In Shincheonji theology, Mr. Oh (Oh Pyeong-Ho) is presented as a pivotal figure in their interpretation of the Book of Revelation, particularly within the narrative of betrayal, destruction, and salvation.
Shincheonji teaches that Mr. Oh is the physical fulfillment of the “beast of the earth” from Revelation chapter 13, and is also identified with other destructive biblical entities such as Balaam and Nicholas, the leader of the Nicolaitans, the beast with ten horns, the bitter star (Wormwood), and the eighth king. He is primarily known as the “destroyer” in their eschatological framework.
According to Shincheonji’s historical account, Mr. Oh entered the Tabernacle Temple in February 1975 as a key figure under Mr. Yoo Jr.. Shincheonji asserts that his intention was to usurp control and convert the temple to Presbyterianism, aligning with his past ordination as a Catholic priest and later a Presbyterian pastor.
This narrative detail is indirectly supported by the fact that prominent Shincheonji instructors, such as Lee Jungwoo, were previously members of Presbyterian churches before joining Shincheonji. On March 14, 1980, Mr. Yoo Jr. allegedly entrusted the Tabernacle Temple to Mr. Oh, an event Shincheonji interprets as the “destroyer standing in the holy place” (Matthew 24:15) . He is said to have introduced “worldly” theological teachings, dismantled existing structures, and eventually changed the temple’s name to Isaac Church (a Presbyterian church) on September 14, 1980 . These actions are viewed by Shincheonji as the symbolic end of “spiritual Israel” and traditional Christianity, paving the way for a new era .
Mr. Oh was also reportedly involved in the Stewardship Education Center (Chonjiggy Education Center), established in October 1980, becoming its chief general manager . Shincheonji claims that a ceremony officiated by Mr. Oh on September 20, 1981, where members pledged allegiance to Presbyterian doctrines, constituted the reception of the “mark of the beast”. The “Reality of Revelation (1985)” book, in parts, supports the idea of betrayal within the Tabernacle Temple by “Nicolaitans” in 1980, emphasizing the need for betrayers to repent.
Shincheonji posits that these events, orchestrated by Mr. Oh, represent the “destruction” phase that is a necessary precursor to the “salvation” phase, which Shincheonji claims to embody. They assert that their organization is the only one capable of testifying to the “physical fulfillment” of these prophecies.
However, critics and former Shincheonji members raise significant counterarguments. They dispute that Mr. Oh ever self-identified as the “destroyer” or “beast of the earth,” suggesting he was merely attempting to reform what he considered a cult into a conventional Presbyterian church . It is argued that Shincheonji’s interpretation often involves adding information to the biblical text and distorting events to fit their predetermined narrative.
Reports from former members indicate doctrine changes over time, including the evolving identification of the “beast of the earth,” leading to inconsistencies in Shincheonji’s internal narratives.
See Terms:
- Tabernacle Temple, The (장막성전)
- Tabernacle of the Temple of the Testimony, The (증거장막성전)
- Stewardship Education Center, The (청지기교육원)
- Mr. Yoo Jr, Yoo Jae-yeol (유재열)
- Mr. Tak, Tak Myung‑hwan (탁명환)
- Lee Man-Hee (이만희)
- Betrayal, Destruction, and Salvation, The
Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) and His Role in Shincheonji Theology
Shincheonji’s View of Oh Pyeong-ho
In Shincheonji theology, Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) is a central figure linked to the “destruction” phase within their narrative of betrayal, destruction, and salvation. Shincheonji teaches that biblical prophecies from Revelation were fulfilled through events in Korea, with real individuals assigned symbolic labels. In this framework, Yoo Jae-yeol (유재열), the founder of a preceding church, is considered the “betrayer,” Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) is referred to as the “son of destruction” or destroyer, and Lee Man-hee (이만희), Shincheonji’s founder, is the “victor” who triumphs and brings salvation.
