Shincheonji teaches that the “first war” of Revelation 13 proves their pattern of betrayal, destruction, and salvation. They claim that the beast conquering the saints means the church has fallen completely, leaving only their organization as the place of salvation. But Revelation 13 does not describe the church being destroyed; it describes a period of persecution where the beast is given limited authority. The word “conquer” in this passage does not mean final defeat, but temporary suffering, as Jesus Himself already promised victory to His people: “Take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
In this article, we will look closely at Revelation 13 and compare it with the wider witness of Scripture. We will see how Shincheonji misreads the war in heaven, misdefines “conquer,” and splits Revelation’s conflict into separate stages that the text itself does not support. The vision does not present betrayal and destruction of the church, but rather shows that even under persecution the saints endure and God’s kingdom cannot be overcome.
Be aware that groups like Shincheonji often respond to criticism by subtly adjusting their doctrine—a common tactic involving denial, adaptation, and manipulation; is a common tactic among high-control organizations. They may gather information on critics and “flip the script,” portraying exposure as persecution or misinformation. It’s essential to carefully observe doctrinal shifts rather than accepting new explanations at face value. Stay vigilant against gaslighting through evolving teachings designed to counter today’s realities and criticisms. (Read More)
The First War of Revelation 13
Shincheonji (SCJ) teaches that Revelation 13 describes the conquest of “heaven”, which they interpret not as the literal dwelling of God but as the Holy Place on earth—the so-called “tabernacle of heaven.” In their framework, the “beast from the sea” (destroyers) and the “beast from the earth” (betrayers) invade and take over this Holy Place, representing the fall of God’s chosen tabernacle. SCJ claims that because the pastors of the Holy Place betrayed, God’s presence departed, leaving the tabernacle to be conquered by the beast. Thus, when Revelation 13:7 says the beast was allowed to wage war and conquer the saints, SCJ interprets this as proof that the Holy Place, or “heaven” in their symbolic language, was fully overcome due to betrayal, setting up the need for salvation through the “one who overcomes” later in Revelation.
Even if we use SCJ’s own framework that Revelation 13 is the first war and Revelation 12 is the second war, the text itself shows that heaven was never conquered. Revelation 12:12 explicitly separates the two realms: “Rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!” This means that from the beginning of the so-called second war, heaven is secure and rejoicing while only the earth and sea suffer under Satan’s attack. When Revelation 13:7–8 describes the beast conquering the saints and exercising authority, its scope is limited to “every tribe, people, language and nation” and “the inhabitants of the earth,” not heaven. Thus, the conquest is earthly persecution, not the fall of the heavenly tabernacle. By the text’s own logic, heaven remains untouched and victorious, undermining SCJ’s claim that the “tabernacle of heaven” was captured or abandoned.
In SCJ’s theology, “heaven” is collapsed onto earthly institutions and can thus be betrayed, defiled, and conquered. But in Revelation itself, “heaven” is never the church organization at risk of falling into apostasy. Instead, it is always described as the inviolable abode of God, the throne of the Lamb, and the victorious destination of the saints. Earth is the domain of the beast’s attacks and tribulation. By consistently differentiating heaven (God’s secure domain) and earth (the realm of trial), Revelation refutes SCJ’s claim: heaven is not, and cannot be, conquered or defiled. Only on earth does the struggle rage, while heaven is always the scene of God’s triumphant rule and worship.
In Revelation, heaven is never depicted as a vulnerable church institution but as the inviolable abode of God, the Lamb, and the saints who have overcome. John sees “a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne” (Rev 4:2–3), surrounded by unceasing worship (Rev 5:11–13). The saints clothed in white robes stand secure before God’s throne, crying out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:9–10). Heaven is the realm where victory is proclaimed: “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God… have come” (Rev 12:10), and it culminates in the new creation where God dwells with His people and death is no more (Rev 21:1–4). In every scene, heaven remains the site of triumph and worship, untouched by defilement or betrayal.
