Introduction
Before examining the individual components of the four horses in Revelation 6, it is necessary to address a central interpretive move that underlies Shincheonji’s entire system. Shincheonji treats every detail of the horses, colors, and objects as isolated symbols that secretly refer to the internal dynamics of a single Korean church called the Tabernacle Temple. They claim that the “earth” in Revelation 6 represents this congregation and that the judgments of the seals unfold entirely within that community. However, this foundational assumption cannot be sustained once we let Revelation define its own terms. Throughout the book, the “earth” is never used to describe the covenant community or the church. Instead, it consistently refers to the physical world, the nations of humanity, or the realm of unbelievers who oppose God. The repeated phrase “those who dwell on the earth” always denotes hostile, idolatrous humanity in contrast to the saints. This pattern appears in Revelation 3:10, 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 13:8, 13:12, 13:14, 17:2, and 17:8. In every instance, earth-dwellers stand in opposition to God’s people rather than representing them. Once this key term is restored to its biblical usage, Shincheonji’s entire interpretive structure collapses. The horses cannot be an allegory about the internal fall of a Korean congregation because the scene itself is not set within the church but within the world under divine judgment. Only with this context in place can we meaningfully examine the components of the white, red, black, and pale horses and understand their symbolic function within the unfolding sequence of the seals.
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)
Revelation 6:1-8 and the Four Horsemen
Shincheonji would of course point out the different components of the 4 horses as proof text that they have the correct understanding of the book of Revelation.
Before continuing, there’s another key important parable to show that it isn’t correct, the way that the “earth” is interpreted. Shincheonji believes that the “earth” of Revelation 6 is in reference to a Korean church called the “Tabernacle Temple”. Through this, we can then dismantle the idea.
One important thing to note, Shincheonji would try to map the “earth” onto a Korean church, or God’s chosen people who betrayed. However, when just letting the book of Revelation read for itself, the text actually contradicts Shincheonji.
In Revelation, the “earth” is never defined as “the church,” and the book consistently uses the term in ways that make such an interpretation impossible. Throughout the visions, “earth” refers to the physical world, the nations of humanity, or the realm of unbelievers who stand in opposition to God. This is especially clear in the repeated phrase “those who dwell on the earth,” which always describes people who resist God, persecute His people, or follow the Beast. Revelation 3:10, 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 13:8, 13:12, 13:14, and 17:2 and 17:8 all use “earth” or “earth-dwellers” to denote hostile, unbelieving humanity, not the redeemed community. In every one of these passages, the “earth-dwellers” are contrasted with the saints, the witnesses, or those sealed by God. At no point does John employ “earth” as a symbol for the congregation or for believers. This makes Shincheonji’s reinterpretation unsustainable, because Revelation’s own usage consistently identifies “earth” with the world in rebellion against God, never with the church.
| Topic | Biblical Evidence | SCJ Claim | Why SCJ’s Claim Fails |
| Definition of “Earth” in Revelation | “Earth” refers to the physical world, the nations, or humanity opposed to God. It never refers to the church. | “Earth” symbolizes the church or congregation that betrayed God. | Revelation never applies “earth” to believers. The term consistently describes unbelieving humanity. |
| “Those who dwell on the earth” | This phrase appears in Revelation 3:10, 6:10, 8:13, 11:10, 13:8, 13:12, 13:14, 17:2, and 17:8. In every passage it refers to people who resist God, follow the Beast, or persecute the saints. | Earth-dwellers are Christians in the Tabernacle Temple who became corrupt or deceived. | Every occurrence contrasts earth-dwellers with the saints, with the witnesses, or with those sealed by God. They are always hostile to God. |
| Contrast with the Saints | John contrasts “earth-dwellers” with believers. Saints are protected, sealed, or faithful witnesses, never grouped with the earth. | Earth = congregation, saints = only those who join SCJ. | Revelation never places believers under the category of “earth.” The categories are mutually exclusive. |
| Symbolic Usage | John uses consistent symbolic language. “Earth” is tied to judgment, rebellion, idolatry, and unbelief. | “Earth” becomes a flexible symbol that shifts depending on SCJ doctrine. | SCJ’s interpretation cannot be sustained because it contradicts the repeated pattern established by the text itself. |
| Overall Conclusion | Revelation uses “earth” for the world in rebellion against God and never for the church. | “Earth” is the fallen church that SCJ replaces. | Revelation’s usage makes SCJ’s reinterpretation impossible. “Earth” never refers to a covenant community. |
The White Horse, the bow, and crown
Revelation 6:1-2 – I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
The Crown
Shincheonji’s Perspective
Shincheonji teaches that the white horse in Revelation 6:2 symbolizes the flesh that Jesus’ spirit uses at the time of fulfillment. In their system, a horse always represents a human body that a spirit “rides,” so the white horse becomes the righteous person whom Jesus chooses to work through — specifically, the one who overcomes, whom SCJ identifies as Lee Manhee. Because the horse is white, SCJ interprets this as the pure, victorious, and qualified human vessel through whom God reveals the “promised word” in the last days. Thus, the white horse is not a heavenly symbol of judgment but a parable of Jesus operating through a chosen human messenger on earth.