Shincheonji literature uses various figurative names from scripture to refer to Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호). For instance, he is compared to “Nicolas” or the Nicolaitans’ leader, “Balaam,” the “wormwood star,” the “beast from the earth,” and even an “8th king” – all symbols representing a deceptive agent who corrupts God’s people. Shincheonji views Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) as fulfilling these roles because he is seen as the false pastor who corrupted and “destroyed” the first tabernacle temple (the prior church), thereby preparing the way for Shincheonji’s establishment. He represents the spiritual destruction that Shincheonji believes was prophesied to occur. Shincheonji teaches that in the end times, a chosen congregation would be betrayed internally and then invaded by “destroyers” before a new savior figure emerges, and they identify Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) as the primary destroyer in this narrative.
Historical Background: Invitation to the Tabernacle Temple
To understand this, the historical context is important. The Tabernacle Temple (장막성전), also known as the Tabernacle Church, was a religious group in South Korea led by Yoo Jae-yeol (유재열) in the 1970s. It was known for its apocalyptic teachings and was considered a cultic offshoot of other movements. In March 1980, facing government crackdowns on fringe religious sects, Mr. Yoo (유재열) abruptly stepped down from leadership. At that time, President Chun Doo-hwan’s (전두환) regime was advocating for “social purification,” pressuring pseudo-religions to reform. To protect the Tabernacle Temple from being shut down, Yoo Jae-yeol (유재열) invited Pastor Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호), a Presbyterian minister, to lead the church. By appointing a mainstream Christian pastor as his successor, Yoo (유재열) hoped to give the group a more conventional image and avoid unwanted government attention.
Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) accepted this role and effectively took charge of what remained of the Tabernacle Temple after Yoo’s (유재열) departure. He began implementing reforms to align the group with mainstream Presbyterian Christianity. Notably, Pastor Oh (오평호) incorporated the Tabernacle Temple into the Presbyterian Church of Korea, even renaming the church “Church of Isaac” to signify this merger. In essence, Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s goal was to dismantle the controversial sectarian elements of Yoo’s (유재열) movement and integrate the congregation into a respectable denomination. From an outside perspective, this could be seen as a legitimate reform or dissolution of a problematic cult. Yoo Jae-yeol (유재열) himself emigrated to the United States in late 1980 and the original Tabernacle organization was officially disbanded around that time. Under Oh (오평호)’s leadership, the church’s property was eventually sold to the government (for a park development) and the old Tabernacle Temple ceased to exist as an independent entity.
Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s Role and the “42 Months of Destruction”
Within Shincheonji’s narrative, these same events are interpreted dramatically as the fulfillment of Revelation’s prophecies. They claim the Tabernacle Temple was originally the “heavenly tabernacle” but fell due to betrayal and invasion. When Yoo (유재열) invited Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) (an outsider) to lead, Shincheonji sees Yoo (유재열) as “betraying” his calling and Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) as the “destroyer” who introduced false teachings. Shincheonji teaches that Pastor Oh (오평호) and his colleagues from the Stewardship Education Center (SEC) correspond to the beasts and horns of Revelation 13 that waged war on the tabernacle for 42 months. According to Shincheonji doctrine, the Stewardship Education Center was an organization of pastors in 1981 that physically fulfilled the “beast from the sea” with its “seven heads and ten horns” described in Revelation 13. They explain that this group (the SEC) “invaded the Tabernacle Temple and destroyed it,” giving the “mark of the beast” to the congregation. In plain terms, Shincheonji alleges that a team of seven pastors from the SEC (with additional supportive ministers symbolized by ten horns) entered the Tabernacle Church and led its members astray with false doctrine – essentially marking them as belonging to “the beast”.
The period of this takeover is taught to be the “42 months” of destruction (three and a half years) mentioned in Revelation 13:5. Indeed, Shincheonji timelines often pinpoint late 1980 through 1984 (roughly three and a half years) as the duration in which the Tabernacle Temple was under the destroyers’ influence. During this time, all the former Tabernacle congregants supposedly either received the “mark” (accepting the new Presbyterian identity/teachings) or were scattered, and the first tabernacle was spiritually ruined. Lee Man-hee (이만희) then claims to have “overcome” these destroyers and left to establish the new church (Shincheonji) in March 1984, once the 42 months had passed.