By contrast, Revelation locates the struggle on earth, where the beast makes war on the saints and conquers them (Rev 13:7–8), and where the devil descends “in great wrath” to afflict humanity (Rev 12:12). Earth is the sphere of judgment, rebellion, and tribulation—symbolized by earthquakes, plagues, and the beast’s authority (Rev 11:13; 14:6–7). Yet even in this turmoil, the faithful are preserved for heaven’s reward, as when the two witnesses are caught up “to heaven in a cloud” while the earth quakes beneath (Rev 11:12–13). This consistent distinction shows that heaven is never the church at risk of apostasy, as Shincheonji claims, but always the secure domain of God’s throne and His victorious people, while earth remains the battleground of trial and deception.
Revelation 13:7 records that the beast was given power “to wage war against the saints and to conquer them,” and also “authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” The text highlights the vast scope of this beast’s earthly influence. Its power stretches across the whole world of humanity, encompassing political, social, and religious spheres. Yet the very wording of the passage shows that this authority is confined to the realm of the earth. The language of “tribes, peoples, languages, and nations” consistently refers to human society, not to the heavenly realm.
The Focus on Earthly Inhabitants
Verse 8 further narrows the picture: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Here the beast’s dominion is described in terms of those living on earth, those who are not truly Christ’s. By contrast, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book remain faithful and secure, showing that the beast’s power cannot extend to those preserved in Christ. This means that the conquest is not absolute but only reaches those who are spiritually unprotected. Heaven, as God’s dwelling and the place of the Lamb’s authority, is untouched.
The Temporary Nature of the Conquest
The emphasis on the beast being “given” this authority also points to its temporary and limited nature. The passive construction indicates that God allows this period of testing, but it does not imply permanent victory for the beast. Revelation as a whole makes clear that the beast’s apparent triumph is short-lived, as it is later destroyed and judged by God (Rev 19:20). Thus, while Revelation 13 portrays a frightening reality of persecution and global deception, it is restricted to the earthly domain and for a limited time. At no point does the text suggest that heaven itself was conquered or that God’s throne was ever threatened.
The Broader Meaning of Nikaō
The Greek verb νικάω (nikaō), translated “to conquer” or “to overcome,” can carry different shades of meaning depending on the context. It can describe outward victory in battle, the ability to overpower opponents, or even symbolic triumph in a spiritual sense. In Revelation 13:7, where the beast is said to “conquer” the saints, the emphasis is on outward persecution rather than the spiritual defeat of God’s people. This distinction is critical, because while the saints may suffer physically and appear to be defeated, their ultimate spiritual victory is secured in Christ.
Old Testament Background
The same concept appears in Daniel 7:21, which John clearly echoes in Revelation. Daniel writes that the “little horn” made war on the saints and “prevailed over them.” This prevailing was real in terms of earthly suffering and oppression, but the vision ultimately shows that God’s judgment comes in favor of the saints, who receive the kingdom forever (Dan 7:22, 27). Thus, the “conquering” of God’s people in prophetic literature often refers to persecution and hardship in the present, not their eternal defeat. The pattern is one of temporary suffering followed by final vindication.
Revelation’s Own Usage of Nikaō
Within Revelation itself, the use of nikaō highlights this paradox. For example, Revelation 11:7 says the beast will “conquer” the two witnesses and kill them. Yet in Revelation 11:11–12, God breathes life into them and they ascend to heaven in triumph. What looked like defeat was actually the pathway to glory. Similarly, Revelation 15:2 presents the saints who had been “conquered” on earth now standing victorious before the throne, described as those who “conquered the beast and its image.” This illustrates that the beast’s conquest is only apparent and temporary, while the saints’ conquest is ultimate and eternal.
The True Overcomers
Even in the letters to the seven churches (Rev 2–3), nikaō is used repeatedly to describe the believer’s call to faithfulness: “To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life” (Rev 2:7). These promises show that true conquering is not avoiding persecution but persevering through it. Thus, when Revelation 13 speaks of the beast conquering the saints, it must be read in this larger theological framework: the saints may be pressed and persecuted outwardly, but in the Lamb they are the true conquerors (cf. Rev 12:11).
Conclusion
Therefore, the beast’s so-called “conquering” in Revelation 13 refers only to temporary outward victories—martyrdoms, persecution, and social domination. It does not mean heaven was overthrown or that God’s people were spiritually lost. Instead, Scripture repeatedly shows that those written in the Lamb’s book of life remain secure, preserved by Christ’s blood, and ultimately vindicated as true conquerors in Him.
