A Refutation Using “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”

Lesson 106: Revelation 5 – The Book Sealed with 7 Seals

Viewing Through First-Century Christian, Historical, and Literary Lenses

Introduction: The Moment Everything Changed

Imagine sitting in a dimly lit room, your notebook filled with verses, your heart racing with the promise that you are about to understand what no one else in 2,000 years has understood. The instructor’s voice is confident, almost reverent, as he declares: “You are important to God. You should see yourself as part of the great multitude, as one among the 12 tribes, and potentially one of the 144,000.”

The words wash over you like a wave. You’ve been studying for months now, progressing through parables, Old Testament patterns, and now—finally—you’ve reached the Advanced Level: Revelation itself. This is what you’ve been waiting for. The instructor continues: “If even one person stops following this word, we fall one person behind where God needs us to be. This is why every person is critical.”

You feel the weight of responsibility settle on your shoulders. You are not just a student anymore. You are essential. You are chosen. You are part of something cosmic.

But what if the very framework you’re being taught—the lens through which you’re reading Revelation—is not the lens the original audience used? What if the “open word” you’re receiving is not an opening at all, but a closing off from how first-century Christians actually understood this letter?

This is where we must pause and ask: What did Revelation mean to those who first received it? And more importantly: How does Shincheonji’s interpretation compare to the historical, literary, and theological context of the first century?

In this refutation, we will examine Lesson 106 through the dual lenses outlined in “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”—the Reflectional Lens (examining the psychological and spiritual impact of these teachings) and the Discernment Lens (testing these claims against Scripture, history, and logic). We will also apply the First-Century Christian lens, asking what the original recipients of Revelation would have understood, and the Historical and Literary lens, examining the genre, structure, and symbolism of apocalyptic literature.

This refutation does not focus on debates between Premillennialism, Amillennialism, or Postmillennialism. Instead, it seeks to understand Revelation as the first-century church would have—as a letter of encouragement, warning, and hope written to real communities facing real persecution under the Roman Empire.

For a more comprehensive examination of Shincheonji’s claims, visit closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination.

Part 1: The Setup – Elevating the Stakes

SCJ’s Teaching: “You Are Critical to God’s Mission”

Lesson 106 opens with a reflection titled “Prideful,” but the content is anything but a warning against pride. Instead, it functions as a double-bind psychological tactic—simultaneously inflating the student’s sense of importance while warning them not to become proud. The instructor states:

“Every day that I open my eyes is a blessing. Amen. It is also a blessing to have the opportunity to share the open word with these beautiful people. This blessing is certain, yet we must remember it can be taken away and given to another if we slip up.”

Notice the structure here: You are blessed. You are chosen. But you can lose it. This creates a constant state of anxiety and vigilance. The student is told they are essential—”every person is critical”—but also that their position is precarious.

Later, the instructor reinforces this:

“You are important to God. You should see yourself as part of the great multitude, as one among the 12 tribes, and potentially one of the 144,000. If even one person stops following this word, we fall one person behind where God needs us to be.”

This is a classic high-demand group tactic, as outlined in Chapter 3 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story.” The student is made to feel indispensable to God’s plan, which increases their commitment and makes leaving feel like a betrayal—not just of the group, but of God Himself.

Biblical Response: God’s Sovereignty vs. Human Indispensability

The Bible consistently teaches that God’s purposes are not dependent on any single human being. When Moses hesitated at the burning bush, God did not say, “Moses, if you don’t do this, my plan fails.” Instead, God said, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Exodus 4:11-12).

When Esther hesitated to approach the king, Mordecai did not say, “Esther, you are the only one who can save us.” He said, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place” (Esther 4:14). God’s plan would succeed—with or without Esther.

Paul echoes this in Romans 9:16: “It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” And in Philippians 2:13: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

The first-century Christians understood that God’s sovereignty meant His purposes could not be thwarted by human failure. They did not live in constant fear that one person’s departure would derail God’s plan. Instead, they trusted in God’s power to accomplish His will (Isaiah 46:10-11).

Shincheonji’s teaching that “if even one person stops following this word, we fall one person behind” reveals a man-centered theology that places the success of God’s plan on human performance rather than divine sovereignty. This is not biblical Christianity—it is a high-control mechanism designed to keep members compliant.

Part 2: The “Open Word” – A Closed System

SCJ’s Teaching: “The Sealed Book is Now Open”

The core of Lesson 106 is the claim that Revelation 5 describes a book that was sealed for 2,000 years and has now been opened through Chairman Lee Man-hee, the “one who overcomes” and the “promised pastor.” The instructor states:

“This book had been sealed for a long time, and no one could look into it or understand its meaning. However, this changed when the one who was worthy began to open it.”

Shincheonji teaches that only Lee Man-hee has received the revelation of this book, and therefore only those who learn from him can understand Revelation. This is reinforced throughout their curriculum, as documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1.”

First-Century Christian Understanding: Revelation Was Meant to Be Understood

Here is where Shincheonji’s interpretation fundamentally breaks from the first-century context. Revelation was not written as a sealed mystery to be decoded 2,000 years later. It was written as a letter to seven real churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) who were facing persecution under the Roman Empire.

The very first verse of Revelation states: “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1, emphasis added). The Greek word for “soon” is tachos, meaning “quickly” or “without delay.” This indicates that the events described were relevant to the original audience.

Revelation 1:3 says: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (emphasis added). The phrase “the time is near” (ho kairos engys) indicates imminence—not a 2,000-year delay.

If Revelation was sealed and could not be understood until the 21st century, why would Jesus pronounce a blessing on the first-century readers? Why would He tell them “the time is near” if the fulfillment was millennia away? This makes no sense unless we understand that Revelation was meant to be understood by its original audience.

As explained in “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon,” the original readers would have immediately recognized the symbols and imagery in Revelation. The “beast” rising from the sea (Revelation 13) would have been understood as Rome, the empire that demanded emperor worship and persecuted Christians. The “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:16-17) would have been understood as participation in the Roman economic and religious system. The “great prostitute” of Revelation 17 would have been recognized as Jerusalem or Rome—cities that had betrayed God’s people.

