christ’s triumph at the cross.

Sufficient for the church—we don’t need a new organization to replace the church Christ founded.

Sufficient for hope—we don’t need manufactured fulfillments to assure us God is at work.

Colossians 2:9-10: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”

In Christ you have been brought to fullness. You don’t need anything—or anyone—else.

Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

He hasn’t changed. The gospel hasn’t changed. The way of salvation hasn’t changed. What was true for first-century Christians is true for us today:

Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Not Lee Man-hee’s name. Not Shincheonji’s name. Jesus’ name alone.

Philippians 2:9-11: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This is our hope. This is our confidence. This is our gospel.

May all who read this analysis be drawn not to arguments and refutations, but to the person of Jesus Christ—the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Lamb who was slain, the Lion of Judah, the Bright Morning Star, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.