📰The Bible is one of the best-selling and most widely distributed books in history, yet it is also considered to be among the least understood. The Bible, which is referred to as the New Covenant and Promise of God, in which 'the way to heaven and salvation' is presented, differs in theologians' interpretations that make it difficult to understand. These differing interpretations have been the cause of the rise of denominations with each one establishing their own doctrine. With the increase in online church services and gatherings resulting from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there has been growing interest in the comparison of various church doctrine. This paper, therefore, attempts to provide readers with the opportunity to compare differing Biblical teachings without interpretation. Among a host of online sermons and Bible-based teachings, the contrasting doctrine between the established Church and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which has drawn public interest throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, is hereby compared and summarised. Best efforts have been made to provide a summary of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' understanding of the Bible. Judgment as to what is right or wrong is left to the reader’s discernment.
"The physical war (Armageddon) of the Old Testament is used figuratively to refer to a spiritual battlefield today where a war between God and Satan takes place"
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony
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What is the war of Armageddon in the last days? Nowhere in the Bible does it say that God's creation of the heavens and the earth will conclude with a physical war in the world. God wants all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), and to permanently wipe away every tear, death, mourning, crying or pain, as recorded in Revelation 21:4. Is this war a physical one? You can clearly see this is not the case.
The war between God and Satan has continued on to this day for the last 6000 years since Adam sinned. What was the cause of this war? Satan's deception of Adam and Eve, causing Adam to sin, thereby Satan taking possession of all creation made by God given to Adam. Since then, Satan has continually deceived man so as not to lose what he has taken. Whenever God came to speak the truth and recover everything He lost, there was war with Satan.
In the Old Testament, this war was a physical war between Jerusalem - the chosen people - and Babylon, the kingdom of demons, fighting with physical weapons. However, at the time of the first coming, the war was not physical but a spiritual one between Jesus and the Scribes and Pharisees, as well as other Teachers of the Law fighting with their own doctrines. Because the spirits contained within differed, they fought with different testimonies. In Ephesians 6:12, it is recorded that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the evil spirits of this dark world. In verse 17, it is written that the weapon to fight this war is not a physical one, but a spiritual one; that is, the Word of God. The war at the First Coming is not one that is fought with physical weapons, but a spiritual war that is fought with each individual's doctrine.
Likewise, the war in Revelation is a spiritual one in which the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan fight with their own doctrine. If the Armageddon in Revelation refers to the literal Plains of Armageddon (similar in size to Seoul Olympic Stadium), then do 200 million soldiers belonging to China and the European Union fight there? In Hebrew, Armageddon means 'mountain (hill) of Megiddo'. Located on the northern plains of Israel, it was a frequent battlefield during the Old Testament period.
However, in Revelation 11:8, which refers to spiritual events that take place at a specific location in Revelation, the names 'Sodom' and 'Egypt', which appear in the Old Testament, are recorded. This shows that the names recorded in Revelation are spiritual. Armageddon in Revelation 16 refers to a spiritual armageddon, which is a spiritual battlefield.
Why is the battlefield of Armageddon recorded in the book of Revelation? It is necessary to highlight the war that is written in the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation, which records the Lord's Second Coming, marks days of betrayal, destruction and salvation. In the first chapter of Revelation, the seven golden lampstands who prepare the way for the Lord appear. However, they betray by violating the covenant made with God, as seen in Revelation 2 and 3. As a result, they are captured and defeated in the war against the destroyers who came into the tabernacle in Revelation 13.
On the other hand, in Revelation 12, the overcomer who has unchanging belief, and his brothers, fight and overcome the enemy with the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Therefore, the Tabernacle Temple, which is the spiritual battleground of Revelation 12 and 13, becomes an analogy for Armageddon.
Moreover, in Revelation 12, those who fought and overcame with unchanging faith established the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Revelation 15, and God made these overcomers His bowls of wrath to be poured out onto the betrayers and destroyers in Revelation 16. The destroyers went on to gather the kings of the world - the pastors of Babylon - to fight against God, and this spiritual battlefield is the Armageddon recorded in Revelation 16. In summary, Armageddon refers to a spiritual battlefield where the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan fight.
“The plains of Meggido are in northern Israel, which is the place of judgment where political forces and other groups have united with the evil forces of this world"
Established Church
Pastor A of the Full Gospel Church
The War of Armageddon is the last war in humanity. This final war will occur and human history will be put to an end. Here, the Eastern and European armies will join forces to fight. The number of today's Chinese militia is numbered at roughly 250 million. Where do the great Eastern troops unite and cross the Euphrates to attack the troops of the European Union? At Megiddo in the northern part of Israel. This is where the War of Armageddon takes place. The War of Armageddon ends with the final war marking the end of humanity. World history comes to an end and the Millennial Kingdom ruled by God begins.
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Pastor B of the Presbyterian Church
It's not actually a large enough area for a world war. It is a hill in the plains of Israel. It is not a global strategic point. An actual world war does not happen there. It is a spiritual war that makes you stand firm in the sight of God. The analogy with evil is being used as a place of judgment. The evil camp will cause this final war, but it will all end there. In the process of fighting evil forces, Christians must not compromise with the world but maintain their faith. The deceitfulness of this world and the spirit of demons moving the kings of this world will collude with the political forces of this world to torment you. But do not give in. It may seem that they will win this war, but the message is that all political forces together with the world of evil will perish.
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