Shincheonji Perspective

A Shincheonji person may try to point to how the scroll of Revelation 5 was given to the Lamb, then how the Lamb opened the scroll in Revelation 6 and 8, and then had the scroll delivered to the Apostle John in Revelation 10.

Since the Book of Revelation is a book of prophecy, and since the Apostle John foreshadows a “New John” during the end of age, this proof text is used to justify the concept of a New John.

There are also more doctrinal issues with the “New John” approach, especially when we observe the scrolls of Revelation 5 and 10.

Shincheonji claims that since the New John ate the open scroll, he has a deep understanding of the Bible.

A few things to take into consideration:

As with other cults which teach this false teaching, they primarily like to look at the beginning of Revelation 5 where it says, “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.” (Rev. 5:1-3)

Rev. 5:2 – the Greek word is “biblion”, and this scroll had writing on the inside and outside of it, which seems to indicate the fullness of the events written in the scroll. This book is on the palm of God on His throne and it is sealed until the Lamb opens it, whereas the little scroll is open and is in the hand of an angel.

Rev. 10:2 – the Greek word for the “little scroll” (appears repeatedly in 10:2,9, and 10) is “biblaridion” (a diminutive, along with “biblidion”) and which indicates a smaller scroll and is different from the word in Rev. 5:2 which by contrast seems to be a great scroll. They did not have books back then so this little scroll in chapter 10 would signify a scroll of a shorter length. (Maybe this shorter scroll that John needs to eat is to help him to prepare to assimilate some of the final events of the Book of Revelation that still have to be revealed in the visions being given to John?).

To lay this out plainly, the two scrolls aren’t the same.

In the “Promised Theology” series, I write about the doctrinal issues of the “open scroll” of SCJ in greater detail, discussing even more issues with SCJ’s perspective.