Introduction
The question of the “seal” in Revelation is central to Shincheonji’s theology, because their system depends on redefining this biblical symbol as the reception of secret knowledge through a human pastor. According to SCJ, God’s seal is essentially the revealed word delivered by Lee Man-Hee, and believers are sealed when they memorize these teachings and accept his interpretation as the true fulfillment of Revelation. Their official materials claim that God’s seal is His word, and that the one who receives this revelation acts as God’s signet, sealing others by teaching them the fulfilled reality of prophecy. In this framework, sealing is not the work of God’s Spirit but the doctrinal alignment of a believer with SCJ’s teachings. The seal becomes an intellectual marker that identifies members of the 12 tribes and distinguishes them from the rest of Christianity, which SCJ views as unsealed, ignorant, and outside of salvation.
A biblical examination, however, reveals that the seal in Revelation is neither secret revelation nor doctrinal conformity, but the work of the Holy Spirit marking believers as God’s own. Throughout Scripture, sealing is consistently God’s action, not the action of any human or pastor. Ezekiel 9 provides the Old Testament background for Revelation 7, showing that those marked on the forehead are those who grieve over sin, not those who receive hidden knowledge. The New Testament further clarifies this pattern. Believers are sealed when they hear the gospel, believe in Christ, and are given the Holy Spirit as God’s mark of ownership and protection. The seal is tied to repentance, faith, and divine indwelling, not memorization or allegiance to a particular organization. When the biblical context is allowed to speak for itself, it becomes clear that SCJ replaces the Spirit’s seal with an institutional one, transferring the authority of God’s Spirit to the authority of a human leader.
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)
Shincheonji’s Perspective
The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation pg 153 – 154
The events that occur in fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation become the testimony that confirms the actual location of this place. What does it mean to put God’s seal on the foreheads of God’s servants? God’s seal is God’s word (Jn 1:1-4, Jb 33:16), and the pastor who has received God’s word (Hg 2:23). People are sealed on their The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation foreheads with God’s seal when they record God’s word in their minds ‘and hearts (Heb 8:10).
hincheonji would then point to how the “Spirit” is the word (John 6:63).
This idea is refuted here:
https://closerlookinitiative.com/archives/6253#1754797024453-e74c2100-8e8c
As for the seal mentioned in Revelation 7, let’s break this down:
- Who seals? God (by the Spirit) — not a human pastor (Rev 7:2–3; Eph 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22).
- What does it do? Identifies the redeemed as belonging to God and preserves them through judgment (Rev 7:3; 9:4) — not necessarily from suffering (cf. Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22).
- Where is it placed? “On their foreheads” (Rev 7:3). In biblical idiom the forehead signifies mind/allegiance (cf. Deut 6:6–8; Rev 14:1; 22:4).
- When are believers sealed? Inaugurally at conversion (Pentecost onward; Eph 1:13–14), visibly portrayed in Revelation as the church’s protection amid tribulation (Rev 7; 9:4).
Doctrinal Issues
Ezekiel 9 provides the essential Old Testament background for understanding the seal in Revelation 7, revealing that God’s mark has always been given to those who belong to Him because of their repentance and allegiance, not because of secret knowledge or prophetic insight. In Ezekiel’s vision, God marks only those who grieve over sin, distinguishing the faithful remnant from the corrupt majority before judgment falls. This mark, the Hebrew tav, symbolized ownership, protection, and identification with God. Revelation 7 repeats this exact pattern on a global scale, while the New Testament clarifies that the true seal is the Holy Spirit given to all who hear the gospel and believe in Christ. This biblical framework shows that sealing is entirely God’s work through His Spirit, rooted in repentance and faith, not the result of memorizing doctrines or receiving hidden interpretations from a human pastor.