Revelation was not a puzzle to be solved in the distant future. It was a message of hope and warning to churches facing immediate persecution.

The Literary Genre: Apocalyptic Literature

Revelation belongs to a genre called apocalyptic literature, which was common in the first century. Other examples include Daniel, Ezekiel, and non-canonical works like 1 Enoch and 4 Ezra. This genre used highly symbolic language—beasts, numbers, cosmic imagery—to communicate spiritual truths in a way that insiders (believers) could understand but outsiders (Roman authorities) could not easily decode.

As Dr. Warren Gage explains in “The Revelation Project,” Revelation is structured as a chiasm—a literary pattern where the narrative mirrors itself around a central point. This was a common Hebrew literary device, as documented in “Chiasmus in the New Testament.” Understanding this structure helps us see that Revelation is not a linear timeline of future events, but a thematic and theological message about God’s victory over evil, the vindication of the faithful, and the establishment of God’s kingdom.

Shincheonji’s literalistic, futuristic interpretation ignores the genre of Revelation entirely. It treats symbolic imagery as if it were a coded blueprint for 21st-century events, which is not how the original audience would have read it.

Part 3: The Worthy One – Jesus, Not Lee Man-hee

SCJ’s Teaching: The One Who Opens the Scroll

In Lesson 106, the instructor correctly identifies that Jesus is the “Lamb who was slain” and the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” who is worthy to open the scroll (Revelation 5:5-6). However, Shincheonji’s broader teaching subtly shifts the focus from Jesus to Lee Man-hee.

Throughout their curriculum, Shincheonji teaches that while Jesus opened the scroll in heaven, Lee Man-hee is the one who received the opened scroll on earth and is therefore the only one who can teach its meaning. This is documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 2,” where Lee Man-hee is identified as the “one who overcomes” in Revelation 2-3 and the “angel” who receives the opened scroll in Revelation 10.

Biblical Response: Jesus Alone is Worthy

Revelation 5 is one of the most Christ-exalting passages in all of Scripture. Let’s read it carefully:

“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb… And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.'” (Revelation 5:6-10)

Why is Jesus worthy? Because He was slain. Because His blood purchased redemption. Because He made believers into a kingdom and priests. No human being can claim this worthiness. Lee Man-hee was not slain for our sins. Lee Man-hee’s blood does not purchase redemption. Lee Man-hee did not make us into a kingdom and priests—Jesus did.

In Revelation 5:12, the heavenly chorus declares: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” This is worship language—language that belongs to God alone.

To insert Lee Man-hee into this narrative—to claim that he is the one who reveals the meaning of the scroll—is to rob Jesus of His unique role and glory. As Chapter 8 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains, this is a form of Christological distortion, where Jesus is honored in word but displaced in function.

Part 4: The Throne and Structure – Spiritual Reality vs. Physical Organization

SCJ’s Teaching: “Build on Earth What You See in Heaven”

One of the key points in Lesson 106 is the claim that John saw the throne and structure of God in heaven so that he could build it on earth. The instructor states:

“John needed to see the throne and structure of God in the spiritual realm so that he could build it in the physical world. At Mount Zion, at Shincheonji, everything John saw in heaven has an equivalent.”

This teaching draws a parallel to Exodus 25:8-9, where Moses was told to build the tabernacle according to the pattern shown to him on the mountain. Shincheonji teaches that just as Moses built a physical tabernacle, John (and by extension, Lee Man-hee) must build a physical organization that mirrors the heavenly structure.

This is why Shincheonji has a specific organizational hierarchy: 12 tribes, 144,000 sealed members, elders, and a central figure (Lee Man-hee) who sits at the top. They believe this physical structure is the fulfillment of Revelation 4-5.

First-Century Christian Understanding: The Church as Spiritual Temple

The problem with this interpretation is that the New Testament consistently teaches that the physical temple has been replaced by a spiritual reality—the church, the body of Christ.

Jesus Himself declared: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” John clarifies: “But the temple he had spoken of was his body” (John 2:19-21). Jesus is the new temple.

Paul writes: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). The temple is no longer a physical building—it is the community of believers indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Peter echoes this: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The “house” being built is not a physical organization—it is the spiritual community of God’s people.

Hebrews 8-10 makes this even clearer. The author explains that the old covenant, with its physical tabernacle and priesthood, was “a copy and shadow of what is in heaven” (Hebrews 8:5). But now, “Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence” (Hebrews 9:24).

The first-century Christians understood that the physical temple system had been fulfilled and superseded in Christ. They did not expect a new physical temple or organization to be built. Instead, they understood that they themselves were the temple, the dwelling place of God’s Spirit.

Shincheonji’s insistence on building a physical organizational structure that mirrors heaven is a regression to Old Covenant thinking. It misses the entire point of the New Covenant: that God now dwells not in buildings or organizations, but in His people.

SCJ’s Teaching: A Physical Count at Mount Zion

Throughout Lesson 106, the instructor repeatedly emphasizes the importance of reaching the exact number of 144,000. He states:

“You should see yourself as part of the great multitude, as one among the 12 tribes, and potentially one of the 144,000. If even one person stops following this word, we fall one person behind where God needs us to be.”

Shincheonji teaches that the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14 is a literal, exact number of people who must be sealed before God’s plan can be completed. They believe these 144,000 are being gathered right now at Shincheonji’s organization, divided into 12 tribes with 12,000 members each. This creates immense pressure on students: your participation is not just important—it is numerically necessary.

As documented in “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1,” Shincheonji claims that Lee Man-hee is gathering these 144,000 in South Korea, and once this number is complete, the “great multitude” from all nations will be added. The instructor in Lesson 106 reinforces this: “Every person is vital in this mission. Do not view yourself as small or unimportant.”

First-Century Christian Understanding: Symbolic Perfection

The number 144,000 appears twice in Revelation—in chapter 7 and chapter 14. Let’s examine these passages through the lens of first-century Jewish and Christian symbolism.

