The following observations point to aspects of Ephraim the Syrian’s eschatology that must not be overlooked or swept under the rug. If these are missed or ignored, the resulting perspective on his prophetic views will limp along lacking critical aspects of his eschatology which distinguish it from the replacement theology that was militantly replacing dispensational theology in his day.
OUTLINE OF EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN’S ESCHATOLOGY
1) He teaches a 3.5 year long great tribulation.
A) “Now after the three and a half years (seasons) of the power and practice of pollution are fulfilled, and when all the scandals (stumbling blocks, snares) over the entire earth have been fulfilled, as the Lord says, next our holy, undefiled, terrible, and glorious God shall come as lightning flashing from heaven.” (127).
B) This understanding of the tribulation as a period of time known is proof positive that he is not using tribulation in a generic sense for the judgment that falls on the last day.
C) His conception of the tribulation is similar to the modern understanding with a literal antichrist and mark, along with literal visitations of God as famines, earthquakes, diverse pestilences, and other terrors. See his remarks in (122-125) for instance.
2) He distinguishes two different deliverances.
A) He first introduces a deliverance before the tribulation which removes the church from the scene (115-118). Language like “escape the tribulation” and “be delivered from the tribulation” teach a pretribulation deliverance. The clause “that he might not see it at all, nor the beast himself, nor even hear of its [the tribulation’s] terrors” puts a nail in the coffin for construing his rapture as a rapture at the second coming.
B) Later he introduces a deliverance during the tribulation by preservation from the dragon, which is effected by God revealing prepared hiding places for the saints (125-126) who were given the truth through the ministry of Elijah and Enoch (125).
C) An example of his language for the deliverance prior to the tribulation is “that we might be DELIVERED FROM the tribulation which is about to come upon the earth,” ῥυσθῶμεν ἐκ θλίψεως τῆς μελλούσης ἔρχεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς (116), an observation that rings of the familiar promise in Revelation 3:10, “KEEP you FROM the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world.” This is in stark contrast to his language for deliverance of the tribulation saints during the tribulation, which he expresses as “PRESERVE them THROUGH that time,” διατηρεῖ αὐτούς (114). Notice the distinction observed between the prepositions ἐκ (ek) and διά (dia).
D) The only way these two distinct deliverances can be reconciled is with a pretribulation rapture (with its distinction between church saints and tribulation saints) or a partial rapture (with its distinction between faithful and unfaithful saints). Obviously, the latter is without exegetical foundation.
3. He makes a qualitative distinction between the time of the tribulation and the church age that preceded it.
A) “Not even in that season will God allow mankind to be without preaching” (125).
B) “Elijah the Tishbite and Enoch … these two might make known godliness to that generation of man” (125).
4. He makes a distinction between the tribulation saints and the rest of the saints.
A) “All who did not take the seal of the antichrist, and all who hid in the caves, shall rejoice with the bridegroom in the eternal, heavenly bridal chamber with all of the saints for unending ages of ages” (128).
5. He addresses the kingdom as a future event.
A) “All who have taken the mark of the beast and worshiped him as a good god, they have no part in the kingdom of Christ, but with the dragon who shall be cast into Gehenna” (124).
CLARIFICATIONS ON EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN’S ESCHATOLOGY
1. His reference to the churches of Christ mourning at the beginning of the great tribulation (127) should not be construed as teaching that the church is yet on earth.
A) Reading a post-tribulation interpretation into this context contradicts the indisputable pretribulation rapture that he taught earlier in the message.
B) Moreover, the post-tribulation interpretation contradicts the context. Why is the church mourning? Because consecration and offering have stopped on earth. Why did it stop? Because the church has been removed. The fact is, if she was still on earth and had merely gone underground, that would not have stopped her consecration and offering. In fact, it likely would have take them to a whole new level. They will mourn because there is no more testimony of God on earth, and the world is heading into deep darkness.
2. Phrases like “repelling the machinations of the beast for our sakes” (118) must not be understood as indicating that he believes that the church will be in the time of tribulation.
A) In a methodology that seems peculiar to our ears, Ephraim occasionally uses antichrist descriptions like the beast for satan and satan descriptions like the dragon for the antichrist. In his theology the antichrist is a beast precisely because satan is a beast, and he takes on the dragon persona from his master. This corresponds with the observation of discerning preachers that when God’s moral creatures rebel against Him, they depart from the image of God and descend into the irrational depths of animalness (animal-likeness), following in the dark footsteps of the adversary.
3. θάνατοι in (116) probably bears the LXX sense of lethal pestilences rather than simply deaths.
THE DEVOTIONAL EXHORTATIONS WITH
PURPOSE/MOTIVATION CLAUSES
The string of devotional exhortations followed by purpose clauses in (115-118) are not exhortations to be strong in the coming great tribulation, but admonitions to be strong in their present trials that they might be counted worthy to miss that awful hour when it comes. This is obvious in the first two exhortations, and the second two should be understood in the light of those that preceded.
“Watch always, praying continually, that you might be worthy to escape the tribulation and stand before God.” (115)
— The faithful will miss the tribulation.
“If anyone has tears and compunction, let him pray the Lord that he might be delivered from the tribulation which is about to come upon the earth, that he might not see it at all, nor the beast himself, not even hear of its terrors.” (116)
— The faithful will not see the tribulation at all.
“We need to use many prayers and tears, oh beloved, that each and every one of us might be found steadfast in [our] trials, for many amazing (deceptive) signs by [the hand of] the beast are going to happen.” (116)
— Paraphrase of the argument → Be diligent now so you won’t be here when the beast and his deceptive signs come to pass.
“Finally, brethren, there is a terrible struggle for all those men who are lovers of Christ, that we may not manifest timidity till the hour of [our] death, neither stand in weakness (sponginess) when the dragon is marking with his own seal in opposition to the cross of the Saviour.” (117-118)
— Paraphrase of the argument → If you are weak now, you will miss deliverance from the tribulation, and you will have to stand before the antichrist in your weakness.
There is a spirit of legalism (performance-based salvation) here that was common in the fathers and aggravated in many monastic circles. But Ephraim the Syrian’s principle is valid—the true Christians will be delivered from the tribulation while the false Christians will go into the tribulation. The truth, of course, is that true Christians are discerned by signs of life not signs of spiritual health, much less exceptional spiritual health.
“Eyes wide open, brain engaged, heart on fire.”
Lee W. Brainard
FURTHER LINKS ON EPHRAIM THE SYRIAN:
English translation of Ephraim’s Sermon on the Advent of the Lord, the Consummation of the Age, and the Advent of the Antichrist. — An amazing work that teaches a three-and-a-half-year long great tribulation and a clear pretribulation rapture.
Ten undiscovered pretribulation rapture references in Ephraim’s Greek works. — These works are not included in the standard English-translation church-fathers collections, and most of them have never been translated into English.
Observations on Ephraim the Syrian’s eschatology. — Like most of his contemporaries, Ephraim’s theology contains a few idiosyncracies. These observations, gathered from thirty-four of his Greek works, will help the newcomer work their way through his eschatology. None of these Greek works are included in the standard English-translation church-father collections, and most of them are without an English translation.
FURTHER LINKS ON THE PRETRIBULATION RAPTURE:
What Margaret MacDonald Really Taught
Revelation 3:10 — Tereo ek — “Keep from”
Revelation 3:10 — Peirasmos — “Trial, Testing”
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