Revelation 12 in SCJ’s Framework
SCJ teaches that Revelation 13 represents the first war—the betrayal and destruction of the “tabernacle of heaven”—and that Revelation 12 describes the second war, in which the dragon and his forces fight against Michael and the angels. They claim this sequence demonstrates how God’s dwelling on earth (the “tabernacle of heaven”) was conquered in the first war, creating the need for the promised pastor who would eventually overcome in the second war. But when we actually look at Revelation 12, the text presents the opposite conclusion: Satan never succeeds in conquering heaven, and his defeat there is permanent.
However, as already explained, even during the first war heaven was never conquered. This contradicts SCJ’s narrative of the two wars.
The Defeat of Satan in Heaven
Revelation 12:7–9 says, “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.” The outcome is crystal clear: Satan was not strong enough to conquer heaven. Instead, he was expelled and thrown down to earth. This passage is the only place in Revelation that explicitly describes a war in heaven—and it ends with Satan’s total defeat, not victory.
The Split Between Heaven and Earth
Verse 12 makes this separation unmistakable: “Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!” The results of this war are permanent:
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Heaven rejoices, secure and untouched.
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Earth suffers, attacked and deceived by the dragon.
If SCJ insists on treating Revelation 12 as the “second war,” then the biblical text itself undercuts their claim that heaven was ever conquered in the “first war” of Revelation 13. Heaven is always described as victorious and rejoicing, while only the earth endures Satan’s wrath.
Driving the Point Home
Even within SCJ’s own flow of Revelation—first war in chapter 13, second war in chapter 12—the text demonstrates that heaven was never conquered. The beast in Revelation 13 is given temporary authority on earth, but when Satan himself wages war in heaven in Revelation 12, he is decisively defeated and cast out. That means the very framework SCJ uses collapses under the weight of the text: if Satan couldn’t win in the second war, he certainly didn’t conquer heaven in the first. Heaven is untouchable, eternally secure, and always rejoicing in the victory of the Lamb.
| SCJ Claim | What the Bible Says |
|---|---|
| Revelation 13 = First War: The beast conquers the “tabernacle of heaven” (Holy Place), meaning heaven was betrayed and destroyed. | Rev 13:7–8: The beast is given authority only over “every tribe, people, language and nation” and “the inhabitants of the earth.” The scope is earthly; heaven is never mentioned as conquered. |
| Heaven fell because the pastors of the Holy Place betrayed God, so His presence left. | The Lamb’s book of life preserves true believers (Rev 13:8). Those written in it remain secure, proving the beast’s conquest is limited to outward persecution, not spiritual overthrow. |
| “Conquer” (nikaō) means total defeat of the saints and heaven itself. | Nikaō also means temporary persecution (Dan 7:21; Rev 11:7). Saints who are “conquered” outwardly are later shown victorious before God’s throne (Rev 15:2). The beast’s conquest is only temporary and external. |
| Revelation 12 = Second War: Satan wages war in heaven and wins until the “one who overcomes” (Lee Manhee) defeats him. | Rev 12:7–9: Michael and his angels fight Satan, and “he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.” Satan is hurled down to earth; heaven is victorious, not conquered. |
| The two wars show heaven was captured first (Rev 13) and then restored by the promised pastor in Rev 12. | Rev 12:12: “Rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea.” Heaven rejoices because it is secure; only the earth suffers Satan’s wrath. Heaven was never touched in either “war.” |
In the Book of Revelation, heaven (Greek: οὐρανός, ouranos) is never a metaphor for the institutional church or a particular group of believers, but always signifies the transcendent realm where God dwells, Christ is enthroned, and the saints and angels worship eternally. This is evident from the opening vision of the heavenly throne room (Revelation 4:1–11), where John describes seeing a door “standing open in heaven,” then being summoned into a space filled with majesty, the enthroned One, and perpetual praise—a setting fundamentally distinct from any earthly gathering or organization.