Revelation 7:4-8 lists 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, totaling 144,000. But immediately after this, John sees “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9).

Here’s the key question: Are these two different groups, or two different ways of describing the same group?

The literary structure of Revelation suggests they are the same group, viewed from different perspectives. This is a common technique in apocalyptic literature called recapitulation—describing the same reality from multiple angles. As explained in “The Revelation Project” by Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage, Revelation often presents the same event or group using different imagery to emphasize different aspects of their identity.

The 144,000 represents the people of God viewed as the complete, perfected Israel. The number 12 (tribes) × 12 (apostles) × 1,000 (completeness) = 144,000. This is not a literal head count—it’s a symbolic way of saying “the fullness of God’s people from both Old and New Covenants.”

The great multitude that no one could count represents the same people viewed as the universal church from all nations. They are the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham: “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore” (Genesis 22:17).

Paul makes this connection explicit in Galatians 3:29: “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” And in Galatians 6:16, he calls the church “the Israel of God.”

The first-century Christians would have understood that the 144,000 is not a literal number to be counted, but a symbolic representation of God’s complete, redeemed people. To insist on a literal count misses the symbolic nature of apocalyptic literature entirely.

The Danger of Literalism: Creating False Urgency

Chapter 12 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” addresses this issue directly. When symbolic numbers are interpreted literally, it creates false urgency and unnecessary anxiety. Students believe they must reach an exact quota, and if they don’t, God’s plan will fail. This is not biblical faith—it’s organizational pressure disguised as spiritual truth.

Moreover, Shincheonji’s claim that they are gathering the literal 144,000 raises practical questions: What happens when they reach 144,001? Do they stop evangelizing? Do they turn people away? And if someone leaves, do they need to recruit a replacement to maintain the exact number?

These questions reveal the absurdity of a literalistic interpretation. The 144,000 is not a membership cap—it’s a symbolic declaration that God’s people are complete and secure in Him.

Part 6: “God’s Kingdom Coming to Earth” – Already and Not Yet

SCJ’s Teaching: A Physical Kingdom at Mount Zion

In the review section of Lesson 106, the instructor emphasizes a key Shincheonji doctrine:

“John hears about God’s coming and how God’s kingdom will come to earth as it is in heaven… Previously, the common understanding was that at the second coming, they would descend briefly, take a few people, and depart, leaving earth in an awful state. This was what we were taught before. However, they are not coming just for a momentary appearance to leave again. Instead, they are coming to stay.”

Shincheonji teaches that God’s kingdom is being established right now, physically, at their organization in South Korea. They believe that the “New Jerusalem” is descending to unite with the “New Heaven and New Earth” that has been created through Lee Man-hee’s ministry. The instructor states:

“The heaven that John saw, which Jesus prepared, will descend to unite with the heaven on earth.”

This teaching is central to Shincheonji’s appeal. Many students are drawn to the idea that they are not waiting for a distant, future kingdom—they are building it now. They are part of the “healing of the nations” that will take place over a thousand-year reign.

Biblical Response: The Kingdom is Already and Not Yet

The New Testament presents the kingdom of God in a paradoxical way: it is both present and future, already inaugurated but not yet consummated. This is often called the “already/not yet” tension.

The Kingdom is Already Here:

• Jesus declared: “The kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28).
• He told the Pharisees: “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21).
• Paul wrote: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
• Colossians 1:13 says God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”

The Kingdom is Not Yet Fully Realized:

• Jesus taught us to pray: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
• Paul wrote: “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24).
• Revelation 11:15 declares: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

The first-century Christians understood that the kingdom had been inaugurated through Jesus’ death and resurrection, but would not be fully consummated until His return. They lived in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet.”

Shincheonji collapses this tension by claiming the kingdom is fully present at their organization. This is a form of over-realized eschatology—claiming that future promises are completely fulfilled now. As Chapter 15 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains, this leads to spiritual pride (“we have arrived”) and disillusionment when the promised reality doesn’t match the actual experience.

The Historical Reality: SCJ’s “Fulfillment” Doesn’t Match Their Claims

Here we must apply the political and historical lens to examine Shincheonji’s actual “fulfillment” claims. According to “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1” and “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale,” Shincheonji teaches that specific events in their organization’s history are the literal fulfillment of Revelation’s prophecies.

They claim:

• The “Tabernacle Temple” (a previous organization led by a pastor named Yoo) was the fulfillment of Revelation’s “first heaven and first earth.”
• The betrayal and destruction of this temple fulfilled Revelation 6, 8-9, and 13.
• Lee Man-hee’s establishment of Shincheonji fulfilled Revelation 7, 10, 12, and 21.

But here’s the problem: These “fulfillments” are only recognized by Shincheonji members. The rest of the Christian world—and the rest of the world in general—has no idea these events even occurred. If these were truly the cosmic, earth-shaking events described in Revelation, wouldn’t they have been noticed by more than a small group in South Korea?

Revelation describes events of universal significance:

• “Every eye will see him” (Revelation 1:7).
• “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord” (Revelation 11:15).
• “I saw a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1).

These are not descriptions of internal organizational disputes in a Korean religious group. They are descriptions of God’s final victory over evil, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of all humanity, and the renewal of all creation.

Shincheonji’s “fulfillment” is so small, so localized, and so unverifiable that it requires constant reinterpretation and explanation to make it fit the grand scope of Revelation’s imagery. This is not fulfillment—it’s eisegesis (reading meaning into the text) rather than exegesis (drawing meaning from the text).

Part 7: The Indoctrination Progression – How Students Are Moved Toward Acceptance

Understanding Where You Are in the Process

By the time a student reaches Lesson 106 (Advanced Level, Revelation), they have been through a carefully designed progression:

1. Center/Beginner Level: Parables and Old Testament patterns establish the “Betrayal-Destruction-Salvation” framework. Students learn that history repeats in cycles, and that God always works through one chosen person. (See “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation – A Christian Response” for a detailed refutation of this framework.)
2. Intermediate Level: “Bible Logic” teaches students to interpret Scripture through Shincheonji’s unique lens. They learn to see patterns and connections that “prove” Lee Man-hee is the promised pastor. Students are taught that traditional Christian interpretation is wrong because pastors are “blind guides” who don’t understand the “open word.”
3. Advanced Level (Revelation): Now students are learning that they are part of the fulfillment. They are the 144,000. They are building the kingdom. They are essential to God’s plan.