From Shincheonji’s viewpoint, Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) was the central figure of that destroyer group, sometimes identified as the “beast from the earth” who worked with the beast from the sea. (Initially, early Shincheonji materials had pointed to a different pastor as the “earth beast,” but later they taught it was actually Mr. Oh (오평호)). They also equate the SEC pastors with the “Nicolaitans” in Revelation 2 who infiltrated and defiled the church. In Shincheonji’s interpretation, receiving the “mark of the beast” was not a literal stamp but symbolized the Tabernacle members accepting the Presbyterian doctrines or authority of Oh (오평호)’s group, thus allying with secular Christianity instead of God. All these figurative elements – the seven heads, ten horns, mark of the beast, 42 months – are woven into Shincheonji’s theology as code for the real events involving Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) and the Stewardship Education Center in 1980-1984. To believers in Shincheonji, this provides concrete proof that the Book of Revelation was realized: the “first heaven” (first tabernacle) passed away through betrayal and destruction, and a new spiritual Israel (Shincheonji) was created thereafter.
Outside Perspectives and Historical Facts
When Shincheonji’s account is compared with historical records and outside perspectives, a more nuanced picture emerges. Factually, Pastor Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) did take over the remnants of Yoo’s (유재열) group and changed its affiliation to the Presbyterian Church. This was likely done openly and perhaps even with good intentions of rehabilitating members of a disgraced cult. There was indeed an organization called the Stewardship Education Center (or Stewardship Training Center) involved in retraining or re-educating cult members.
However, critics note that Shincheonji has adjusted or exaggerated certain details to fit the prophetic narrative. For instance, Shincheonji teaches there were “seven pastors” from SEC who infiltrated the Tabernacle, aligning neatly with the symbolic seven heads of the beast. In reality, contemporaneous witnesses suggest there was no fixed team of seven pastors assigned to this task; the number seven appears to have been retroactively applied for doctrinal symmetry. A recent court testimony by an individual familiar with the SEC indicated that “there was no concept of [exactly seven] pastors belonging to the Stewardship Training Center” and that several of the supposed seven never even set foot in the Tabernacle Temple except perhaps as guest speakers. In other words, the infiltration wasn’t as literal or cohesive as Shincheonji portrays.
Additionally, records show that some key leaders of the Tabernacle Temple had already left before Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s tenure. By the time Lee Man-hee (이만희) claims to have delivered warning letters to the “seven messengers” of that church, most of those original seven had long gone (some left years earlier, some around 1980). This calls into question Shincheonji’s dramatic depiction of all seven church messengers heroically fighting or failing en masse during Oh (오평호)’s takeover. In fact, Shincheonji’s own narrative has evolved over time; for example, their identification of the “beast from the earth” shifted from one pastor to another (ultimately settling on Oh (오평호)) as details came to light. Such changes in doctrine are noted by ex-members as evidence that Shincheonji retrofits its story to maintain the appearance of a perfect prophetic fulfillment.
It’s also worth noting the difference in perspective on the Tabernacle Temple itself. Outside historians and Korean society viewed Yoo’s (유재열) Tabernacle Temple as an aberrant group that caused social problems and legal troubles in the 1970s. Its collapse under government pressure and internal scandal was, to most, a warranted end to a cult. Shincheonji, on the other hand, teaches that the Tabernacle Temple had been a legitimate “heavenly” church that only fell because of satanic intervention (through the SEC pastors). This doctrinal stance requires portraying figures like Pastor Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) and Pastor Baek Dong-seop (백동섭) (one of the SEC ministers) as evil agents who “destroyed the tabernacle” – a claim so strong that it even became the subject of a defamation lawsuit in recent years. In that case, the plaintiffs argued that Shincheonji’s labeling of the late Rev. Baek (백동섭) as a satanic “beast” who ruined the church is an unfair distortion of historical facts. The court agreed to call in Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) (now elderly but the only surviving member of that SEC group) as a witness to establish what actually happened. This illustrates how sharply Shincheonji’s narrative can diverge from the historical accounts held by others.
Conclusion: Understanding Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s Legacy
Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s story encapsulates the divide between Shincheonji’s theological narrative and mainstream historical perspective. In Shincheonji’s theology, Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) is the prophesied “destroyer” – the embodiment of the beastly forces in Revelation that opposed God’s work. They believe his actions in 1980-1981 fulfilled scripture by bringing about the fall of the “first tabernacle,” which then allowed the creation of a New Spiritual Israel under Lee Man-hee (이만희). All of Shincheonji’s unique terminology – the betrayer, the destroyer, 42 months, the Nicolaitans, receiving the mark, etc. – serve to cast real people and events into a biblical drama that gives Shincheonji divine legitimacy.
