Writings of early church leaders, some admittedly of
disputed authenticity, others of uncertain translation and background texts,
that have come down to us expressing belief in the premillennial return of the
Lord to call out the church and to rule for a thousand years in a literal reign
on earth include writings attributed to Papias, Shepard, Irenaeus, Lactantius,
Victorinus, Cyprian, Ephraim the Syrite, Commodianus, Origen, Tertullian, and
Justin Martyr. While some of them also include implications and clear
statements that the church will not see the wrath
to come but will be removed beforehand others are ambiguous and uncertain
in meaning.
- Shepard of
Hermas (apocryphal writing) 150 AD
- The writer,
after escaping a huge terrifying beast with four colors on its head
(white, red, black and gold), met a virgin in his vision. "like a
bride going froth from a bride-chamber, all in white...I recognized from
the former visions that it was the church." the virgin explained that
she escaped destruction from the beast (the Great Tribulation) because of
God's special deliverance. "Thou hast escaped a great tribulation
because thou hast believed and at the sight of such a huge beast hast not
doubted. Go therefore and declare to the Elect of the Lord His mighty
deeds and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation
which is to come. If ye therefore prepare yourselves and with your whole
heart turn to the Lord in repentance, then shall ye be able to escape it,
if your heart is pure and blameless." After explaining to him that
"the golden color stands for you who have escaped from this
world," the virgin concluded her messages with, "Now ye know the
symbol of the great tribulation to come. But if ye are willing, it shall
be nothing."
- Victorinus 240AD
- Commentary on
the Apocalypse 6.14 - "'And the heaven withdrew as a scroll that is
rolled up.' For the heaven to be rolled way, that is, that the Church
shall be taken away. "And the mountain and the islands were moved
from their places." Mountains and islands removed from their places
intimate that in the last persecution all men departed from their places;
that is, that the good will be removed, seeking to avoid the
persecution."
- Commentary on
the Apocalypse 15.1 - "And I saw another great and wonderful sign,
seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is
completed the indignation of God.' For the wrath of God always
strikes the obstinate people with seven plagues, that is, perfectly, as it
is said in Leviticus; and these shall be in the last time, when the
Church shall have gone out of the midst."
- Cyprian 250 AD
- Epistle 55 -
The Antichrist is coming, but above him comes Christ also. The
enemy goeth about and rageth, but immediately the Lord follows to avenge
our suffering and our wounds. The adversary is enraged and threatens, but
there is One who can deliver us from his hands." It is
significant that he did not write about enduring the persecution of the
Antichrist. Rather, Cyprian promised that Christ "is One who can
deliver us from his hands."
- Cyprian
Speaking of the immanency of the Rapture, he wrote, "Who would not
crave to be changed and transformed into the likeness of Christ and to
arrive more quickly to the dignity of heavenly glory." After telling
his readers that the coming resurrection was the hope of the Christian, he
points out that the Rapture should motivate us as we see the last days
approaching. Cyprian says that "we who see that terrible things have
begun, and know that still more terrible things are imminent, may regard
it as the greatest advantage to depart from it as quickly as
possible." Referring to his hope of the approaching Rapture, he
encouraged his readers as follows: "Do you not give God thanks, do
you not congratulate yourself, that by an early departure you are taken
away, and delivered from the shipwrecks and disasters that are
imminent?" Cyprian concludes his comments on the translation of the
saints with these words: "Let us greet the day which assigns each of
us to his own home, which snatches us hence, and sets us free from
the snares of the world, and restores us to paradise and the kingdom"
(Treatises of Cyprian - 21 to 26?).
- Ephraim the
Syrian
373 AD
- On The Last
Times 2 - ...because all saints and the elect of the LORD are
gathered together before the Tribulation which is about to come and
be taken to the LORD...
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