This is the moment of maximum investment. Students have spent months or even years studying. They have formed deep friendships with their instructors and classmates. They have been told repeatedly that they are special, chosen, and essential. The psychological cost of walking away at this point feels enormous.

Chapter 19 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains this as the “sunk cost fallacy”—the tendency to continue investing in something because of how much you’ve already invested, even when evidence suggests you should stop.

The Double-Bind: Pride and Humility

Notice the psychological double-bind in the instructor’s reflection at the beginning of Lesson 106:

“We might find ourselves thinking or saying, ‘I know the open word. I know 6,000 years of God’s work and how it ends. You don’t.’ But God will respond, ‘You didn’t know until I showed you. Where is this pride coming from? Put that pride away.'”

The instructor warns against pride, but the entire lesson is designed to inflate students’ sense of importance. This creates a confusing internal state: You are special, but don’t think you’re special. You are essential, but don’t become proud. You know what no one else knows, but remain humble.

This is a classic high-control group tactic. By keeping members in a state of simultaneous elevation and deflation, the group maintains control. Members cannot fully embrace their “special” status (which might lead to independent thinking), but they also cannot let go of it (which would mean leaving the group).

As Chapter 22 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains, healthy Christian teaching produces confidence in God’s grace, not anxiety about one’s status. Paul writes: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Our security is in Christ, not in our performance or position within an organization.

Part 8: The Scroll and the Seals – What Was Really Being Revealed?

SCJ’s Teaching: A Mystery Unlocked After 2,000 Years

The central claim of Lesson 106 is that the scroll sealed with seven seals (Revelation 5:1) represents the book of Revelation itself, which was sealed and could not be understood for 2,000 years until Lee Man-hee received the revelation.

The instructor states:

“This book had been sealed for a long time, and no one could look into it or understand its meaning. However, this changed when the one who was worthy began to open it.”

While the instructor initially identifies Jesus as the one who opens the scroll, Shincheonji’s broader teaching (as documented in their curriculum) claims that Lee Man-hee is the one who received the opened scroll on earth (Revelation 10:8-11) and therefore is the only one who can explain its meaning.

First-Century Understanding: The Scroll Represents God’s Redemptive Plan

Let’s look carefully at what Revelation 5 actually says about the scroll:

Revelation 5:1-5:

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.'”

What does the scroll represent? In the first-century context, a sealed scroll often represented a legal document—a will, a deed, or a covenant. The scroll in Revelation 5 likely represents God’s plan of redemption and judgment—His purposes for creation, which were hidden but are now being revealed and enacted through Christ.

The key phrase is in verse 9-10: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God.”

The scroll is opened because of Christ’s redemptive work. His death and resurrection have accomplished salvation, and now the plan of God—to redeem humanity and judge evil—is being set in motion. The opening of the seals (Revelation 6-8) represents the unfolding of God’s judgment on the forces that oppose His kingdom.

The scroll is not the book of Revelation itself. That would be circular logic: “The book of Revelation contains a vision of a sealed book, and that sealed book is the book of Revelation.” Rather, the scroll represents the content of God’s plan, which is being revealed through the visions that follow.

The Seals Were Not Meant to Keep Christians in the Dark

Here’s a crucial point: The seals were not placed on the scroll to prevent Christians from understanding Revelation. The seals represent the fact that God’s plan was hidden until the appointed time—the time of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Paul explains this in Ephesians 3:4-6:

“In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”

The mystery has been revealed—not to one person in the 21st century, but to the apostles and prophets of the first century through the Holy Spirit. The gospel itself is the unsealing of God’s plan.

Colossians 1:26-27 says the same:

“The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

The mystery is Christ. The unsealing happened at the cross and resurrection. The revelation was given to the apostles. There is no need for a second “unsealing” 2,000 years later through Lee Man-hee.

Jesus Already Gave Us the Holy Spirit to Understand

Jesus promised His disciples: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers.

1 John 2:20, 27 says:

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth… As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

Every believer has the Holy Spirit. Every believer has access to God’s truth. We don’t need a special mediator or a “promised pastor” to unlock the Bible for us. The Spirit of God dwelling in us is sufficient.

Shincheonji’s claim that only Lee Man-hee can open the sealed book directly contradicts the New Testament teaching that the Holy Spirit has been given to all believers to guide them into truth.

Part 9: The Purchased Kingdom – Who Are the Priests?

SCJ’s Teaching: The 144,000 Become Priests and Kings

Lesson 106 correctly quotes Revelation 5:9-10:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Shincheonji teaches that this refers specifically to the 144,000 who are sealed at their organization. They believe that these 144,000 will become priests and kings who reign with Christ during the thousand-year period described in Revelation 20.

Biblical Response: All Believers Are Priests and Kings

The New Testament consistently teaches that all believers—not just a select 144,000—are priests and kings in God’s kingdom.

1 Peter 2:9:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Peter is writing to all Christians, not to a special elite group. Every believer is part of the royal priesthood.

Revelation 1:5-6:

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

Notice the past tense: Jesus “has made us” to be a kingdom and priests. This is not a future promise for a select few—it is a present reality for all who belong to Christ.

Revelation 5:10 (the verse Shincheonji quotes) uses the same language: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests.” The “them” refers to “persons from every tribe and language and people and nation”—that is, all redeemed humanity, not just 144,000 Koreans.

The Priesthood of All Believers

This doctrine is called the “priesthood of all believers,” and it was one of the key rediscoveries of the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther emphasized that every Christian has direct access to God through Christ, without needing a human mediator.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess… Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

We can approach God directly because Jesus is our High Priest. We don’t need a special class of priests or a “promised pastor” to mediate for us.

