Who is the 'one who reads', and who are those who 'hear' and 'keep' its words in Revelation 1?
📰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 'one who reads' is New John, who ate the opened scroll. Those who hear and keep it are the 144,000 and the multitude in white"
Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony
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The Bible is divided into four parts: history, teaching, prophecy, and fulfilment. Within every era, God prophesies first, then at the time when He fulfils the prophecy, it is seen and fulfilled by the promised shepherd (pastor).
To understand how the revelation of the New Testament is opened and delivered today, let us first look at how the revelation of the Old Testament was fulfilled. The prophets of the Old Testament saw, heard and recorded what God would accomplish in the future.
No one can read the book or understand its meaning until the prophecy is fulfilled. Since no one knows its will, no one can understand it. It is impossible to know the reality until the prophecy is fulfilled. Hence, it is like a sealed book.
That is why it is said that neither the learned nor the ignorant can read (Isaiah 29:11-12). However, this revelation awaits an appointed time to be fulfilled (Hab 2:2~3).
If so, who, when and in what form does this Old Testament prophecy come true? At the time of the first coming, when the chosen people of Israel had rebelled and were the devil's possession, God did not bring the Old Testament prophets back to life, but came to Jesus and fed him the opened scroll (book) of the Old Testament, as was promised in the book of Ezekiel. Jesus, who received and ate the words of the opened scroll, delivered the word of revelation received from God to the people of Israel, who were the rebellious people of that time. Those who kept it were those who heard the words of Jesus, perceived its meaning and came out, just like the disciples of Jesus.
If so, who, when and in what form does this Old Testament prophecy come true? At the time of the first coming, when the chosen people of Israel had rebelled and were the devil's possession, God did not bring the Old Testament prophets back to life, but came to Jesus and fed him the opened scroll (book) of the Old Testament, as was promised in the book of Ezekiel. Jesus, who received and ate the words of the opened scroll, delivered the word of revelation received from God to the people of Israel, who were the rebellious people of that time. Those who kept it were those who heard the words of Jesus, perceived its meaning and came out, just like the disciples of Jesus.
The book of Revelation is a prophetic book, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, while Apostle John was in exile on the island of Patmos about 2,000 years ago. Those who prophesy and those who read are different entities. Just like at the time of the first coming, at the time of the Lord's Second Coming when the Book of Revelation is fulfilled, Apostle John does not come back to life on this earth to testify the word of prophecy that he wrote and their reality, but a shepherd (pastor) appears and assumes the position of Apostle John, and sees, hears and testifies to the fulfilled reality. Because he is a pastor who testifies to the reality of what has been fulfilled, he is referred to as the 'new John', and not Apostle John who recorded the prophecy.
In Revelation 5, there was a scroll (book) sealed with seven seals in God's right hand. When Jesus took this sealed scroll, which no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could see inside, he broke open its seals, revealing it content, and gave it to new John through an angel for new John to eat. New John took the open scroll, ate it and went to testify (preach) it to peoples, nations, languages and kings. As recorded in Revelation 22:8, this shepherd (pastor) is the one who saw and heard the fulfilled realities of the war of Revelation, and is the messenger of Jesus sent to the churches.
Therefore, the 'one who reads' at the time of the Lord's Second Coming is this new John. The peoples, nations, languages and kings who receive the testimony from New John are all the churches in sin, and they become 'those who hear'. Since there is only one person who reads the prophecy of Revelation, it is expressed in the singular. Therefore, to read the words of prophecy means to receive revelation from Jesus and perceive the reality that has appeared according to the words, not simply reading the words themselves.
The first man, Adam, was destroyed because he did not keep God's covenant, even though he knew the covenant. Moreover, the Israelites who followed Moses after the Exodus knew the covenant, but they were destroyed because they served foreign gods - like Adam - in Solomon's time. This history was given as an example and warning to us in these last days.
It is important to hear the revelation, but it is more important to understand it, believe it and keep it. Those who always keep in mind the word of revelation given through the promised shepherd (pastor), and record it on their hearts and keep it, will receive the blessing promised in Revelation; that is, to become the kingdom and priests of God.
We earnestly hope that we will not stop at hearing the word of revelation, but be sure to observe and act accordingly in order to become a believer who will receive God's approval and blessing.
Pastor A, Presbyterian Church
"Who speaks the words of this prophecy? It says, 'blessed is the one who reads'. Here, the 'one who reads' is in the singular, and I'm not just talking about reading the Bible personally. It talks about reading aloud in a formal worship service. So, in order to give an accurate translation, the person who reads the words of this prophecy is blessed by using the Greek translation.
Suppose someone reads the book of Revelation all the way through. 'The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place by sending his angel to his servant John.' I'm not the one who reads it."
Pastor B, Methodist Church
"What this means is that anyone can read the book of Revelation, anyone can interpret and hear its interpretation, and anyone can keep the words written within it.
Isn't the book of Revelation something to be carried out in the future? When it comes to what will happen in the future, who can interpret the book of Revelation without error? No one can."
We earnestly hope that we will not stop at hearing the word of revelation, but be sure to observe and act accordingly in order to become a believer who will receive God's approval and blessing.
"The 'one who reads' is anyone who reads the Bible and worships. It's anyone who believes in Jesus"
Korean Presbyterian and Methodist Church
Pastor A, Presbyterian Church
"Who speaks the words of this prophecy? It says, 'blessed is the one who reads'. Here, the 'one who reads' is in the singular, and I'm not just talking about reading the Bible personally. It talks about reading aloud in a formal worship service. So, in order to give an accurate translation, the person who reads the words of this prophecy is blessed by using the Greek translation.
Suppose someone reads the book of Revelation all the way through. 'The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place by sending his angel to his servant John.' I'm not the one who reads it."
Pastor B, Methodist Church
"What this means is that anyone can read the book of Revelation, anyone can interpret and hear its interpretation, and anyone can keep the words written within it.
Isn't the book of Revelation something to be carried out in the future? When it comes to what will happen in the future, who can interpret the book of Revelation without error? No one can."
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