Shincheonji special lesson 103: the fulfillment of Revelation today

Special lesson 103 · Advanced

Based on the full Closer Look lesson study

Main verses used

Links open the NET Bible.

What SCJ teaches

This section comes from class notes that an attendee wrote down during SCJ’s 9-month Bible study seminar, posted with the full Closer Look study. They are not SCJ’s printed curriculum, so the wording is the note-taker’s.

Prophecy is why people believe

The instructor says “Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies from the Old Testament,” and that the disciples believed because of prophecy: “Told Before → Happens: Believe.” John 14:29 is the pattern. The people of Jesus’ day missed him because they misread prophecy (the light of Isaiah 9:1-2) and expected a different Messiah. The notes add: “Revelation cannot be intuited.” Understanding is a gift, “not available to everyone – most people cannot overcome their thoughts.”

The promised pastor and the road of the gospel

Matthew 24:45-47 is read as a promise of a faithful servant who gives “food at the proper time,” which the notes equate with prophecy and fulfillment and with the hidden manna. Revelation 22:8 and 22:16 require someone who says “I.” From Matthew 24:14 the notes say the gospel flows like fire, burns out where it began and ends at the last place it reaches. The path runs from Israel to Europe, the Americas and Asia. Large nations are set aside: “Korea emerges as the answer.” The notes say “South Korea was one of the last places worldwide to receive the gospel, and this is where the fulfillment of Revelation takes place.”

Korea, Israel and Gwacheon

Israel’s divided kingdom is set beside Korea’s occupation and division, and the notes call the parallel “not coincidental.” In Revelation 14:20 horses are people, the bridle is speech, and the 1,600 stadia are “approximately 180 miles or 300 kilometers,” the distance between Seoul and Busan. The fulfillment is placed in Gwacheon, “a small town called Gwacheon” south of Seoul, a name said to mean “fruit river.” Betrayers, destroyers and saviors are all said to be Korean.

Actual reality

Using 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, the notes name three groups. The betrayers were “the 7 stars,” who “established the Tabernacle Temple (their ministry’s real name) in 1966.” The destroyers came in two waves: “First destroyer in 1975” and “Beast with 7 heads and 10 horns in 1980,” and the 42 months of destruction began in 1980. The destroyers are described as “ministers from established churches” who “gradually destroyed the Temple,” all in Gwacheon, which the notes say shows “that New John must be Korean.” The notes list New John’s names (the one who overcomes, the male child, the seventh trumpet, the seventh bowl, the promised pastor), then: “This is New John.” The name given is Lee Man Hee. They give his age as “94 years old” in 2024, point to Moses at eighty in Exodus 7:7, and say he is called chairman because the leader of the assembly of Hebrews 12:22-23 is called Chairman.

The name and the invitation

Shincheonji means new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1). The full name has three parts: Shincheonji, Church of Jesus, and the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. The notes say “Shinchonji was established on March 14th, 1984,” and that the 12 tribes carry the disciples’ names (Matthew 19:27-28). Photos show “106,000 people over the course of one year.” The lesson ends with “All of these people overcame. And you can too,” and with a place for the student’s own branch and tribe, “if you so choose.”

In SCJ’s own books

Each passage was checked against the scanned page image; page numbers are as printed.

Creation of Heaven and Earth, Lee Man-hee (Shincheonji Press), page 189:

“These events of Rv 2-3, including the delivery of the letters, have already taken place at the base of Cheonggye mountain, which is in the city of Gwacheon, Gyeonggi province, Republic of Korea.”

Creation of Heaven and Earth, page 534:

“Shincheonji means new heaven and new earth (Rv 21:1).”

The Physical Fulfillment of Revelation, Lee Man-hee (Shincheonji Press), page 342, on Revelation 14:20: “Two hundred miles is roughly the distance from Seoul to Busan.”

How the lesson notes compare with the books

  • Where it happened. Same teaching. The notes place the fulfillment in Gwacheon, and Creation p. 189 says the events of Revelation 2-3 took place “in the city of Gwacheon.”
  • The name. Same teaching. The notes break Shincheonji into new, heaven and earth, and Creation p. 534 says it “means new heaven and new earth.”
  • Seoul to Busan. Same teaching on the distance. The notes say “approximately 180 miles or 300 kilometers,” and Physical Fulfillment p. 342 says “roughly two hundred miles (300 km).”
  • Who spreads the word. Difference. The notes say the word of fulfillment spread “through the workers who shared what they heard.” Physical Fulfillment p. 342 says the news of judgment on the tabernacle of betrayal “is spread by the mouths of pastors (horses, Is 31:3).” Needs checking.

