Revelation

Why Revelation Matters: The Core of Shincheonji’s Faith and the Fulfillment of the New Covenant

In the vast tapestry of biblical texts, no book holds more weight for Shincheonji than the book of Revelation. For them, Revelation is not just the final book of the Bible—it is the very blueprint of God’s final promise, the new covenant established by Jesus Christ and sealed with His blood. In Shincheonji doctrine, Revelation is the fulfillment, the destination, and the harvest. It is the road map of betrayal, destruction, and salvation—the three grand themes by which the entire narrative of the end times is structured.

But why is Revelation so central to Shincheonji? Why do its members believe that its fulfillment must happen “in reality,” through people, places, and events in this era?

Let’s walk through the theology, the promises, and the mission that Shincheonji sees embedded in Revelation.

Why Revelation Is Central to Shincheonji

At the heart of Shincheonji’s doctrine lies a radical proposition: that the Book of Revelation, long cloaked in mystery, has been opened and fulfilled in the present time. The group teaches that Revelation is not a text to fear but a blueprint for God’s final work of salvation.

Shincheonji understands the word Revelation (계시, gyesi) as “revealing what was hidden.” It is not merely prophecy but the actual event—the unveiling of something once sealed, now seen with human eyes. In SCJ’s view, the purpose of Jesus’ first coming was to give the prophecy, and the purpose of his second coming is to fulfill it. And the one who sees, hears, and testifies to this fulfillment is not a spirit from heaven but a living man on Earth.

Revelation as the New Covenant

Shincheonji teaches that the book of Revelation is the new covenant Jesus made with His blood on the night of the Last Supper:

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).

While Christians broadly understand this as the establishment of grace, Shincheonji interprets it as the promise of the Book of Revelation itself—the only prophecy Jesus ever made after ascending into heaven. According to Lee Man-hee, the founder of Shincheonji, the new covenant is not about simply believing in Jesus’ death, but seeing and believing the physical fulfillment of Revelation when it takes place.

Shincheonji emphasizes this by connecting Luke 22:20 to Revelation 1:1–2:

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place… he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.”

Here, the angel delivers a vision to John. But Shincheonji claims that the real meaning is not found in the vision itself, but in the actual reality that the vision represents. This reality, according to them, unfolds in modern-day South Korea.

The New Covenant: Not at the Cross, But in Revelation

Most Christians understand the New Covenant as the one Jesus made through His blood at the cross (Luke 22:20). But for Shincheonji, that covenant finds its true fulfillment only in the Book of Revelation. Why?

Because Jesus Himself promised a new and greater covenant—not just forgiveness, but complete spiritual re-creation. According to Shincheonji, the New Covenant is the prophecy of Revelation (Revelation 1:1-3), sealed until the appointed time, and to be revealed only to one chosen by heaven (John 14:26; Revelation 10:8-11). That person is not Jesus in the flesh, but the one who overcomes (Revelation 2:7, 2:17), who receives the open scroll and testifies to what he saw and heard.

They claim this one is Lee Man-hee.

The Mystery of Revelation: God’s Protection and Plan

Why was Revelation hidden in symbols for 2,000 years? Shincheonji answers this with what they call “God’s strategy.” Because Satan roams the earth looking to devour, God sealed Revelation with figurative language to hide His plans for salvation. The beasts, dragons, lampstands, scrolls, and trumpets were not meant to be understood until the fulfillment began. Only then would God open the sealed book through Jesus, who gives it to an angel, then to “New John”—the promised pastor—who eats the scroll and delivers the testimony (Revelation 10:8-11).

The mystery wasn’t meant to remain a mystery forever. It was a divine security system until the appointed time. And once the seals are opened, understanding becomes not only possible but required.

The Route of Revelation: Five Steps of Transmission

Shincheonji emphasizes a heavenly hierarchy in the revelation process:

1. God holds the sealed book.
2. Jesus, the only worthy one, breaks the seals (Revelation 5).
3. An Angel is entrusted with the opened book.
4. New John, a physical man, eats the book (Revelation 10).
5. The Servants, the believers, receive the testimony from New John.

This strict order ensures the message is not corrupted and allows for direct fulfillment without speculation. It mirrors Jesus’ first coming, when he was sent by God with a message no one else understood. At the second coming, it is not Jesus who comes again in the flesh, but a chosen messenger who acts on his behalf.

The Three Core Mysteries of Revelation

Shincheonji doctrine consistently teaches that Revelation contains three major mysteries:

1. Mystery of Betrayal – The seven golden lampstands and seven stars (Revelation 1–3), which symbolize the early chosen pastors of the tabernacle who fall into corruption. This is the betrayal of the covenant.
2. Mystery of Destruction – The appearance of the beast from the sea and the prostitute riding the beast (Revelation 13, 17), representing Satan’s attack on the corrupted church.
3. Mystery of Salvation – The seventh trumpet sounds (Revelation 11:15), God’s kingdom is established, the 144,000 are sealed, and the multitude in white robes appear (Revelation 7).