The crown given to the rider is interpreted by SCJ as the authority bestowed upon this chosen pastor at the time of Revelation’s fulfillment. They teach that the crown represents the spiritual kingship Jesus gives to the overcomer (again, Lee Manhee), enabling him to conquer with the revealed word. In their view, this crown is not a symbol of divine judgment but a sign that the one who overcomes has been appointed as the leader of God’s new kingdom, the 12 tribes of Shincheonji. The white horse and crown together are used to claim that Revelation 6:2 depicts the moment when Jesus selects and authorizes the promised pastor who will carry out the final work of salvation on earth.
Doctrinal Issues
The crown given to the rider in Revelation 6:2 is described using the Greek word stephanos, meaning a victor’s wreath rather than a royal diadem. This distinction is significant. The stephanos was awarded to those who had already achieved victory or were commissioned to conquer on behalf of another. It symbolizes delegated triumph, not inherent sovereignty. The text also uses the passive phrase “a crown was given to him,” which is a common apocalyptic construction indicating that authority is granted by God rather than seized by human initiative. Similar language appears throughout Revelation (“it was given to him…”), underscoring that all power exercised within the vision is derived from heaven.
The use of the stephanos rather than the diadēma (a royal crown) highlights that the rider operates under divine commission, not independent kingship. True kingship, represented by multiple diadems, belongs exclusively to Christ in Revelation 19:12. The rider of the white horse therefore acts as an instrument of divine will, executing authority that originates from the Lamb who opens the seals.
In this context, the crown represents not the exaltation of a human vessel but the conferral of heavenly authority to carry out a particular act of judgment. The imagery affirms the sovereignty of Christ over all subsequent events, reminding readers that every act of conquest or calamity that follows proceeds only under His command. The stephanos thus functions as a visual affirmation that the Lamb reigns, delegating power while retaining absolute control.
The Bow
Shincheonji’s Perspective
Shincheonji teaches that the bow in Revelation 6:2 symbolizes the Word of testimony that the “one who overcomes” (whom they identify as Lee Manhee) uses to conquer spiritually. Because the rider on the white horse goes out “conquering,” SCJ argues that this conquering is not judgment from heaven but victory through teaching and testimony. In their symbolic system, arrows represent “words shot into people’s hearts,” and so a bow becomes the tool used to deliver that teaching. Even though Revelation does not mention arrows at all, SCJ interprets the bow as the instrument through which the promised pastor spreads the revealed word, defeats false doctrines, and gathers the 12 tribes.
They also teach that the absence of arrows supports their theology, claiming it implies the victory is “bloodless” and “spiritual,” achieved through the pastor’s teaching rather than physical warfare. In SCJ’s narrative, the bow represents the revealed word that exposes the lies of Babylon, separates wheat from weeds, and brings judgment upon the false pastors of the Tabernacle Temple. Thus, the bow becomes a metaphor for doctrinal victory, reinforcing their claim that the white horse rider is not a divine judgment figure but the chosen pastor through whom Jesus works to conquer during the time of Revelation’s fulfillment.