What the Bible says

  • Luke 24 records Jesus explaining the prophets to two disciples. Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures. (Luke 24:27, NET)
  • John 2 records belief after the first sign at Cana. Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11, NET)
  • Matthew 24:14 speaks of the whole inhabited earth and all the nations. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14, NET)
  • Revelation 14:20 gives the distance as almost 200 miles. Then the winepress was stomped outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses’ bridles for a distance of almost 200 miles. (Revelation 14:20, NET)
  • Hebrews 12 names the assembly at Mount Zion and God as its judge. But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, (Hebrews 12:22-23, NET)
  • Revelation 21:1 describes what John saw. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more. (Revelation 21:1, NET)

Where SCJ’s reading conflicts with the Bible

This lesson presents SCJ’s account of Revelation’s fulfillment in full. It says “the disciples believed in Jesus before witnessing any of his amazing works,” that “Revelation cannot be intuited,” and that understanding is “not available to everyone – most people cannot overcome their thoughts.” It argues the gospel ended in Korea, that Korea’s history parallels Israel’s in a way that is “not coincidental,” and that the betrayers (the Tabernacle Temple, founded 1966), the destroyers (1975 and 1980) and the savior were all in Gwacheon, so “New John must be Korean.” It names him: Lee Man-hee, “94 years old” in 2024, compared to Moses at eighty, and called “Chairman” because “The leader of this assembly is called Chairman,” citing Hebrews 12:22-23. It says the name Shincheonji “comes directly from the book of Revelation,” shows photos of “106,000 people” in one year, and closes: “All of these people overcame. And you can too,” with a branch and tribe waiting “if you so choose.” Here is what Scripture says.

  1. 1. The disciples believed after signs

    The notes say the disciples believed “before witnessing any of his amazing works.”

    • John records: “Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11).
    • Even Nathanael’s first confession followed a sign: Jesus told him, “when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” and Nathanael answered, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God” (John 1:48-49).
    • Jesus pointed to his works as evidence: “believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father” (John 10:38). And above all, God raised him from the dead (Romans 1:4). (See Lesson 95.)

  2. 2. Saying “most people cannot overcome their thoughts”
    • The lesson says “Revelation cannot be intuited,” and most people can’t understand it.
    • God gives understanding generously to anyone who asks (James 1:5), and Revelation blessed its ordinary first-century readers for reading and obeying it (Revelation 1:3). Telling students that only the course can explain Revelation makes them dependent on it. (See Lesson 71.)

  3. 3. Saying Korea was “one of the last places worldwide to receive the gospel”
    • Jesus said the gospel would be preached “to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). He named no place where the end happens.
    • Korea wasn’t one of the last places to hear the gospel. Catholic faith entered in the late 1700s and Protestant missionaries arrived in 1885. Many peoples were reached later, and some are still being reached today. (See Lesson 86.)

  4. 4. Calling the parallel histories “not coincidental”
    • Many nations have histories of occupation and division. Matching one country’s history to Israel’s after the fact is selection, not prophecy.
    • Scripture’s fulfillment of Israel’s story is Jesus: “every one of God’s promises are ‘Yes’ in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

  5. 5. 1,600 stadia and Seoul to Busan
    • Revelation 14:20 describes blood flowing “for a distance of almost 200 miles” from the winepress of God’s wrath on “the vineyard of the earth” (14:19). It’s a picture of the scale of final judgment. Many places on earth are about 300 kilometers apart. (See Lesson 86.)

  6. 6. The beast’s 42 months in one temple in Gwacheon

    The lesson says the beast destroyed the Tabernacle Temple over 42 months beginning in 1980.

    • Revelation’s beast “was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast” (13:7-8). It’s a worldwide power, not a group of ministers entering one small church. (See Lessons 37 and 38.)

  7. 7. New John’s titles

    The notes list New John’s names: the one who overcomes, the male child, the seventh trumpet, the seventh bowl and the promised pastor.