Shincheonji’s teaching that only the 144,000 become priests and kings creates a two-tier system—an elite class and a secondary class (the “great multitude”). This contradicts the New Testament’s clear teaching that all believers share equally in the privileges and responsibilities of God’s kingdom.

Part 10: The Danger of Misplaced Identity – Who Are You Really?

The Reflectional Lens: Examining the Psychological Impact

Let’s pause and apply the Reflectional Lens from “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story.” If you are a student taking this lesson, what is happening to your sense of identity?

You are being told:

• You are part of the 144,000 (elite status)
• You are essential to God’s plan (indispensability)
• You are building God’s kingdom on earth (cosmic significance)
• If you leave, you will lose your place (fear of loss)
• You must remain humble while embracing this special calling (psychological double-bind)

This creates an identity that is entirely dependent on your membership in Shincheonji. Your worth, your purpose, your eternal destiny—all of it is tied to this organization.

Chapter 24 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” addresses this directly. It asks: “Who are you apart from Shincheonji?” Can you answer that question? Or has your identity become so fused with the organization that you can’t imagine yourself outside of it?

Biblical Identity: You Are a Child of God

The Bible gives us a radically different foundation for identity. Your identity is not based on your performance, your position, or your membership in an organization. It is based solely on your relationship with God through Christ.

Romans 8:14-17:

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”

You are a child of God. You are an heir. You are co-heir with Christ. This is your identity, and it cannot be taken away by leaving an organization.

Galatians 3:26-28:

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

There is no elite class in God’s kingdom. There are no “144,000” who are more important than others. In Christ, we are all equal—all children, all heirs, all priests.

Ephesians 1:3-6:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”

You were chosen before the creation of the world. You were predestined for adoption. This was God’s plan, not because of anything you did, but because of His grace.

Your identity is secure in Christ, not in Shincheonji.

SCJ’s Teaching: “As Moses Built, So Must John”

One of the most significant claims in Lesson 106 is the parallel drawn between Moses and John. The instructor states:

“John needed to see the throne and structure of God in the spiritual realm so that he could build it in the physical world. At Mount Zion, at Shincheonji, everything John saw in heaven has an equivalent. This mirrors what we find in Exodus 25:8-9, where everything Moses saw in heaven had an earthly equivalent.”

The instructor then adds a crucial distinction:

“However, the heaven that Moses saw differs from the heaven that John sees. The reason for this difference is that Jesus helped create this heaven, whereas in Moses’ time, Jesus wasn’t present.”

This teaching is foundational to Shincheonji’s claim that their physical organization—with its 12 tribes, specific structure, and hierarchical leadership—is the literal fulfillment of what John saw in Revelation 4-5.

Understanding the Exodus Pattern in Context

Let’s examine what actually happened with Moses. In Exodus 25:8-9, God says:

“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.”

God gave Moses detailed instructions for building the tabernacle—the materials to use, the dimensions, the arrangement of the furniture, the design of the priestly garments. Moses faithfully followed these instructions, and when the work was complete, “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34).

Here’s what’s important to understand: The tabernacle was part of the Old Covenant—a covenant that the New Testament explicitly says has been fulfilled and superseded in Christ.

The Book of Hebrews: The Tabernacle Has Been Fulfilled

The entire book of Hebrews is devoted to explaining how the Old Covenant system—including the tabernacle, the priesthood, and the sacrifices—has been fulfilled in Christ. Let’s look at key passages:

Hebrews 8:1-2, 5:

“Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being… They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.'”

The earthly tabernacle was a “copy and shadow” of the true tabernacle in heaven. But now, Christ serves in the true tabernacle—not a physical building, but the heavenly reality itself.

Hebrews 9:11-12:

“But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

Christ entered the heavenly tabernacle—not a physical building on earth. His sacrifice was once for all, making the old system obsolete.

Hebrews 9:23-24:

“It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.”

The earthly tabernacle was only a copy. Christ has entered the true one—heaven itself.

Hebrews 10:19-20:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body…”

We now have direct access to God through Christ. We don’t need a physical tabernacle or temple. Christ’s body—torn on the cross—is the “curtain” through which we enter God’s presence.

The Fatal Flaw in SCJ’s Typology

Shincheonji’s error is that they are trying to rebuild what has already been fulfilled. They are taking an Old Covenant pattern (the physical tabernacle) and claiming it must be replicated in the New Covenant era. But this contradicts the entire message of Hebrews: the physical has given way to the spiritual, the shadow has given way to the reality, the copy has given way to the original.

As Chapter 14 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains, typology only works in one direction: from Old Testament type to New Testament fulfillment. You cannot take a New Testament vision (Revelation 4-5) and claim it requires a physical, Old Testament-style fulfillment. That would be moving backwards in redemptive history.

The progression is:

1. Old Covenant: Physical tabernacle (shadow and copy)
2. New Covenant: Christ and His church (reality and fulfillment)

Shincheonji’s claim requires:

1. Old Covenant: Physical tabernacle
2. New Covenant: Christ
3. “Final” Covenant: Physical organization at Shincheonji

This adds a third stage that the New Testament never teaches. It suggests that Christ’s work was incomplete and needs a physical, organizational fulfillment in Korea. This is not biblical Christianity—it is a new religion masquerading as biblical fulfillment.

What John Actually Saw: Worship in Heaven

When we read Revelation 4-5 in context, John is not being shown a blueprint to build an organization on earth. He is being given a vision of worship in heaven to encourage persecuted Christians on earth.

The message is: “No matter what you’re facing under Roman persecution, God is still on His throne. The Lamb who was slain is worthy. Your suffering is not meaningless—it is part of God’s redemptive plan. Keep worshiping, keep faithful, keep hoping.”

The vision is meant to inspire worship and perseverance, not to provide organizational blueprints.

This is confirmed by the response of the heavenly beings in Revelation 5:11-14:

“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’ The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

This is a worship scene, not an organizational chart. The proper response to Revelation 4-5 is to worship Jesus, not to build a physical organization that claims to replicate the heavenly structure.

