lighting2
March 2007
 
 
The Sixth Seal
Divine Retribution

Galerius

Hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev 6: 16,17

The tribulation of the fifth seal was limited to ten years (Rev2:10). At the end of that period, Emperor Galerius was stricken with a painful inflammation in his genitals.

The pagan Galerius was the master spirit behind the persecutions which history has named for his predecessor Diocletian. The pure flame of the early church had become a virtual funeral pyre as a remnant patiently endured trusting in the God who declares "Vengence is Mine".


Galerius Knew His Affliction was Judgment
He Sought to Appease the Christians' God
And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD , when I shall lay my vengeance upon them. Eze 25:17

Galerius knew that he had fallen into the hands of the Christian's God and in desperation attempted to appease Him.

  • He confessed publically
  • He forgave his enemies
  • He freed the prisoners
  • The Edict of Toleration
  • He begged for prayer

A Terrible Vengence
It is a Fearful Thing to Fall into the Hands of God
But, Galerius's conditioned worsened by the growth of a deep ulcer which was soon befallen by worms. It began to rot much like the wretched fate of Herod.

Some of Galerius' doctors were simply unable to endure the stench. These were executed immediately. The other doctors were killed later having been unable to cure their emperor's disease.

The Persecuting Emperors
All Died Under a Dark Cloud
jupiter Unrepentant, Galerius died appropriately ten days after his Edict of Toleration. Earlier Maximian hanged himself like Judas, oppressed by remorse for his cruelty. And his son emperor Maxentius drowned in the Tiber at the Battle of Milvian Bridge as he fled Constantine and Constantine's god.

Diocletian had a medal struck of himself as Jupiter whose forked lightening was destroying the hydra-headed serpent of Christianity. This champion of paganism died stark raving mad while his wife and daughter accepted Christ.

Diocletian's name is given to the last and most severe persecution. For ten years believers were hunted in caves and forests. They were burned at the stake, thrown to hungry lions and other beasts, and put to death by every torture that could be devised. Finally, the emperors realized their God was a reality.

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