[2025-09-22] The Meaning of Israel and the People of Israel

[2025-09-22] The Meaning of Israel and the People of Israel

Israel means “overcome” (Gn 32:28). The Jews became Israel (Physical Israel) by overcoming. Therefore, if the people of Israel lose in their fight against the enemy, they are no longer Israel.

At the time of the First Coming, Jesus said that he had overcome the world (Jn 16:33). Therefore, Christianity is Israel (Spiritual Israel), and Christians are the people of Spiritual Israel. Also, in the New Testament Revelation, Jesus repeatedly urged us to “overcome.” With what do we overcome? We overcome with the truth (refer to Rv 12:10–11). Therefore, Shincheonji has become God's new kingdom (New Spiritual Israel, Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony) and new people (people of New Spiritual Israel) in this era of the Revelation's fulfillment by overcoming again and again through the truth (the revealed Word).

Today, Shincheonji, which began with the promised pastor alone, has become a church with 1 million members. Just as the pastors of Judaism did to Jesus at the First Coming, the pastors of traditional churches today have poured out accusations of “cult, heresy” upon Shincheonji like a flood. Yet Shincheonji has run powerfully forward like an express train that never stops. And just as the express train continues on toward its destination even as wild dogs bark at it, we have marched forward, proclaiming the sound of the seventh trumpet, heading toward the hopeful kingdom of Rv 21.

In Rv 7, the 12 tribes sealed with the revealed Word are singing a new song on Mount Zion (the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony) as seen in Rv 14 and 15. Here on Mount Zion is the throne of God. This is the fulfillment of the promise in Rv 4:8—that the throne of God would come upon those who are sealed. No matter how much the world shouts “harsh and loud” resistance, those who believe in the revealed Word of the New Testament are gathering quickly to the Holy City where God dwells, as recorded in Rv 21.

At the time of the fulfillment of Revelation, the only people who will be saved are the sealed 12 tribes and the great multitude in white, as seen in Rv 7 and 14. You people who disrespect and persecute today’s sealed 12 tribes! This 144,000 of the 12 tribes did not fall even amidst fierce evil winds. They are the victorious ones who stood firm even when the sun, moon, and stars of heaven all fell, the new kingdom and new people who were created at the time of the fulfillment of Revelation in Rv 7 and 14, Shincheonji Church of Jesus. These are the reality of the Word created according to the New Testament Revelation, the heavenly people born of the seed of heaven. If one were to ask, “Who are the ones to be saved in this global village today?” we would answer: the 12 tribes created in Rv 7 and 14 at the time of the fulfillment of Revelation.

To those who have called Shincheonji a cult (the traditional church pastors), Shincheonji has proposed multiple times to hold a public test of 100 questions based on the New Testament Revelation to determine orthodoxy versus heresy. But to this day, not a single one has accepted. Is this not because they are ignorant of the New Testament Revelation and lack the confidence to defeat Shincheonji with the revealed Word? Then in the end, who is it that has overcome? It is Shincheonji that has overcome with the truth (the revealed Word). They did not know what orthodoxy or heresy was nor did they even know the prophecies of the New Testament. Just like the Jewish pastors at the time of the First Coming, the only word they knew was “heresy.” But we can see that their claim of being “orthodox” was false and deceitful.

How could those who believe outside of the Word of the New Testament understand the meaning and reality of Revelation? Shincheonji fully understands both the true meaning of the prophecies of Revelation and their fulfillment. In Rv 22, it is written that if anyone adds to or takes away from this book of Revelation, they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven and will receive curses (plagues). These words will silence the mouths of false pastors.

Today, after the fulfillment of the New Testament Revelation is complete, judgment will take place. The standard for judgment will be the four Gospels of the New Testament (their prophecies) and Revelation. At that time, the judges will be the 12 disciples (12 tribe leaders) (refer to Mt 19:28). Those who are judged will go to either hell or heaven based on whether they are guilty of sin or not. If you visit Gosung (Cheongpyeong County, Gyeonggi-do), you can see the model of heaven that has been built, including the two gates of heaven and hell.

Since it is written that judgment will follow the completion of the prophecies of Revelation, judgment will occur twice (Rv 20:4, 12). That time is approaching. On that day, the appearance of today’s persecutors will be revealed. That is, lies or truths, whether they have sin or not, will all be made known.