Part 12: “Holy City Coming Down” – Spiritual Reality vs. Physical Location

SCJ’s Teaching: New Jerusalem Descends to Mount Zion in Korea

The instructor in Lesson 106 makes a bold claim about the descent of the New Jerusalem:

“As stated in John 14:1-4, Jesus made a promise: ‘I am going away to prepare a place for you. And the place that I prepare, I will come and take you to be with me there.’ This place Jesus prepared with his disciples is the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The destiny of this Holy City, New Jerusalem, is to descend from heaven from God and unite with the New Heaven and New Earth that has now been created.”

Shincheonji teaches that this “New Heaven and New Earth” has been created through Lee Man-hee’s ministry at their organization in South Korea, and that the heavenly New Jerusalem is descending to unite with it. This is why they call their organization “Shincheonji,” which literally means “New Heaven New Earth” in Korean.

First-Century Understanding: The Church as the Bride

Let’s examine what Revelation actually says about the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:1-3 describes:

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.'”

Notice what accompanies the New Jerusalem: “The first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” This is not describing a local event in Korea—this is describing the renewal of all creation.

Revelation 21:9-10 provides more detail:

“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.”

The New Jerusalem is identified as “the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” This is symbolic language for the church—the redeemed people of God.

Paul uses the same imagery in Ephesians 5:25-27:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

The church is the bride of Christ. When Revelation describes the New Jerusalem as a bride coming down from heaven, it is describing the glorified, perfected church united with Christ at the end of history.

The New Creation: Cosmic, Not Local

The “new heaven and new earth” is not a metaphor for a religious organization in Korea. It is the biblical promise of cosmic renewal—the restoration of all creation.

Isaiah 65:17:

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”

2 Peter 3:10-13:

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare… But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

This is not describing the founding of an organization. This is describing the end of the current created order and the beginning of a new one. It is a future, cosmic event, not a present, localized one.

Romans 8:19-21:

“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”

All of creation is waiting for redemption. The new heaven and new earth is not just about human beings—it’s about the restoration of the entire created order.

Shincheonji’s claim that they are the “new heaven and new earth” is absurdly small compared to the biblical vision. It reduces a cosmic promise to an organizational reality. It’s like claiming that a single house is the fulfillment of the promise of a new planet.

Part 13: The Thousand-Year Reign – Literal or Symbolic?

SCJ’s Teaching: A Physical Thousand-Year Ministry

The instructor in Lesson 106 states:

“This work spans a thousand years because there are many people, much corruption, and various beliefs. It will take time, and God is providing that time.”

Shincheonji teaches that the thousand-year reign described in Revelation 20 is a literal, future period during which the 144,000 will reign with Christ and work to “heal the nations” by bringing people to Mount Zion (their organization).

This teaching is appealing because it gives students a sense of long-term purpose and mission. They are not just waiting for the end—they are actively building God’s kingdom over a millennium.

First-Century Understanding: The Millennium Debate

The interpretation of Revelation 20 (the “millennium”) has been debated throughout church history. There are three main views:

1. Premillennialism: Christ will return, then reign physically on earth for 1,000 years.
2. Amillennialism: The 1,000 years is symbolic of the current church age between Christ’s first and second coming.
3. Postmillennialism: The gospel will gradually transform the world, leading to a golden age before Christ’s return.

We are not advocating for any particular view here. As stated in the introduction, this refutation focuses on first-century understanding and literary context, not modern eschatological debates.

What we can say with confidence is this: The first-century Christians understood apocalyptic numbers like “1,000” as symbolic, not literal. The number 1,000 represents completeness, fullness, and perfection—not a literal calendar count.

The Symbolic Nature of Numbers in Revelation

Throughout Revelation, numbers carry symbolic meaning:

• 7 = Completeness, perfection (7 churches, 7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls)
• 12 = God’s people (12 tribes, 12 apostles, 12 gates, 12 foundations)
• 3.5 (or 42 months, or 1,260 days) = A limited period of trial (half of 7)
• 666 = Imperfection, falling short of 7 (the number of the beast)
• 144,000 = Complete, perfected people of God (12 × 12 × 1,000)
• 1,000 = Completeness, fullness

To interpret “1,000 years” as a literal 365,000 days while interpreting other numbers symbolically is inconsistent. If 144,000 is symbolic (as we’ve shown), and if 7 is symbolic, and if 12 is symbolic, why would 1,000 suddenly be literal?

The Context of Revelation 20

Revelation 20:4-6 describes:

“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God… They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years… This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Who are these people? They are “those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus.” This is referring to martyrs—Christians who died for their faith.

The message to the first-century church was clear: “Even if you are killed for your faith, you are not defeated. You will reign with Christ. Death is not the end—resurrection is.”

This was not a promise about a future organizational structure in Korea. It was a promise to encourage Christians facing martyrdom under Rome.

Already Reigning with Christ

The New Testament teaches that believers are already reigning with Christ in a spiritual sense:

Ephesians 2:6:

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”

We are already seated with Christ in heavenly places. This is a present spiritual reality, not just a future hope.

Colossians 3:1-3:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

We have been raised with Christ. Our life is hidden with Him. This is the “already” aspect of the kingdom.

The “not yet” aspect is the final, visible manifestation of Christ’s reign when He returns. But we are not waiting passively—we are already participating in His reign through the Holy Spirit’s work in and through us.

Shincheonji’s teaching that the thousand-year reign is a future, physical period at their organization misses the “already” reality and creates a false “not yet” that depends on human organization rather than divine power.

Part 14: The Psychological Grip – “You Cannot Leave”

The Sunk Cost and Identity Fusion

By the time a student reaches Lesson 106, they have invested significant time, energy, and emotional capital. As Chapter 19 of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” explains, this creates a powerful psychological barrier to leaving.

The instructor’s words reinforce this barrier:

“If even one person stops following this word, we fall one person behind where God needs us to be. This is why every person is critical. Every person is vital in this mission. Do not view yourself as small or unimportant. You are not someone who can simply fade into the background without being noticed. You will be noticed.”