Doctrinal Issues
The bow held by the rider in Revelation 6:2 functions as a symbol of divine judgment and conquest, not as a metaphor for human teaching or testimony. In the Old Testament, the bow is frequently associated with God’s warrior imagery—depicting Him as the divine King who subdues His enemies by the power of His word and decree. Habakkuk 3:9 declares, “You stripped the sheath from your bow,” while Psalm 45:4–5 describes the messianic King whose arrows pierce the hearts of His foes. In these passages, the bow signifies the execution of God’s justice, His ability to strike decisively and bring His will to pass. The rider’s bow in Revelation draws on that same imagery, portraying heaven’s initiative in judgment rather than human action on earth.
Notably, John does not mention arrows. This omission suggests that the victory is not achieved through combat but by divine authority alone—the rider’s conquest is certain and unopposed. His triumph stems not from effort or resistance but from the sovereign word and command of the Lamb. The absence of arrows thus intensifies the image of unstoppable, bloodless victory, showing that divine decrees themselves accomplish God’s purposes without need for physical warfare.
By contrast, Shincheonji reinterprets the bow as “the Word of testimony shot into people’s hearts,” reducing an image of divine conquest to an allegory of teaching or evangelism. But within the apocalyptic context, the bow does not signify instruction; it symbolizes the release of judgment from heaven. Together with the crown, the bow completes the picture of authority and power delegated by the Lamb. It portrays the first rider as an instrument of God’s sovereign will, going out to conquer because heaven has spoken.
The Red Horse and the Great Sword
Revelation 6:3-4 – 3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
Shincheonji’s Perspective
Shincheonji interprets the red horse in Revelation 6:4 as a symbol of a false pastor or false congregation that appears after the white horse. In their system, “red” represents persecution, conflict, and betrayal within the church, so the red horse becomes a corrupt pastor who “takes peace from the earth” by spreading false teachings and causing spiritual division. They argue that this horse symbolizes the destruction of spiritual peace within the Tabernacle Temple — the moment when false pastors begin opposing the work of the one who overcomes. Instead of reading it as a global judgment or literal warfare, SCJ reduces the imagery to a symbolic portrayal of internal church corruption that prepares the stage for the fall of the Tabernacle Temple.
The great sword is interpreted as “false words” or “false testimony” spoken by this corrupt pastor. In SCJ teaching, swords represent words — specifically, teachings that cut or kill spiritually. They argue that the “great sword” given to the red horse’s rider symbolizes a powerful false doctrine used to deceive and “slay” believers by leading them astray. Rather than seeing the sword as an instrument of war authorized by God, SCJ views it as a metaphor for the destructive influence of lies within the church. In their reconstructed storyline, the red horse and its great sword represent the rise of false pastors whose teachings corrupt the Tabernacle Temple, resulting in spiritual death and the removal of peace — all of which they claim occurred invisibly before the establishment of Shincheonji.
Doctrinal Issues
The term “bright red” (pyrros) means “fiery red” and evokes the color of blood, a usage seen elsewhere in Scripture such as Revelation 12:3 and Zechariah 1:8. In this context, the color directly signals violence and bloodshed rather than symbolic false doctrine. As part of the composite image, it sets the emotional tone for what follows, preparing the reader for a scene marked by conflict and killing. This fits the narrative immediately, since the text goes on to say that people “slay one another.” Shincheonji’s parabolic reading that equates blood with “persecution” overlooks the plain, literal color imagery and the direct connection to bloodshed established by the vision itself. The red does not represent a new group spreading falsehood; it visually reinforces the central theme of the second seal — the eruption of bloody conflict on the earth.