Ezekiel 9 and the Mark of the Mourners
In Ezekiel 9, the prophet sees a vision of Jerusalem under judgment. God calls out six executioners to destroy the wicked, but before they begin, another man — “clothed in linen with a writing kit at his side” — receives this command:
Ezekiel 9:4
“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”
Only those who mourned over sin – who were heartbroken by the idolatry and injustice of God’s people – received the mark. This mark wasn’t about having knowledge or understanding of prophecy; it was a spiritual sign of repentance and allegiance to God’s righteousness.
Those marked were spared; everyone else faced judgment (Ezekiel 9:5–6).
The Meaning of the Mark (Hebrew: tav, תָּו)
The Hebrew word used for “mark” (tav) was also the last letter of the ancient Hebrew alphabet. In early Hebrew script, this letter was written as a cross-like shape (× or +) — symbolically significant for Christians reading this through the lens of the New Covenant.
This mark represented:
- Ownership — belonging to God amidst judgment.
- Protection — God’s mercy covering those who are faithful.
- Identification — distinguishing the righteous remnant from the corrupt majority.
In essence, God recognized those who were grieved by evil and sealed them as His own.
Then in Revelation 7, we can see the same repeating pattern –
| Ezekiel 9 | Revelation 7 |
| Jerusalem faces judgment. | The world faces judgment under the seals and trumpets. |
| A man in linen marks foreheads. | Angels seal the servants of God on their foreheads. |
| Those marked are spared destruction. | Those sealed are protected from divine wrath. |
| The mark identifies those who mourn sin. | The seal identifies those redeemed by the Lamb. |
Then we can see how the New Covenant through Christ is fulfilled:
- Ephesians 1:13–14 – “You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.”
- Ephesians 4:30 – “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 – “He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts.”
This means the “seal” in Revelation 7 is the Holy Spirit’s mark of belonging and protection, applied to all true believers. It is not intellectual understanding or affiliation with an organization, but God’s own Spirit dwelling within the redeemed.
Shincheonji teaches that the “seal” means receiving the revealed word from Lee Man-Hee and memorizing the parables. But this interpretation collapses when placed next to the biblical background:
- In Ezekiel 9, those marked were mourners over sin — not possessors of new knowledge.
- In Revelation 7, those sealed are servants of God — not followers of a human pastor.
- In Ephesians, sealing is the work of the Holy Spirit — not human teaching.
The biblical seal is God’s mark of repentance and faith, not a badge of secret revelation.
| Biblical Seal | Shincheonji’s Seal |
| Given by the Holy Spirit | Given through Lee Man-Hee |
| Sign of belonging to God | Sign of belonging to SCJ |
| Based on repentance and faith | Based on receiving and memorizing doctrine |
| Ensures spiritual protection | Ensures organizational inclusion |
| Rooted in Ezekiel 9 & Ephesians 1 | Rooted in human reinterpretation |
If anything we can see how SCJ replaces the seal of God with a secret, esoteric knowledge.
| God’s Design | SCJ’s Reversal |
| Seal = Holy Spirit in believers’ hearts (2 Cor 1:22) | Seal = knowledge from Lee Man-Hee |
| Mediator = Christ alone (1 Tim 2:5) | Mediator = “promised pastor” |
| Outcome = Freedom in Christ (John 8:36) | Outcome = Dependence on organization |
| Evidence = Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23) | Evidence = Memorization and conformity |
The theology of the seal in Scripture moves from mourning (Ezek 9) → redemption (Rev 7) → dwelling with God (Rev 22).
Shincheonji may appeal to the following verse:
Romans 10:8-10 –
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” — that is, the word of faith that we proclaim;
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
However, the issue is the following –
The “word” being preached here is the gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection, not the fulfillment of a future prophecy.
“How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? … Faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14–17)
This is not about hearing secret interpretation, but hearing the gospel message itself—that Jesus is Lord, that He died for our sins, and that He rose again (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
Thus, “hearing” refers to the public proclamation of the gospel, not to private revelation through a man.