Translation: “If you leave, you will hurt God’s plan. You will be noticed. You will be held accountable.”

This creates intense guilt and fear around the thought of leaving. Students begin to believe that leaving would not just be a personal decision—it would be a cosmic betrayal.

The Warning Against Pride That Isn’t Really a Warning

The instructor’s reflection on pride is particularly manipulative:

“We might find ourselves thinking or saying, ‘I know the open word. I know 6,000 years of God’s work and how it ends. You don’t.’ But God will respond, ‘You didn’t know until I showed you. Where is this pride coming from? Put that pride away.’ You didn’t know either. We should always maintain a humble manner while continuing to do our best.”

This creates a no-win situation:

• If you feel special and important (which the lesson encourages), you’re being proud.
• If you question whether you’re really that special, you’re doubting God’s calling.
• The only “safe” position is to remain in the organization, constantly checking yourself for pride while simultaneously believing you’re part of the 144,000.

This is not biblical humility. This is psychological manipulation.

True biblical humility looks like this:

Philippians 2:3-4:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Micah 6:8:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Biblical humility is about how you treat others and how you relate to God—not about maintaining a psychological double-bind where you’re simultaneously special and not-special.

Part 15: The Korean Cult Genealogy – Historical Context Matters

Understanding SCJ’s Historical Roots

Shincheonji did not emerge in a vacuum. It is part of a genealogy of Korean religious movements that share similar patterns, claims, and structures. Understanding this history is crucial for evaluating Shincheonji’s claims.

As documented in the Korean cult genealogy resources, there is a clear lineage:

1. Park Tae-sun (1915-1990) – Founded the “Olive Tree” movement, claimed to be the Holy Spirit incarnate
2. Yoo Jae-yeol – Founded the “Tabernacle Temple,” claimed to be fulfilling Revelation
3. Lee Man-hee – Originally a member of the Tabernacle Temple, later founded Shincheonji, claiming to be the “promised pastor” who fulfills Revelation

Each of these leaders claimed to be the unique fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Each claimed to have the “open word” that no one else understood. Each built an organization with 12 tribes and specific hierarchical structures.

The Pattern Repeats

What’s striking is how similar the claims are across these movements:

• “I am the one God has chosen for this generation”
• “I have received direct revelation from heaven”
• “The book of Revelation is being fulfilled through my ministry”
• “You must join my organization to be part of God’s true people”
• “Previous movements failed, but mine is the true fulfillment”

Lee Man-hee himself was part of the Tabernacle Temple before breaking away to form Shincheonji. He now teaches that the Tabernacle Temple was the “first heaven” that was destroyed (Revelation 6, 13), and Shincheonji is the “new heaven” that replaced it.

But here’s the question: If the Tabernacle Temple was the fulfillment of Revelation, why did it fail? And if it wasn’t the true fulfillment, why did Lee Man-hee follow it in the first place?

And more importantly: What happens when the next charismatic leader emerges, claims that Shincheonji has been “destroyed” spiritually, and declares that his organization is the true fulfillment?

The pattern suggests this cycle will continue indefinitely—unless people break free from the assumption that Revelation must be fulfilled through a physical, Korean organization led by a single man.

The Historical Reality: The Tabernacle Temple Scandal

According to “The Real Reasons Behind the Tabernacle Temple’s Destruction and Sale,” the Tabernacle Temple—which Shincheonji claims was the fulfillment of Revelation’s “first tabernacle”—collapsed not because of spiritual warfare or cosmic betrayal, but because of internal corruption, power struggles, and financial mismanagement.

This is not the stuff of cosmic prophecy. This is the stuff of human organizations.

Yet Shincheonji has built its entire theology around the claim that these mundane organizational disputes were the literal fulfillment of Revelation’s visions of cosmic war, beasts, dragons, and divine judgment.

Does this make sense? Would the original readers of Revelation—facing martyrdom under Rome—recognize a Korean church split as the fulfillment of their hope?

Part 16: What the First-Century Christians Actually Believed

Reading Revelation Like a Political Cartoon

As explained in “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon,” the original audience would have understood Revelation’s imagery in light of their immediate political and social context.

The Beast from the Sea (Revelation 13): Rome, the empire that rose from the Mediterranean and demanded worship of the emperor

The Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:16-17): Participation in the Roman economic system, which required acknowledgment of Caesar’s divinity

The Great Prostitute (Revelation 17): Either Jerusalem (which had prostituted itself by rejecting the Messiah) or Rome (which seduced the nations with its wealth and power)

Babylon (Revelation 18): A code name for Rome (just as “Babylon” was used in 1 Peter 5:13)

The 144,000 (Revelation 7, 14): The complete, sealed people of God—both Jewish and Gentile believers

The Great Multitude (Revelation 7:9): The same people viewed from a different angle—the universal church from all nations

The Thousand-Year Reign (Revelation 20): The complete victory of Christ over Satan, death, and evil

The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22): The glorified church, the bride of Christ, dwelling with God forever

These symbols were not meant to be decoded 2,000 years later in Korea. They were meant to encourage, warn, and inspire Christians facing persecution in the first century.

The Message of Hope

The core message of Revelation is hope in the midst of suffering:

• God is still on His throne (Revelation 4-5)
• The Lamb who was slain is worthy (Revelation 5:9-10)
• Evil will be judged (Revelation 6-19)
• Martyrs will be vindicated (Revelation 6:9-11; 20:4)
• Satan will be defeated (Revelation 20:10)
• Death will be destroyed (Revelation 20:14; 21:4)
• God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3)

This is the message the first-century church needed to hear. Not “Wait 2,000 years and join a Korean organization,” but “Hold fast. Jesus wins. Your suffering is not meaningless. God is bringing all things to completion.”

Part 17: The Call to Discernment – Testing the Spirits

1 John 4:1 – “Test the Spirits”

The Apostle John—the same John who wrote Revelation—also wrote in his first epistle:

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

We are commanded to test spiritual claims. We are not to accept teaching simply because it sounds biblical or because the teacher is confident. We must examine the teaching against Scripture, history, and sound reasoning.