To Take Peace from the Earth
The statement that the rider is “permitted to take peace from the earth” uses a deliberate passive construction that signals divine authorization. The phrase describes the removal of ordinary social stability, not the spiritual peace of reconciliation with God. This is clarified by the immediate effect: “so that people should slay one another.” The peace taken is civil and national peace, the basic conditions that prevent societies from descending into violence. This understanding aligns with Jesus’ own warnings in Matthew 24:6–7 about wars and rumors of wars, and it matches Old Testament passages like Jeremiah 4:10 and Ezekiel 14:17, where God removes peace from a land as an act of judgment. Shincheonji’s redefinition of “peace” as “truth” cannot stand in this context. The text itself defines the peace being taken by the result that follows: widespread killing. The vision is about the unleashing of war, not the spread of false doctrine. Within the composite imagery of the second seal, the act of removing peace functions as a unified element showing that heaven is permitting conflict to break out across the earth.
“He Was Given a Great Sword” (μάχαιρα μεγάλη)
The text notes that the rider is given a “great sword,” and this detail is significant. The sword is not seized or earned; it is granted, which again highlights divine permission and heavenly initiative. The term machaira commonly refers to an actual weapon used for killing, as seen in passages like Matthew 26:52 and Romans 13:4. It is not a typical metaphor for “words” or “teaching.” The adjective “great” underscores the scale of authority and destruction being authorized.
This imagery is consistent with Old Testament patterns. Ezekiel 21:9–11 speaks of God’s sword sharpened for slaughter, and in the Greek Old Testament the sword of judgment is regularly associated with God’s actions rather than Satan’s. It also appears within the canonical “four judgments” of Ezekiel 14:21—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—which correspond closely to the unfolding sequence in Revelation 6.
Within the composite image of the red horse, the “great sword” symbolizes divinely sanctioned large-scale bloodshed, an intensification of judgment rather than a shift of symbolism to represent “false testimony.” This creates a coherent picture: peace is removed, and the sword is authorized, resulting in widespread killing.
Shincheonji’s interpretation falters at this point. If the sword here represents “false testimony,” then the same symbol should apply in Revelation 19:15, where a sharp sword comes from Christ’s mouth. That would require concluding that Jesus conquers with falsehood, which is impossible and contrary to the entire theology of Revelation. The consistent reading is that in both passages the sword represents divine judgment—in Revelation 6 expressed through war, and in Revelation 19 expressed through the sovereign Word of Christ.
In summary, the “great sword” is a judicial emblem signaling violent conflict permitted by the Lamb, not a symbolic reference to deceptive speech.
Expected Push Back and “Spiritual Death”
When Shincheonji encounters the red horse in Revelation 6, they argue that the “killing” it brings is only a “spiritual death” caused by false doctrine. This move allows them to reinterpret scenes of judgment and persecution as mere symbolic descriptions of teaching corruption. However, this interpretation collapses immediately when we follow the language of Revelation itself.
In Revelation 6:4, the red horse is given authority to take peace from the earth so that people would kill one another. Whether one follows the main textual reading or the variant that explicitly uses the verb ἀποκτείνω (apokteinō), the context is unmistakable: this is violent killing tied to warfare, social upheaval, and the breakdown of civil order. This is not symbolic teaching; it is the imagery of literal bloodshed, consistent with the Old Testament background for the four horsemen.
Now look just a few verses later. In Revelation 6:9–10, John sees the souls of the martyrs under the altar. Shincheonji readily admits these martyrs were physically killed for their faith. And when these martyrs cry out to God, they refer to the ones on earth who “killed” them using the exact same Greek verb: ἀποκτείνω (apokteinō).
Revelation 6:10
“How long, O Lord… will you not avenge our blood on those who killed (τοὺς ἀποκτείναντας) us?”
The same verb used for the bloodshed unleashed by the red horse is the verb the martyrs themselves use to describe their own deaths. The text does not switch symbols, change definitions, or introduce a new layer of meaning. John uses ἀποκτείνω consistently to describe actual killing.
This consistency exposes the core contradiction in the Shincheonji interpretation. SCJ claims that the killings of the red horse are spiritual, yet they admit that the martyrs in the very same chapter were physically killed—even though both passages use the same vocabulary for killing. SCJ quietly flips the meaning depending on what supports their doctrine.
Revelation does not.
The Greek does not.
The context does not.