From an outside perspective, however, the same Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) appears as a relatively ordinary figure: a pastor invited to help reintegrate a cult into orthodox Christianity, who did so by dissolving an abusive sect. The “Stewardship Education Center” was likely just a training program for clergy, and the “42 months” of activity were simply a transition period rather than a mystical tribulation.
In writing Shincheonji’s history, there is a mix of fact and fabrication. Shincheonji does base its story on real incidents (the change in leadership, the collapse of Yoo’s (유재열) church, etc.), but it adjusts details to fit the prophetic mold, sometimes even altering who’s who in the fulfillment as time goes on. By placing Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) next to names like Balaam or the Beast, Shincheonji frames him as a cautionary figure – one who seemingly came as a lamb (a pastor) but spoke like a dragon, to use Revelation’s imagery. Meanwhile, the broader Christian community in Korea would remember Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호), if at all, as someone who tried to correct a deviant group (hardly the villain Shincheonji makes him out to be).
In summary, Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s role depends on who’s telling the story. Shincheonji portrays him as the prophesied “son of destruction” who inadvertently proved their theology true , while historical observers see a pastor who stepped into a difficult situation during a crackdown on cults. A balanced view recognizes the facts – Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호) did lead the Tabernacle Temple’s final chapter – but also acknowledges that Shincheonji’s figurative interpretations (the seven heads, 10 horns, 42 months, marks, etc.) are a matter of religious belief rather than objective history. Understanding this helps separate the genuine history from the constructed narrative. Shincheonji members sincerely believe that Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s actions fulfilled scripture, and thus they use consistent terminology to teach that betrayal, destruction, and salvation sequence. Outside perspectives may not share that belief, but they provide context so we can see how Shincheonji uses symbolic prophecy to reframe real events. By comparing the two views, we get a fuller picture of Oh Pyeong-ho (오평호)’s place in both the theology of Shincheonji and the actual history surrounding its founding.
Sources: Shincheonji doctrine and history references ; contemporary reports and testimonies on the Tabernacle Temple and SEC
Sources
- [Shincheonji Official – Testimony on the Fulfillment of Revelation (2022)]
(Used to identify Oh Pyeong-ho as the “destroyer” and details on the betrayal–destruction–salvation structure) - [천지TV – Reality of Revelation Chapters 10–11 (Shincheonji Drama)]
(Provides dramatized depiction of SEC and 42-month destruction from Shincheonji’s view) - [Free of Shincheonji – Shincheonji’s Reinterpretation of the Tabernacle Temple and SEC (PDF & Court Testimony)]
(Includes critical discussion and testimony on SEC’s role, including fact-checking Shincheonji claims about “seven pastors”) - [신천지 탈퇴자 증언 – Shincheonji Ex-Member Testimonies about SEC and Oh Pyeong-ho]
(Personal insights and inconsistencies noted in Shincheonji’s evolving interpretation of Pastor Oh and SEC pastors)
(Outlines SCJ’s timeline of betrayal, 42 months, and establishment of Shincheonji)
- [Encyclopedia of Cultic Movements in Korea (Unofficial translation excerpts)]
(Provides timeline of Tabernacle Temple collapse, Mr. Yoo’s exit, Oh’s appointment, and early Shincheonji claims)
- [“The Creation of Heaven and Earth” by Lee Man-hee (SCJ publication)]
(Cited from SCJ theological books describing betrayal–destruction–salvation model and beast figures, no public URL available)
[“The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation” by Lee Man-hee (SCJ book)]
(Cited in doctrinal structure and figurative meaning such as 7 heads, 42 months, and mark of the beast – SCJ internal text)
Please take the time to check the Bible verses we’ve provided as references. Use them as a guide for your own understanding and discernment. It’s important to verify and confirm information with external sources, witnesses, and experts to ensure validity and transparency. Additionally, remember to pray for wisdom as you seek to identify any errors and ensure that your understanding aligns with biblical teachings.