Ephraim predicted a senseless desert people would terrorize the Middle East
Announcing Ephraim the Syrian. Before I begin, I should answer some questions.
Who was Ephraim the Syrian? And are his ancient writings significant to us in this modern era and more importantly, how do they fit within Bible prophecy?
Ephraim was an Eastern Orthodox Christian theologian. And as his title implies, he lived in the region of Syria. Syria has a long Christian heritage that began in the earliest days of the Church. He was born around 300 AD and lived for nearly 75 years. Ephraim wrote about the last days, commenting extensively about what the Church should expect as the final days drew near. In my studies, I recently reread a passage he wrote some 1500 years ago. I had read the words a few times before, but this time I decided I should include them in a post.
The reason will be obvious to some, and offensive to others. Are his words significant to the modern reader? Yes — absolutely. His written words appear to predict the rise of Islam and the warriors that helped spread the new faith across the Middle East. He didn’t name the new religion. Of course, he didn’t because it hadn’t been dreamed up yet. But what he did was write his interpretation of Bible prophecy. As he read the words of Daniel, Isaiah, and Joel, he compared them with the words of Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. He also compared them to Peter and Paul’s words. And some of his conclusions are very alarming.
But they also read like war stories from Syria. And I mean recent war stories from Syria.
Decide for yourself if they sound familiar. And if you’re offended, you should be, because what we have seen in recent years has shocked millions.
Ephraim the Syrian predicted a violent desert people.
The following words come from ancient scrolls translated into English. Special thanks to the work of Ken Johnson who is bringing attention to Ephraim and several other noted Church Fathers. Ken’s work can be found on his site, bible facts.org
And importantly, the following quotes are taken from Ken’s book titled, “The End Times by the Ancient Church Fathers.”
I should note, Ken spells Ephraim’s name as Ephrem.
In the desert, people become senseless:
“When the end of the world comes, there arise diverse wars, commotions on all sides, horrible earthquakes, perturbations of nations, tempests throughout the lands…
Constant persecutions slaughters and massacres everywhere, fear in the homes, panic in the cities…
In the desert, people become senseless; spirits melt in the cities. A friend will not be grieved over a friend, neither a brother for a brother…
But all people, who have been constricted by fear, are consumed because of the overhanging evils.”
The worthless nations arise:
The next quotations become very real to the modern reader.
“The world shall be overwhelmed by worthless nations… (In Ken’s footnotes, he likened the worthless nations to Islamic nations.)
Whose aspect appears to be of wild animals more than that of men. Because those very much horrible nations, most profane and most defiled, who do not spare lives, and shall destroy the living from the dead, they eat dead flesh, they drink the blood of beasts…”
In the calamities of the recent Middle East wars, we have heard about fighters who have eaten the hearts and flesh of the dead. And some have drunk the blood of beasts. Is that something new to our era? No, it’s not but it is real, just as some have predicted.
The recent rise of ISIS in the Middle East fits the prediction that Ephraim wrote about around 350 AD. And I repeat, Mohammed’s warriors with their religious fervor wouldn’t begin their march across the desert sands for another 300 years.
But to be fair, wars and wicked violence have ravaged this region for the last two thousand years. That too fits perfectly with the predictions of the prophets.
Let me know what you think.