The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

At the time of this last persecution of the Church by Pagan Rome, there were four
emperors ruling over the Roman Empire--Diocletian and his three subordinate associates,
Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius Chlorus; the last ruling at Britain and Gaul. It is a
matter to be specially noted that during this last persecution those Christians who lived in
Britain and Gaul, under Constantius Chlorus, enjoyed freedom from persecution. In fact,
this emperor seemed very favorably disposed toward his Christian subjects. Constantine,
his son, was even more so. The Christians throughout the Roman Empire, seeing this
favorable inclination of the young Constantine, were led to hope that he, an heir to the
throne, might be their deliverer. On account of the fierceness of this last persecution, this
hope grew into fervent prayer that he might be elevated to the throne. This is what we
understand to be the fulfillment of the woman in travail.
Mr. Lord, as bearing on this point, quotes from Eusebius, commonly called the father of
ecclesiastical history, who, at the time he wrote, was a zealous supporter of Constantine
the Great:
"'The Emperor Constantius Chlorus was distinguished through his whole life for mildness
and clemency towards those under his rule, and friendliness to Christianity. . . . And he
alone after a peaceful and glorious reign, left his empire at death to a legitimate, a modest,
and a religious son. On his demise, Constantine, who had long before been assigned to
that office by the Almighty, was immediately saluted Augustus by the army, and became a
zealous emulator of his father's veneration for the Christian religion.'"
That prayers were offered up in his behalf that he might be elevated to the throne, is thus
recorded by another professed Christian author, Lactantius:
"'The Lord has heard the prayers which were offered continually by you and the other
brethren. . . . and tranquillity being restored through the empire, the Church lately
prostrate [under Diocletian] has again risen, and the temples of God which the emperor
[Diocletian] had overturned, are by His mercy, re-erected in greater beauty than before.
For He has raised up princes, who have put an end to the cruel sway of the tyrants, and
given protection to the people, so that already, as though the late clouds were dispersed,
all are gladdened with peace and serenity. Those tempests have passed away. . . . God in
His pity has relieved His afflicted servants and wiped away the tears of the mourners.'"
We next read that the "dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered
for to devour her child as soon as it was born." This feature of the vision seems to refer to
the fact that the Pagan rulers and priests were aware that the Lord's people were about to
favor the elevation of the young prince Constantine, because of the expectation on their
part that he would restrain their Pagan persecutors and give them deliverance. A brief
summary of the history that meets the fulfillment of this symbol is as follows:
The Pagan party (ruler and priests), seeing the attitude of the young Constantine toward
the Christians, sought all ways to prevent his accession to the throne. Therefore, just before
the death of his father, the young Constantine was taken and held a prisoner at the court
of Galerius at Nicomedia. He managed, however, to escape, making a swift journey to