The killings of the red horse are portrayed as real violence on earth, and the martyrs speak of their own deaths using the same word. The consistent usage of ἀποκτείνω throughout Revelation 6 makes it impossible to reduce the red horse’s killing to symbolic “spiritual death” without also reducing the deaths of the martyrs to mere metaphor—something SCJ cannot do without collapsing their entire reading of Revelation.
The red horse represents the outbreak of divinely permitted warfare, the second stage of judgment following conquest.
Its “great sword” is not a parable of words but a symbol of massive conflict; its removal of peace depicts the lifting of divine restraint, leading humanity into self-destruction.
Every detail — the fiery color, the action, and the sword — reinforces one idea: God’s sovereignty over war.
SCJ’s attempt to isolate each component (color, peace, sword) as separate parables of “flesh and spirit” fragments the vision.
John’s composite imagery portrays one coherent judgment proceeding from heaven, not a hidden code about angels possessing people.
The Black Horse
Revelation 6:5-6 – “When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come!’ And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!’”
Shincheonji’s Perspective
Shincheonji teaches:
- Black = darkness or spiritual ignorance.
- Scales = the word of God, by which people are weighed.
- Wheat and barley = believers or saints.
- Oil and wine = pastors or leaders (who are not to be harmed).
- The “voice” represents the command from heaven to allow partial destruction but preserve the “true leaders.”
This turns the black horse into a parable of spiritual famine and partial judgment within a congregation, tied to their “tabernacle temple” narrative.
Doctrinal Issues
Darkness just spiritual ignorance?
SCJ argues that “darkness” always means “ignorance of the Word,” and therefore black or dark imagery in Revelation symbolizes a spiritually ignorant congregation. This becomes a pillar for their “famine = no word,” “black = false pastor,” and “darkened sun/moon/stars = corrupted Christianity” interpretations.
But the biblical evidence contradicts this at every level.
Darkness in Scripture Has Multiple Meanings
Scripture uses the symbol of darkness in many different ways. Sometimes darkness refers to judgment and calamity, such as in Exodus 10 where the ninth plague brings literal darkness as a sign of God’s punishment on Egypt. Amos 5 describes the Day of the Lord as darkness rather than light, and Zephaniah 1 speaks of a day of darkness and gloom as a picture of destruction. Darkness can also represent death. Job 10 calls Sheol the land of darkness, and Psalm 88 portrays the realm of the dead as a place of forgetfulness and shadow. In other passages darkness describes evil and wickedness, as Proverbs 4 says that the way of the wicked is like deep darkness.
Darkness can also signify spiritual blindness. Isaiah 9 describes those who walk in darkness as people who are spiritually lost, and Ephesians 4 speaks of unbelievers as darkened in their understanding. Throughout Scripture the word does not carry a single meaning. It functions as a multivocal symbol whose meaning depends entirely on context. SCJ treats darkness as if it always means one thing, specifically the lack of revealed teaching or ignorance of parables, but no verse anywhere in Scripture defines it that way. Their definition does not come from the Bible. It comes from their doctrine, which they then read back into the text.
| Verse | Quotation | Explanation |
| Exodus 10:21 through 23 | “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt, darkness that can be felt.’” | This darkness is a literal plague that functions as judgment on Egypt. It is not symbolic confusion but a physical sign of divine punishment. |
| Amos 5:18 through 20 | “The Day of the Lord will be darkness, not light.” | The imagery of darkness represents coming national judgment. It describes calamity and destruction, not doctrinal misunderstanding. |
| Zephaniah 1:15 | “A day of darkness and gloom.” | Darkness symbolizes the terror and devastation of the Day of the Lord. It is an image of divine wrath on nations, not the spiritual state of a single congregation. |
This is Circular Reasoning
SCJ argues that darkness means lack of the revealed word, but when asked why, their answer depends on passages that they have already reinterpreted according to that assumption. This is circular reasoning rather than biblical exegesis. Instead of letting Scripture define its symbols, they begin with their own doctrinal idea and then use selective allegory to force verses into that framework. This is proof texting, not interpretation.