Throughout Revelation, every true scene of “heaven” underscores this otherworldly, uncontaminated nature. In Revelation 5:11–13, multitudes of angels and every creature join in the worship of the Lamb, again presenting heaven as the uncontested center of glory and sovereignty. In Revelation 7:9–17, a “great multitude that no one could count,” drawn from all nations, is depicted standing before the throne and the Lamb, forever secure and blessed. These scenes frame heaven as the ultimate destiny of the saints, not as a present, vulnerable organization that can be infiltrated or corrupted.
This separation between heaven and earth is reinforced linguistically and thematically after the casting out of Satan in Revelation 12:7–10. With the dragon and his angels expelled, the text issues a call: “Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them!” (Revelation 12:12). From that moment, heaven’s safety and joy are absolute, while only “the earth and the sea” become the stage for woe, wrath, and spiritual warfare. Heaven henceforth is portrayed as permanently secure—the home of those who have overcome, not of those in jeopardy of defeat.
By contrast, judgment and spiritual conflict are localized to earth. In Revelation 13:7–8, the beast is given authority to “make war on the saints and to conquer them,” but this conquest is explicitly limited to “every tribe, people, language and nation” and “the inhabitants of the earth.” In Revelation 14:6–10 and following, the announcements of judgment, the reaping of the earth, and the bowl plagues are all exclusively earth-bound in effect; heaven is the theater of worship, not of defeat.
Collapsing “heaven” into an earthly, fallible institution, as Shincheonji does, contradicts the entire narrative structure and message of comfort and victory in Revelation. Doing so erases the hope of a secure kingdom that God promises to overcomers, undermines the distinction between that which is eternal and untouchable and that which is passing and prone to trial, and effectively discards the very security that Scripture gives to believers in Christ. Revelation’s heaven is and remains the realm of unshakeable victory, a reality that no beast, dragon, or human institution can compromise.
| Key Argument | Biblical Evidence / Logic | Implication | Contradicts SCJ By… |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Heaven” means God’s transcendent realm | Greek ouranos always refers to God’s dwelling place/throne, angels, glorified saints (Rev 4, 5, 7) | Heaven is spiritually pure, inviolable, and distinct from any church organization | SCJ equates “heaven” with a fallible, corruptible institution or group |
| Scenes of victory, worship, and security | Rev 4:1–11; 5:11–13; 7:9–17 show unceasing worship, victory, and security in heaven | Heaven is the center of divine rule and triumph | SCJ claims “heaven” can suffer betrayal, defeat, or apostasy, which contradicts every biblical scene of heaven |
| After Satan’s expulsion, heaven is secure | Rev 12:7–12 — Satan’s defeat leads to permanent rejoicing and no further threat to heaven | “Rejoice, O heavens!” = Heaven is forever safe from evil | SCJ’s timeline claims heaven is conquered (Rev 13), but Rev 12 says it never is |
| Judgment/war always happens on earth | Rev 13:7–8; 14:6–10 — the beast’s authority/conquest is over “inhabitants of the earth,” not heaven | Spiritual warfare is earth-bound; heaven is untouched | SCJ erases this distinction, saying heaven is “overcome” |
| Churches are not heaven itself | Rev 2–3 — seven churches receive messages and judgments, but none are defined as “heaven” | The spiritual fate of local churches isn’t the fate of heaven | SCJ reads “heaven” as earthly organizations, not as God’s dwelling |
| Apocalypse imagery upholds distinction | Rev 4–5 (throne, Lamb, angels) set apart from earthly woes (Rev 8–16) | Heaven = ultimate destiny and crown for overcomers | SCJ collapses the realm of security and reward into one of loss and defeat |
Shincheonji divides the book of Revelation into two distinct wars: an “internal war” of betrayal within the tabernacle, followed by destruction, and an “external war” of global, physical persecution and final judgment. This framework is central to their doctrine of betrayal–destruction–salvation. However, the biblical text itself never makes such a division. Instead, Revelation weaves together persecution, spiritual deception, and cosmic conflict as aspects of a single, unified eschatological struggle.