Acts 17:11 – The Berean Example

When Paul preached in Berea, the people “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

Even the Apostle Paul’s teaching was examined against Scripture. The Bereans didn’t just accept Paul’s authority—they tested his words. And Paul commended them for it.

If Paul’s teaching could be tested, how much more should Lee Man-hee’s teaching be tested?

Galatians 1:8 – Even Angels Can Be Wrong

Paul wrote:

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8).

Even if an angel appeared and taught a different gospel, we are to reject it. The standard is not the messenger’s authority, but the content of the message.

Shincheonji claims that Lee Man-hee received his revelation directly from Jesus through an angel (Revelation 1:1-2). But Paul says that even angelic revelation must be tested against the gospel already revealed.

The gospel is: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). We have direct access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16). The Holy Spirit has been given to all believers (Acts 2:38-39).

Any teaching that adds requirements to salvation, creates a mediator between believers and God, or claims that only one person can understand Scripture is teaching “a different gospel.”

Part 18: The Way Forward – Freedom in Christ

For Those Still Studying

If you are currently taking Shincheonji’s lessons, you may be feeling confused, anxious, or defensive as you read this refutation. That’s understandable. You’ve invested time and emotion. You’ve formed relationships. You’ve been told you’re part of something uniquely important.

Here’s what we want you to know:

1. Your questions are valid. If something doesn’t make sense, if you feel uncomfortable, if you’re noticing contradictions—trust those instincts. The Holy Spirit may be prompting you to examine more carefully.

2. You are not betraying God by asking questions. God is not threatened by honest inquiry. Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” Searching for truth honors God.

3. Your identity is not dependent on Shincheonji. Whether you are part of the 144,000 or not, whether you complete the lessons or not, whether you stay or leave—your worth is found in Christ alone. You are loved, valued, and secure in Him.

4. Leaving does not mean losing your salvation. Salvation is not based on membership in an organization. It is based on faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9).

5. There is a community of believers who will welcome you. If you leave Shincheonji, you will not be alone. There are churches, support groups, and individuals who understand what you’re going through and will walk with you.

For Those Who Have Left

If you have already left Shincheonji, you may be experiencing grief, anger, confusion, or relief—possibly all at once. This is normal. You are processing a significant life change.

Here’s what we want you to know:

1. You made the right decision. Choosing truth over comfort, freedom over control, and Christ over an organization is always the right choice.

2. Healing takes time. You may need to grieve the time you lost, the relationships that ended, and the beliefs you held. Give yourself permission to feel these things.

3. You are not alone. Many others have walked this path before you. Seek out support from those who understand. Visit resources like closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination for more information and connection.

4. God has not abandoned you. Even if you feel spiritually disoriented, even if you’re questioning everything you believed—God is with you. He is patient, kind, and faithful. He will guide you into truth (John 16:13).

5. There is life after Shincheonji. You can find a healthy church community. You can rebuild relationships. You can discover what it means to follow Jesus without the burden of organizational demands and apocalyptic anxiety.

The Gospel of Grace

At the heart of biblical Christianity is a simple, beautiful truth: Salvation is a gift, not an achievement.

Ephesians 2:8-9:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

You don’t have to earn your place in God’s kingdom. You don’t have to be part of the 144,000. You don’t have to complete a curriculum or join a specific organization.

You simply need to trust in Jesus—His death for your sins, His resurrection for your life, His grace for your salvation.

Romans 8:38-39:

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nothing can separate you from God’s love. Not leaving an organization. Not failing to reach a certain number. Not misunderstanding a prophecy. Nothing.

This is the freedom Christ offers. This is the gospel.

Conclusion: Two Lenses, One Story

Throughout this refutation, we have applied the two lenses outlined in “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story”:

The Reflectional Lens: We’ve examined the psychological impact of Shincheonji’s teaching—the anxiety, the identity fusion, the sunk cost fallacy, the double-binds, and the manipulation tactics.

The Discernment Lens: We’ve tested Shincheonji’s claims against Scripture, history, logic, and the first-century context of Revelation.

We’ve also applied additional lenses:

The First-Century Christian Lens: How would the original recipients of Revelation have understood this letter?

The Historical Lens: What do we know about the actual events Shincheonji claims are prophetic fulfillments?

The Literary Lens: What genre is Revelation, and how should apocalyptic literature be interpreted?

The Political Lens: What was the political context of Revelation’s original audience, and how does that inform our reading?

Through all these lenses, we arrive at the same conclusion: Shincheonji’s interpretation of Revelation 5 (and Revelation as a whole) is not consistent with Scripture, history, or sound reasoning. It is a modern invention that imposes 21st-century Korean organizational concerns onto a first-century letter of hope and encouragement.

The story of Revelation is not about Lee Man-hee, Shincheonji, or the 144,000 gathered in Korea.

The story of Revelation is about Jesus Christ—the Lamb who was slain, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

He is worthy. He has overcome. He reigns. And He invites all who believe to share in His victory—not through organizational membership, but through faith, grace, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

This is the one story that matters. This is the gospel. This is the truth that sets us free.

Resources for Further Study

For a comprehensive examination of Shincheonji’s teachings and additional support resources, visit:

closerlookinitiative.com/shincheonji-examination

For deeper study of Revelation from a first-century perspective, consider:

• “The Revelation Project” by Dr. Chip Bennett and Dr. Warren Gage
• “How First-Century Christians Read Revelation Like a Political Cartoon”
• “Betrayal, Destruction, Salvation – A Christian Response”
• “SCJ’s Fulfillment of Revelation Part 1 & 2” (for understanding SCJ’s actual claims)
• “Wedding Banquet of the Lamb and the First Resurrection”

All 30 chapters of “Testing Shincheonji’s Claims: Two Lenses, One Story” provide detailed refutations of Shincheonji’s theology and practical guidance for those affected by this movement.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.