For SCJ, these mysteries are not allegorical—they are real-world events fulfilled in South Korea, within specific churches, through specific people. Names, locations, and roles are all identified. Fulfillment isn’t speculation—it’s testimony.

They explain that just as the Old Testament pointed to Jesus through prophecy and Jesus fulfilled those prophecies in flesh, so too does Revelation point to a Promised Pastor who fulfills the prophecy of Revelation in our time.

The Promises: Pastor, Teaching, and Temple

According to Shincheonji, the Book of Revelation holds three central promises that anchor the believer’s salvation:

• The Promised Pastor (New John): The only one who sees and hears the events of Revelation, receives the open scroll, and testifies to what he saw (Revelation 10:8-11). He is the “one who overcomes” of Revelation 2–3 and the messenger sent to the churches.
• The Promised Teaching: The open scroll that was once sealed. It is not theology or doctrine based on interpretation, but the reality of fulfilled events explained by the one who saw it.
• The Promised Temple: Shincheonji claims to be the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Revelation 15:5), where those who overcome gather to worship God, sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, and are not defiled with lies (Revelation 14:1-5).

These promises form the new spiritual world—a recreated kingdom, not built by human effort, but by divine selection through fulfillment.

Is the Cross Enough? Why Shincheonji Says “No”

In traditional Christianity, Jesus’ death and resurrection are enough for salvation. But Shincheonji adds a caveat: the cross made forgiveness possible, but the final covenant—the one promised in Revelation—is the contract of salvation. Without knowing and believing in the fulfilled Revelation, one cannot be saved.

In other words, just believing in Jesus’ name is insufficient. You must hear the testimony of the fulfillment (Revelation 1:1-3), understand it, and belong to the promised 12 tribes who are harvested and sealed. This is the final qualification.

They cite Revelation 22:18-19 to warn against adding to or taking away from this prophecy. Revelation, not the Gospels, is the final standard.

Revelation as a Book of Secrets—But Now Unsealed

The word Revelation (Greek: apokalypsis) means “unveiling.” Shincheonji teaches that the Book of Revelation was sealed for 2,000 years because no one knew its true meaning. Citing Revelation 5, they teach that only the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah”—who they identify as the “one who overcomes” (Lee Man-hee)—can open the scroll and explain its meaning:

“No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it” (Revelation 5:3).

Thus, the secrets of heaven—the identity of the betrayers, the destroyers, and the savior—can only be revealed when the scroll is opened. Shincheonji’s claim is that Lee Man-hee saw all the events of Revelation unfold in reality, and therefore, he alone can testify to it.

This emphasis on eyewitness testimony is foundational. Revelation 22:16 says:

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.”

Shincheonji interprets this to mean that Jesus sends a human messenger, a witness of the fulfillment, to testify to the churches. For them, Lee Man-hee is this messenger—called the “promised pastor” or “new John.”

The Promises of Revelation: Sealing, Healing, and Inheritance

The promises embedded in Revelation are not abstract hopes. They are concrete outcomes, contingent upon recognizing and following the one who overcomes.

Among these promises:

• The Hidden Manna and White Stone (Rev 2:17): Knowledge of the true word and authority to judge.
• Being Pillars in God’s Temple (Rev 3:12): The sealed become part of the heavenly structure.
• The 144,000 and the Great Multitude (Rev 7): Those sealed with God’s word who are not harmed by judgment.
• The Wedding of the Lamb (Rev 19): The union between the spirit (Jesus) and the flesh (promised pastor), symbolized by the “bride.”

Shincheonji members believe that only those who understand and accept the testimony of Revelation’s fulfillment can receive these blessings. They see themselves as the firstfruits, the ones who have come out of the “great tribulation” (Rev 7:14), cleansed by the revealed word and gathered at Mount Zion—the new Jerusalem.

Revelation and Judgment: The Urgency of Time

For Shincheonji, Revelation is also a book of judgment. It is a final test of whether one truly believes in God and in His Word. The judgment is not just fire and brimstone; it is the judgment of words—truth versus falsehood, fulfillment versus ignorance. In Revelation 18, Babylon falls not because of atheism, but because of false religion.

This is why Shincheonji sees evangelism not as optional, but as urgent. They believe that the churches of the world are “Babylon”—spiritual confusion—and those who do not come out of her (Rev 18:4) will share in her plagues. This frames their global mission to “harvest” believers into the 12 tribes.

All Angles Considered: Prophecy, Fulfillment, and Warning

In Shincheonji’s lens, Revelation is not a mystery novel to be admired, but a divine script being acted out in real-time.