In Revelation itself darkness always refers to judgment, calamity, or plague rather than doctrinal confusion. Revelation 6 describes the sun turning black and the moon becoming like blood, which parallels Joel 2 and Isaiah 13, both of which speak of cosmic signs of judgment. Revelation 8 speaks of a third of the sun, moon, and stars being darkened in the context of physical upheaval that echoes the Exodus plagues. Revelation 9 describes darkness caused by smoke rising from the abyss, which represents demonic judgment. Revelation 16 speaks of the Beast’s kingdom being plunged into darkness as part of a plague. None of these passages connect darkness with ignorance of teaching. In every case the meaning is tied to judgment, not incorrect doctrine.
SCJ: Darkness means lack of the revealed word.
Why?
SCJ: Because passages involving darkness can be interpreted that way.
This is not exegesis. It is proof-texting through selective allegory.
In Revelation itself, darkness always refers to judgment, not ignorance.
Darkness in Revelation Always Refers to Judgment
Revelation 6:12
| Verse | Quotation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Revelation 6:12 | “The sun became black as sackcloth, the whole moon became like blood.” | This reflects cosmic judgment and parallels Joel 2 and Isaiah 13. It refers to signs in the heavens that announce the Day of the Lord, not a failure to understand doctrine. |
Revelation 8:12
| Verse | Quotation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Revelation 8:12 | “A third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck.” | The context mirrors the physical plagues of Exodus. Darkness is part of catastrophic, physical judgment affecting creation. |
Revelation 9:2
| Verse | Quotation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Revelation 9:2 | “The sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the abyss.” | This darkness is caused by demonic forces released in judgment. It is a plague, not a symbol for doctrinal confusion. |
Revelation 16:10
| Verse | Quotation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Revelation 16:10 | “Its kingdom was plunged into darkness.” | This judgment falls on the Beast’s kingdom. The darkness signifies divine punishment and suffering, not a lack of teaching. |
Key Point Summary
| Claim | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Darkness in Revelation consistently represents judgment | Every occurrence involves calamity, plague, or cosmic upheaval. |
| No instance connects darkness to doctrinal ignorance | SCJ imports this meaning rather than deriving it from the text. |
Revelation 6:5 through 6 Describes Economic Famine, Not Doctrinal Famine
| Verse | Quotation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Revelation 6:5 through 6 | “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine.” | The black horse’s rider uses scales for measuring grain, and the verse lists specific prices for food. This clearly points to economic scarcity and inflated costs due to famine. Nothing in the language suggests doctrinal famine or a lack of teaching. It is describing real world shortages. |
The scales
As already explained, a lot of the proof texts that are used to support the concept that the scale means the word that God uses to weigh a person’s faith isn’t truly supported by their contexts, and that instead, SCJ is just collapsing different genres and verses and molding them to make the Bible say whatever they want it to say.
The symbolism of the scales centers on the Greek word zygos, which literally means yoke or balance, and in Revelation 6 it conveys the idea of weighing and rationing food, paralleling Ezekiel 4:16 where the people eat bread by weight and with anxiety. There is no linguistic or contextual indication that the scales represent the measurement of doctrine. Instead, the rider holds the scales to depict scarcity under divine control, making the vision socio-economic rather than ecclesial. The instruction not to harm the oil and the wine highlights that oil and wine were luxury items in antiquity, and the command reflects a partial judgment in which necessities are scarce while luxuries remain. This underscores measured and restrained judgment, showing that God limits destruction rather than protects pastors. Hosea 2:8–9 provides a parallel by depicting God withholding grain but allowing other produce, symbolizing His control over livelihood.
The black horse is not a parable of spiritual famine but an image of divinely permitted economic judgment within the global sequence of Revelation’s seal judgments. SCJ’s interpretation breaks genre, context, and theology by replacing the Lamb’s cosmic authority with an internal church drama centered on a single human leader.
The Pale Horse
Revelation 6:7 – 8 – When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
Shincheonji’s Perspective
Shincheonji argues that the “death” brought by the Pale Horse in Revelation 6:8 is strictly a “spiritual death” caused by accepting false doctrine. In their system, the congregation of the Tabernacle Temple is spiritually harmed by Nicolaitan teachings, and this becomes the predetermined meaning of the horse’s plague.
