Unleashing tsunamis, it was announced “The Olive Tree is God.”

Hong, Chang-hong, Seungsa

In 1968, I applied for the ministerial work upon recommendation by the Minister. At that time, the Central Chunbukyo Churches were set up in different areas in Seoul with around a dozen of churches under each of them and the evangelistic work was actively carried out. I was assigned to the Bomoon-dong and Sungsoo-dong churches under the 3rd Central Church and worked to spread the words of God with the church members.

During this period, my second younger brother came back home discharged sick from military service, received treatments from the hospital, but eventually passed away. As I proposed to have the funeral service according to the way of Chunbukyo, my father didn’t like it but did not object as he had previously seen my grand mother’s body bloom beautifully with the Water of Life in her funeral service. The minister and members of Wangshipri Chunbukyo Church came to carry out the funeral service. While having the service, I was quite concerned, “What if his body might not bloom as he didn’t attend the Chunbukyo Church!” However, when I looked after his body was cleansed with the Water of Life, the desiccated skin of his face due to sickness took on flesh nicely and even its color changed radiant. Even though he did not know God, he passed away peacefully in the precious grace given by God.

While I was working as the minister of the church, I was appointed to work in the Accounting Department of the Kijang Faith Village. As a large scale of textile factory had been built there, a lot of young church members from all over the country were coming to Gijang. When I thought about the tremendously large scale of the factory and a large number of employees, I was worried whether I could carry out the job. However, as God advised me, “Learn and work”, I determined to do so. Whenever he has time, God looked around the factory and blessed the employees. All the employees worked hard joyfully singing hymns, and the foreign buyers and visitors who observed it were simply amazed. Even when God met foreign buyers and visitors for business, he explained about Shinangchon, saying “Shinanngchon is a village where our church members live together” and also explained easily about our church’s principles so that they could understand. Despite of his busy schedule of supervising dozens of factories for their production and exports, he went to Seoul every Sunday to lead services in Central Chunbukyo Churches. Early in the morning, he left Kijang Faith Village by the passenger car and traveled 1,200 kilo meters, and his hard work was simply un-describable. Following the tremendously tight schedule, he continued to render the precious grace to the church members.

In 1980, he began to unveil the true identity of Jesus and explain about the flaws of the Bible item by item. As for the Genesis, referring to the phrase that after Cain killed Abel, he was afraid of being beaten to death as it’s written. “…whoever finds me will kill me.”(Genesis 4-14), he said ‘it disproves Adam and Eve were the first humans and implies that mankind had continued to exist from before.’ Thus, he disclosed that the Bible is mostly wrong from the very beginning, Genesis. And he also proclaimed ‘98 percent of the Bible are not God’s words even though they have been trusted to be so for a few thousand years.’ When I heard about this, I shouted, “That’s right!”, tapping my knees. Previously, when I read the Bible, I myself had a doubt, “If Cain killed Abel, only two people should be there beside him, Adam and Eve. Then, why was he worried of being beaten to death by whom?” My doubt was completely cleared by God’s explanation.

In October, the company was re-organized, and I became Managing Director of the Executive Department. A few months later, on the night of December 24, 1980, the security at the Steel Mill called to report, “Fierce waves from the sea are battering the Steel Mil Coast.” Upon arrival at the location, I found strong waves were pouncing upon the factory foundation which we had built, thus causing a lot of sand to come down. Especially, the rolling mill which had been recently built was washed down to the road, its posts pulled up all the way and hanging precariously in the air. As there were a lot of huge rocks and boulders around the Steel Mill we had gathered from the high hills in the back, to prevent the plant site from washing away, we used bulldozers to push down those rocks and boulders along the shoreline, but they got picked up and carried away like pebbles by the gigantic waves. What was most surprising was the absence of even a breath of wind in spite of such high waves.

Even when God met foreign buyers and visitors, he mentioned
“Shinangchon is a village where our church members live together”
and further explained about our church principles easily.

In January 1981, after announcing that “the Olive Tree is God”,
he referred to the tsunamis saying it had been staged to
“show his power as Creator of the universe and announce His Godhead.”

I gave a detailed report to God: “There is no wind blowing but tsunamis are rolling in, the plant site about to wash away.” Showing no sign of alarm, He said, “Really? Now go back and see.” When I returned to the Steel Mill Coast, this time a fierce wind so powerful as to knock one off one’s feet was blowing from the land seaward, where the tsunamis had reared up, poised to pounce on the whole steel mill site and snatch it away. Hearing my hasty report, He said, “Don’t worry. You’ll know in a while.” Lo and behold, the tsunamis began to calm down about one third. So I reported to God. Then, a little bit later, the sea became completely tranquil, whereupon I reported, “It is all calm.”

In January 1981, after announcing His being “the Olive Tree”, God said that the tsunamis of the Steel Mill Coast had been staged to show his power as Creator of the universe and “to announce His Godhead.” How can one imagine tsunamis rising where there is no wind or running against the sudden headwind that crushes them? Having witnessed the tsunami spectacle with my own eyes I know God to be the Creator for sure. Moreover, realizing that “I have all along followed God who has come to this earth,” I know deep in my heart how truly blessed I am.

When I look back to the past, I recall what He told us from the beginning of our church with an unchanging consistency, “Only when you resolve the issue of sin, you can be saved.” His voice saying, “Do not sin, get saved and go to the Heaven” is still ringing in my ears. I only feel ashamed that I have not been able to keep the precious grace. Even though I am an ignorant and insufficient sinner, I have been able to live so far in the boundless love of God. Trying to become the one who has nothing to do with sin, I ceaselessly offer my prayer of thanks, earnestly asking God to be my guide all the time.