The Heavenly Man
By Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway
A Book Report by Joshua McCurdy, 10th Grade, WCFS Student
Brother Yun received a new name, “The Heavenly Man.” He was in a small town preaching the Good News when he was arrested by the PSB. To warn his brothers in Christ, he cried out, “I am a heavenly man! I am not of this earth!” PSB officers beat and shocked him with electric batons. They took him to prison and repeated the torture, but he refused to turn in his coworkers. He asked to rest for a while until he was ready to give them the needed information. During this time he refused to eat or drink anything and was sustained by God a total of 74 days. He was reduced to skin and bones, and weighed less than 100 pounds. The prison guards tortured him relentlessly day in and day out. He was so weak he couldn’t walk and had to be carried everywhere. When he ended his fast, his cell mates ridiculed him saying it was staged. Yun stood up for the first time in 74 days, rebuking and commanding them to repent and receive Jesus. They all came to him on their knees sobbing and begging him to tell them how to be saved.
Yun was taken to be “judged” for his “crimes” at the end of his fast. The judge accused him of being anti-government and a counter revolutionary. He was sentenced to four years in a prison labor camp for “breaking the law.”
The Heavenly Man was then transported to the labor camp which he called a “graveyard covered with thorns.” His tasks were carrying human waste and digging fish ponds all day long. This was back breaking and quite disgusting, but because of his good conduct, he gained the favor of the prison wardens. The leaders of the complex promoted him to easier and more desirable jobs because of good behavior.
At the end of four years, Yun was called up for trial again. The terms set by the PSB for his release were as follows:
1. For two years he would have no political rights. There was no way he could escape from the humiliation of being a political prisoner.
2. For two years he would be placed under close police surveillance.
3. He must report to the PSB every month and tell them what he did that month.
4. He was not allowed to leave his village or preach. If someone came to meet him, he had to report it or he would be punished severely.
5. He had to join a Three Self Patriotic Church that was approved by the government.
Yun agreed to all the terms except joining the Three Self Patriotic Church. He did not agree with the restrictions set on this church, and refused to join. The PSB released him and accepted Yun’s refusal to join the government church. He was free to go home and reunite with his family.
In less than a year after receiving his freedom, the Lord gave Yun a vision to flee his home, because the PSB was arresting all house church leaders. Yun did not obey God and stayed home. His spiritual life had weakened, and he was in a decline. When the PSB found him at his house, they took him to prison. Once again he endured great torture and beatings while in prison for fourteen months.
The Lord gave Yun a vision to train missionaries after his release. He called this ministry “God’s Oil Station.” It was a time of intense training and the students were immersed in the Word. These young missionaries brought the good news to even the most remote regions in China.
The Chinese Christian church experienced dissension, because of books that taught opposing doctrines. These books were received with Bibles, brought in by foreign missionaries who were promoting their own denominations. It took humble and loving actions between leaders to bring everyone back together. They came to the conclusion that it was not doctrine; it was the Lord who sustained them.
The leaders of the house churches were called to a meeting in an apartment and found the PSB waiting for them in an ambush; all were arrested. Yun jumped out the second story window in an attempt to escape, but was met with more PSB officers waiting for him on the ground. He fractured his legs and endured a very severe beating. He was sent off to prison for the third time. So he could not escape again, his legs were permanently broken, crushing his shins totally. He was completely depressed and at his lowest point spiritually. The prison guards beat him daily. Brother Xu, another house church leader, kept urging him to try to escape. One day Yun felt God tell him to try to escape also, so he called Xu (this brother had to carry Yun everywhere, because he could not walk) to take him to the toilet. When they entered the bathroom, Yun told Xu of his plans. Yun got up and walked past at least six guards, through three iron gates (which at any other time would be closed), through the courtyard which was full of guards, and out of the prison. God healed Yun’s legs and blinded the guards, so Yun could escape, proving to the PSB that He was all powerful.
Yun was given the passport of a Christian businessman to attempt to flee the country. Miraculously, the Lord allowed him to pass through the airport gates and board the plane to Germany with the wrong papers.
His family moved to Myanmar (Burma) in a hope to join Yun and move to Germany with him. He went to Myanmar to pick up his family and return to Germany. His son was able to fly just over the Myanmar border before war broke out. Yun’s wife and daughter had to hike across the border to freedom. Yun himself spent seven months in prison for having a fake identity card. He was beaten as punishment and put in the biggest and most awful prison he had been in yet. The complex was filthy and the convicts endured a plague. The prisoners were infected with parasites and worms because of a hundred men using the same toilet. Yun was transferred to the prison hospital to recover and was eventually released and able to return to Germany where he was reunited with his wife and two children.
Yun has been on speaking trips throughout the West, sharing what he went through for Jesus’ sake. God has given Yun a vision for what he calls the “Back to Jerusalem” mission. He hopes to reach all the nations along the Silk Road with the gospel. This is his current occupation serving the Lord.
I liked The Heavenly Man because it has a mixture of adventure, extreme faith, and love for the Lord all portrayed in the life of Brother Yun and his family. I highly recommend this book.