Doctrinal Issues
Yet nothing in the text signals that this death is symbolic. Revelation explicitly marks its symbolic interpretations elsewhere (“spiritually called,” “the lampstands are,” “the waters are”), but no such signal is given here. The Pale Horse receives authority over a fourth of the earth to kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts—language drawn directly from Ezekiel’s judgments on nations. These are historical, not allegorical, covenant-judgment motifs.
Shincheonji’s position collapses further when the very next vision is examined. In Revelation 6:9–10, the martyrs cry out to God and describe those on earth who “killed” them using the same Greek verb (ἀποκτείνω, apokteinō) used for the death caused by the Pale Horse. SCJ acknowledges that the martyrs were physically killed for their faith. However, if the verb describing the martyrs’ death is literal, then the same verb used for the Pale Horse’s killing must also be literal unless the text itself signals a change in meaning. No such change occurs. The genre, grammar, narrative flow, and semantic usage remain consistent across the passages. SCJ’s interpretive shift is driven not by textual clues but by doctrinal necessity.
This inconsistency reveals a deeper flaw in SCJ’s hermeneutics: whenever a literal reading disrupts their theology of internal church corruption, they switch to symbolic interpretation; but whenever a symbolic reading undermines their fulfillment narrative, they switch back to literal. The Pale Horse exposes this instability with particular clarity. If its killing is spiritual, then the martyrs’ killing must be spiritual. If the martyrs’ killing is physical, then the Pale Horse’s killing must be physical. SCJ attempts to hold both simultaneously, but the shared vocabulary, shared context, and shared narrative structure of Revelation 6 do not allow such flexibility. The inconsistency is textual, not theological—and it is entirely on their side.
| Topic | Biblical Text | SCJ Interpretation | Correct Interpretation / Refutation |
| Nature of the Pale Horse’s Death | Revelation 6:8 | SCJ claims the Pale Horse brings spiritual death caused by false doctrine in the Tabernacle Temple. | Nothing in the text signals symbolism. Revelation always signals symbols (“spiritually called,” “the lampstands are,” “the waters are”). Seal 4 uses Ezekiel-style covenant judgment language—historically applied to actual disasters (sword, famine, plague, wild beasts). |
| Greek Verb for “Kill” (ἀποκτείνω) | Revelation 6:8, 6:9–10 | SCJ claims the Pale Horse kills spiritually, but the martyrs were killed physically. | The same Greek verb (ἀποκτείνω) is used in both verses. If it is spiritual in Seal 4, consistency demands spiritual “killing” in Seal 5. If it is literal in Seal 5, Seal 4 must also be literal. The text gives no indication of a semantic shift. |
| Narrative Flow and Consistency | Revelation 6 (Seals 1–5) | SCJ switches between symbolic and literal interpretations whenever needed to preserve their doctrine. | Revelation’s narrative, grammar, and genre remain consistent across Seal 4 and Seal 5. The shift in SCJ’s interpretation is not based on textual markers but on preserving their doctrinal system. This exposes a hermeneutical inconsistency: SCJ must affirm literal death for the martyrs while denying literal death for the Pale Horse, despite identical language. |
Expected Push Back
Revelation 6:8 –
8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
Shincheonji may point to how 1/4th of the world was killed, and even ask the question whether or not a literal quarter of the earth would be killed off?
Doctrinal Issues
Revelation uses numbers symbolically, but always within its own apocalyptic framework rather than to redefine the setting as purely spiritual. A quarter represents limited judgment, a third in the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8–9 represents intensified judgment, and a full measure (one or one hundred percent) represents final, total judgment in Revelation 16. This progression from a quarter to a third to full judgment illustrates measured divine control over escalating worldwide judgments, not proportions within a congregation. The interpretive principle is that a symbolic number does not imply a spiritualized setting.