Revelation 12 begins with the vision of the dragon being cast down from heaven. Immediately after this fall, the dragon wages war against the woman and the rest of her offspring (Rev 12:17). This conflict is not limited to physical persecution but includes spiritual deception as well, for the dragon is described as the one “who deceives the whole world” (Rev 12:9). From the outset, the battlefield is both cosmic—Satan against heaven—and earthly—Satan against the saints. There is no internal conflict here distinct from some later external battle; it is all part of one ongoing war.
Revelation 13 develops the same theme. The first beast is said to make war on the saints and conquer them (Rev 13:7), while the second beast deceives the world into worshiping the first beast (Rev 13:14). Once again, persecution and deception are intertwined. The saints suffer outwardly under the beast’s assault, even as the world is spiritually corrupted by false worship. The text does not present this as a separate “internal war” followed later by an “external war.” Both forms of conflict are presented together as one continuous reality of the dragon’s assault on God’s people.
This thread comes to its climax in Revelation 19. There Christ defeats the beast and the false prophet and casts them into the lake of fire (Rev 19:19–20). The final scene connects directly back to the dragon’s earlier war in chapter 12 and the beast’s persecution and deception in chapter 13. Rather than describing two distinct wars, the narrative of Revelation ties these strands together as one conflict that culminates in Christ’s decisive victory.
This same pattern is found outside of Revelation. In Matthew 24, Jesus describes one tribulation that includes both persecution and deception. Believers will be handed over to tribulation and killed (Matt 24:9), while false christs and false prophets will arise to deceive many (Matt 24:11, 24). Alongside these trials, Jesus speaks of cosmic signs—the sun darkened, the stars falling from heaven—which immediately precede His coming in glory (Matt 24:29–30). There is no division into two wars; the same tribulation contains both persecution and deception, climaxing in the final coming of Christ.
Daniel 7 also follows this pattern. The fourth beast wages war against the saints and prevails for a time (Dan 7:21, 25), but in the same vision the Son of Man is given dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom (Dan 7:13–14, 27). The war of the beast and the victory of the Son of Man are part of one sequence, not two unrelated conflicts separated by different stages of history.
Taken together, Revelation, Matthew 24, and Daniel 7 consistently describe a single eschatological war. This conflict includes Satan’s deception of the world, the persecution of God’s people, and the final cosmic showdown at Christ’s return. By dividing this into “two wars,” Shincheonji imposes a framework foreign to the biblical text. Scripture presents one continuous conflict culminating in the victory of Christ’s eternal kingdom—not two separate battles.
| Shincheonji’s Teaching | Biblical Teaching |
|---|---|
| Two Wars: 1) Internal war of betrayal within the “tabernacle” → destruction, 2) External war of global persecution and final battle. | One War: Revelation, Matthew 24, and Daniel 7 consistently present persecution, deception, and cosmic conflict as a single eschatological struggle. |
| Revelation 12 = “internal betrayal war” within the tabernacle. | Revelation 12 = Dragon wages war on the saints and deceives the whole world — persecution + deception together (Rev 12:9, 17). |
| Revelation 13 = part of internal war, limited to church betrayal. | Revelation 13 = Beast makes war on the saints (persecution) and deceives the nations into idolatry (Rev 13:7, 14). Both happen within the same conflict. |
| Revelation 19 = the separate external war (final global battle). | Revelation 19 = Christ defeats beast and false prophet, climax of the same conflict begun in Rev 12–13 — not a second war, but the conclusion of one. |
| Matthew 24 = read through SCJ’s two-war lens: church betrayal first, then external persecution. | Matthew 24 = One tribulation: believers persecuted (24:9), false prophets deceive (24:11, 24), cosmic signs (24:29–30) → Christ’s return. |
| Daniel 7 = read as two stages of war. | Daniel 7 = One vision: beast wages war on saints (7:21, 25), but same sequence ends with Son of Man receiving eternal kingdom (7:13–14, 27). |
| Framework imposed on text: two separate wars are needed to sustain betrayal–destruction–salvation doctrine. | Framework in text: one continuous conflict, culminating in Christ’s decisive and eternal victory. |
Additional References for more Exploration
Related Collections: additional articles and details connected to this main article (themes, studies, and terms), offering context, depth, and insights that continue to grow over time. New titles will be added, much like books placed on a shelf as the collection expands.
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.