Paul deliberately defines what “the word” is in verse 8:
“The word is near you… that is, the word of faith we proclaim.”
That “word” is the message of Christ, not a new interpretation.
In fact, John 1:1 identifies Jesus as the Word of God made flesh.
Therefore, to “hear the word” is to hear Christ Himself—His gospel, His voice through Scripture—not to hear Lee Man-Hee or any other teacher who claims exclusive revelation.
Jesus Himself affirmed this in John 5:39–40:
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.”
Faith is not produced by knowing hidden meanings but by knowing the person of Christ.
By redefining “hearing the word” to mean “listening to the promised pastor,” SCJ replaces the authority of Christ’s gospel with the authority of Lee Man-Hee’s revelation.
| Biblical View (Romans 10) | SCJ View |
| “Hearing the word” = Hearing the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection | “Hearing the word” = Hearing Lee Man-Hee’s testimony about Revelation |
| Salvation comes by believing in Christ (Rom 10:9) | Salvation comes by recognizing SCJ’s fulfillment |
| The preacher is anyone who proclaims the gospel (Rom 10:14–15) | The preacher is exclusively the “promised pastor” |
| The word is universal (Rom 10:18 – “Their voice has gone out to all the earth”) | The word is restricted to SCJ’s 12 tribes |
The Theological Thread: Hearing, Believing, and Being Sealed
Romans 10 connects hearing → believing → salvation.
Ephesians 1:13 connects hearing → believing → sealing.
“You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” — Ephesians 1:13
Notice the pattern:
- Hearing — the gospel of salvation (not a hidden revelation).
- Believing — personal faith in Christ.
- Sealing — the Holy Spirit marks believers as God’s own.
This exact sequence shows that “hearing” leads to the seal of the Spirit, not to belonging to a human organization, or memorizing a new revelation.
Thus, the real fulfillment of Romans 10 is the same as Revelation 7: God seals those who believe in the gospel, not those who memorize a chart of parables.
The Ultimate Irony: Shincheonji Repeats Israel’s Mistake
In Romans 10, Paul laments that Israel pursued righteousness through knowledge of the law rather than through faith in Christ (Romans 10:2–3).
Shincheonji makes the same error: they pursue righteousness through knowledge of “revelation” rather than through faith in Christ’s finished work.
Paul’s words apply perfectly:
“Being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” (Romans 10:3)
True “hearing” is not about discovering hidden meanings but responding in faith to what God has already revealed through His Son.
Conclusion
The biblical data shows that the seal in Revelation is not a secret revelation given through a human pastor but the outward expression of an inward reality produced by the Holy Spirit. From Ezekiel 9 to Revelation 7 to Ephesians 1, the pattern is consistent. God marks His people based on repentance, faith, and belonging, and the agent of sealing is always divine, never human. The forehead symbolizes allegiance, not intellectual mastery, and the seal identifies those who are God’s own in the midst of judgment. This understanding aligns with the New Covenant, where believers are sealed at conversion by the promised Spirit who guarantees their inheritance and secures their place within God’s people. The sealing in Revelation is a symbolic portrayal of this already established theological truth, not a new mechanism introduced in the last days.
Shincheonji’s reinterpretation replaces the Spirit’s work with organizational conformity and transforms God’s seal into human knowledge delivered through Lee Man-Hee. This shifts authority away from Christ and the gospel and onto a single leader with exclusive interpretive claims, echoing the very pattern Paul warns against in Romans 10. By elevating hidden meaning above simple faith in Christ, SCJ repeats Israel’s error of pursuing righteousness through knowledge rather than through the righteousness God provides. The biblical seal leads to freedom in Christ, protection through the Spirit, and identity rooted in the gospel. In contrast, SCJ’s version creates dependence on an institution, subordinates Scripture to human interpretation, and redefines salvation around secret revelation. The result is a complete reversal of the biblical pattern, showing that SCJ’s doctrine cannot stand alongside the clear teaching of Scripture.