We can see this idea be reinforced with the rest of Revelation –
| Theme | Revelation 6:8 | Exodus Plagues | Theological Meaning |
| Divine control over life and death | Death and Hades given authority to kill by sword, famine, pestilence, and beasts | God strikes Egypt with death, disease, and natural calamities | God’s sovereignty over creation and judgment on human rebellion |
| Sequential escalation | Fourth seal follows conquest, war, and famine | Plagues increase in severity and scope | Both show measured judgment leading up to deliverance |
| Moral purpose | Warnings before final wrath (trumpets, bowls) | To compel repentance and reveal divine authority | God’s patience before full judgment |
| Universal scope | “A fourth of the earth” | Egypt as representative of worldly power | Judgment not confined to one nation or group |
And we have the connection of the Trumpets and the Bowls –
| Sequence | Scale | Description | Parallels |
| Seals (Rev 6–8) | ¼ of the earth | Preliminary judgments — conquest, war, famine, death | Echo the Exodus plagues in form but globalized |
| Trumpets (Rev 8–9, 11) | ⅓ of the earth | Intensified judgments — hail, fire, bitter waters, darkness, locusts | Explicit echoes of Exodus 7–10 (hail, water to blood, darkness, locusts) |
| Bowls (Rev 16) | Full / 100% | Final, complete wrath — sores, blood, scorching heat, darkness, earthquake | Final plagues mirror and complete the Exodus pattern |
Each cycle repeats the Exodus typology, Blood, hail, and darkness reappear, and the repeated statement that people do not repent in Revelation 9:20–21 mirrors Pharaoh’s hardened heart in Exodus. These patterns show that God’s judgments are cosmic and global, not localized within a single church.
Conclusion
The interpretation of the four horsemen in Revelation 6 must come from the text itself, its Old Testament background, and the literary patterns that Revelation consistently follows. When those criteria are applied, the meaning becomes clear. Each horseman represents a stage of divine judgment initiated by the Lamb, unfolding in a controlled sequence that mirrors the covenant judgments of Ezekiel and the plagues of Exodus. The imagery is global, cosmic, and judicial. It is not a parable about the internal corruption of a single congregation in Korea, nor is it a coded narrative about the rise of a modern religious leader.
Shincheonji’s interpretations collapse because they replace John’s composite imagery with fragmented allegories that are supplied by their doctrine rather than derived from Scripture. They treat symbols as if they carry fixed and universal meanings, even though Scripture uses these same symbols in multiple ways across different contexts. They selectively switch between literal and symbolic readings to protect their fulfillment narrative, creating inconsistencies that the biblical text refuses to support. Their interpretation requires that divine judgment be invisible, unrecognized, and confined to a small group, even though Revelation repeatedly emphasizes visible cosmic signs, global upheaval, and universal human response.
The white horse is not a metaphor for a human pastor chosen as a vessel of revelation. It is a judicial rider commissioned by the Lamb, bearing a victor’s wreath and a bow that symbolize conquest granted by heaven. The red horse does not represent internal church division or false testimony. It is the release of war on a global scale, marked by violence, the removal of civil peace, and the granting of a great sword. The black horse does not signify a famine of the word or an ignorant congregation. It portrays an economic crisis under divine restraint, echoing the rationing language of Ezekiel. The pale horse does not bring spiritual death. It brings the same literal death described later in the chapter when martyrs speak of being killed with the same verb. The narrative, grammar, and imagery remain consistent.
Taken together, the four horsemen present the opening phase of God’s judgment on a rebellious world. They are the Lamb’s sovereign actions, not the coded history of a Korean church collapse. Each rider proceeds only after the Lamb breaks a seal, and each judgment mirrors the broader prophetic pattern of God confronting a hardened world before the final outpouring of wrath. The text directs the reader upward to the throne room and outward to the nations, never inward to a single modern organization.
The conclusion is unavoidable. Revelation 6 communicates divine authority, global judgment, and cosmic upheaval. It does not describe the establishment of a promised pastor, the fall of the Tabernacle Temple, or the doctrinal struggles of a local congregation. Shincheonji’s interpretation must be rejected because it contradicts the imagery, vocabulary, context, and structure of the biblical text at every point. The vision belongs to the Lamb who opens the seals, and its meaning is found in Scripture, not in the claims of any human messenger.