• It is the new covenant made by Jesus at the Last Supper.
• It is the fulfillment of God’s 6,000-year work for salvation.
• It is the judgment of all churches, not atheists.
• It is the unveiling of the hidden secrets, seen and testified to by the promised pastor.
• And it is the invitation to be sealed and enter God’s new kingdom before time runs out.

This is why Shincheonji centers its entire doctrine on Revelation. Not because it’s apocalyptic, but because they believe it is happening now.

“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.”
— Revelation 1:3

The Divine Sequence: The Flow of Revelation’s Events According to Shincheonji

In Shincheonji doctrine, the Book of Revelation unfolds not as a scattered set of visions, but as a precise, linear blueprint—an orderly sequence of betrayal, destruction, and salvation. This narrative arc is not metaphorical to them; it is a literal, step-by-step revelation that has already been fulfilled in their eyes, down to the location, the people, and the institutions involved.

Chapters 1–3: The Letters to the Seven Churches — The Era of Preparation and Betrayal

The story begins with Jesus commissioning John to write letters to the seven churches of Asia. In Shincheonji, these churches represent a real group: the Tabernacle Temple in Gwacheon, South Korea. The “seven stars” are interpreted as seven messengers who prepared the way for the Second Coming, but eventually failed to keep the covenant, becoming subject to rebuke for spiritual corruption.

This is the beginning of the Mystery of Betrayal—where those chosen to prepare for Jesus’ return instead fall into error.

Chapters 4–5: The Heavenly Court and the Sealed Book

John is called up to heaven, where he sees a scroll sealed with seven seals in God’s right hand. No one can open it—except the Lamb, Jesus. In SCJ’s view, this shows that the prophecy was hidden from all until the appointed time.

This stage sets the cosmic weight of Revelation: it’s not just about Earthly events—it’s a heavenly drama awaiting its earthly manifestation.

Chapters 6–8: Opening the Seven Seals — Beginning of Fulfillment

As the seals are opened one by one, each unleashes specific judgments and historical events. For Shincheonji, these seals represent key betrayals, religious corruption, and changes within the Tabernacle Temple. These are not global catastrophes, but events that occurred spiritually and physically within the religious world in Korea.

The seventh seal opens to silence in heaven—ushering in a deeper, more serious judgment.

Chapters 8–11: The Seven Trumpets — Proclamation and Warning

The trumpets are sounded by angels, bringing plagues and warnings. Shincheonji interprets these as public warnings—testimonies of judgment sounded by the “overcomer” (Lee Man-hee) and his companions against the corrupt leaders of the Tabernacle Temple.

When the seventh trumpet is blown, it signifies the moment of salvation: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). This is the turning point.

Chapters 12–13: War in Heaven — The Mystery of Destruction

Here begins the Mystery of Destruction. A woman clothed with the sun gives birth to a male child, who is taken up to God. A red dragon—Satan—wages war in heaven and is cast down to Earth. Shincheonji interprets the woman as the Tabernacle Temple, and the child as the promised pastor who is protected and begins his mission.

In Revelation 13, a beast rises from the sea and another from the earth, forming a false religious organization that deceives the world. Shincheonji identifies this with the appearance of the destroyer—Pastor Oh—and the Stewardship Education Center (SEC), which invaded and took control of the Tabernacle Temple.

Chapters 14–15: Harvest, Sealing, and the Promised Temple

Once the destruction is complete, God begins His re-creation. The 144,000—representing the spiritual firstfruits—are harvested from the corrupt church and sealed with the Word. They are gathered to Mount Zion, the new spiritual location of God’s kingdom.

This is the Promised Temple, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Revelation 15:5)—which Shincheonji claims is their own organization, established after overcoming the former corrupted church.

Chapters 16–18: Seven Bowls — Judgment on Babylon

The seven bowls represent the final judgment. Babylon—the spiritual name for the false religious world—is exposed and destroyed. The prostitute riding the beast is judged, and her deception over the nations comes to an end. Shincheonji claims this has been fulfilled with the collapse of former religious institutions that persecuted the truth.

This completes the three mysteries: betrayal, destruction, and now judgment.

Chapters 19–22: Salvation, Marriage, and the Eternal Kingdom

Heaven opens. The rider on the white horse appears—interpreted by Shincheonji as the spiritual Jesus, acting through the promised pastor to wage war with the Word of God. The beast and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire.

Then comes the wedding of the Lamb: those who understand and keep the New Covenant are united with the spirit. Satan is bound, the first resurrection takes place (Revelation 20:4–6), and the new heaven and new earth descend—the spiritual new creation of God’s people.

Revelation ends not in despair, but in promise:

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people” (Revelation 21:3).

For Shincheonji, that dwelling place is already being built. The 12 tribes have been restored. The seals are opened. The trumpet has sounded. The scroll has been eaten. The testimony is being given.

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