    • The one who overcomes: every believer who believes Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5; Revelation 21:7). (See Lesson 45.)
    • The male child: “caught up to God and to his throne” (12:5), which is Jesus (3:21). (See Lesson 73.)
    • The seventh trumpet: “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet” (11:15). (See Lesson 88.)
    • The seventh bowl: “Finally the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air” (16:17). An angel again.
    • The promised pastor: the New Testament’s promised one is Jesus (John 20:31; Hebrews 1:2). (See Lesson 73.)

    None of these titles belongs to a modern man in the text.

  8. 8. Age and Moses

    The lesson notes Lee Man-hee’s age and compares him to Moses at eighty (Exodus 7:7).

    • Moses’ age is recorded, but Scripture never makes age a sign that someone is God’s messenger. Moses also died, at 120 (Deuteronomy 34:7).
    • The same applies to every human leader. Only Jesus “lives forever” and “always lives to intercede” (Hebrews 7:24-25).

  9. 9. “Chairman” and Hebrews 12

    The notes say the leader of the Mount Zion assembly is called Chairman, citing Hebrews 12:22-23.

    • Read the passage: “you have come to Mount Zion … to the assembly and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all … and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant” (Hebrews 12:22-24).
    • The assembly’s head is God, and the mediator is Jesus. Hebrews names no human chairman.

  10. 10. A name that “comes directly from the book of Revelation”
    • Shincheonji means “new heaven and new earth,” from Revelation 21:1. Taking a name from a verse doesn’t make an organization its fulfillment.
    • In the new heaven and earth, God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more” (21:4). That’s God’s new creation at Christ’s return. (See Lesson 56.)

  11. 11. “106,000 people over the course of one year”
    • Large numbers aren’t evidence of truth. Jesus said, “the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it” (Matthew 7:13). Paul warned that people would “accumulate teachers for themselves” (2 Timothy 4:3).
    • Growth can come from many causes. The question is whether the teaching matches the gospel (Galatians 1:8).

  12. 12. “Don’t be that person” and “if you so choose”
    • The lesson ends by urging students not to be like those who walked away, while saying joining is their choice.
    • A real choice requires full information. Before deciding, a student is entitled to read SCJ’s critics, hear from former members, check the court records in Korea, and talk to their pastor and family. “The first to state his case seems right, until his opponent begins to cross-examine him” (Proverbs 18:17). (See Lesson 86.)

What the lesson is really for

This lesson puts names, dates and places on the course’s framework and invites students to join:

  • Belief rests on fulfilled prophecy, which most people can’t understand.
  • Korea was chosen; the betrayers, destroyers and savior were in Gwacheon.
  • New John is Lee Man-hee, holder of Revelation’s titles, called Chairman.
  • Shincheonji is the new heaven and earth; thousands have joined.
  • Your branch and tribe are waiting.

The biblical answer: the disciples believed when Jesus revealed his glory (John 2:11), and his resurrection proved who he is (Romans 1:4). Revelation’s beast rules the whole world (Revelation 13:7-8), and its trumpets and bowls are poured out by angels (11:15; 16:17). The head of the Mount Zion assembly is God, and its mediator is Jesus (Hebrews 12:23-24). And Jesus warned that anyone who says “Look, here is the Christ!” is not to be believed (Matthew 24:23-26).

What’s happening behind the lesson

These notes are our reading of the lesson text, using Steven Hassan’s BITE model (behavior, information, thought and emotional control). They describe what the text does, not the teacher’s intent. Hassan notes that not every group uses every item. Source: Steven Hassan, BITE Model, Freedom of Mind.

  • Thought: can turn a pattern into proof. After setting Korea beside Israel, the notes say “The parallel histories are striking, and this similarity is not coincidental.” The comparison is presented as settled before the group is named.
  • Information: can release key facts at a set point (our reading). The lesson builds to the question “You ready to meet New John? Yes, I am.” In our reading, the name of the leader and the group come only after the class has accepted the earlier steps.
  • Emotional: can raise urgency. The notes say “Time is approaching. That’s why there’s urgency. That’s why we have an extra day of class.”
  • Behavior: can press toward joining. Students hear “Don’t be that person,” about those who had a chance and walked away, and are placed in a branch and tribe “if you so choose.”

Comparing a prophecy with what followed it, as in John 14:29, is not a control technique in itself.

Go deeper

Scripture quotations are from the NET Bible. Bible Vaccine Center and Closer Look Initiative are run by the same team.