The Vision of the Sixth Seal
Constantine Becomes the First Crusader
And the kings of the earth, and the great
men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and
the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free
man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks
of the mountains. Rev. 6:15
Emperors War Against the Cross
Invoke the pagan gods in a Religious War
Diocletian had created a tetrarchy (four emperors).
Therefore the expression "kings" of the earth is
singularly appropriate for the unique situation
that existed at the time of Constantine's vision.
The other three emperors declared a holy war
against
the Christian's god in response to Constantine's
conversion. Maximin swore to Jupiter that if he
defeated Licinius he would extirpate the Christians.
Licinius before battling Constantine ridiculed the
cross. Maxentius consulted his oracles. Maximian
fashioned a coin like Diocletian where he was
Hercules waging war against the Christian hydra.
But when Constantine achieved victory after
victory
and his troops were emboldened by the banner of the
cross, fear swept the pagan legions. Raphael
captured the look of consternatioin on the
faces of the soldiers fleeing Constantine in his
painting of the rout at Milvan Bridge.
Pagans Flee Persecution
Pagans sought refuge in remote "Pagi"
The pagan religion was driven from the seat of
power into the remote villages just as the Christians
had hidden from state persecution. Villages were
called "pagi" and from that time they were referred to
as pagans.
Was Constantine Christian or Pagan?
The Controversy Continues Even Today
Constantine's vision and conversion are a subject of
great controversy. Some argue his actions were mere
political expediency. Clearly many of his actions after
his conversion contradicted his testimony.
- Changed Christ's birthday to the winter solstice
- Changed the sabbath from Saturday to
Sunday
- Minted coins with pagan deities on the
reverse.
- Put Sol Invictus on top of his famous arch
- Delayed baptism until his deathbed
- Did not purge paganism from the empire
- Introduced the doctrine of the trinity
- Murdered family members after conversion
- Continued as Pontifex Maximus
His conversion was the best thing and the worst
thing that ever happened to Christianity. And
whatever his motives, mixing Christianity and
Paganism gradually evolved into an institution more
pagan than Christian.
The Figurative Language of the Prophecy
Drawn from Old Testament Prophets
Sadly, most expositors today interpret
the the sixth seal literally. But historicists
interpret this verse as all others in Revelation
figuratively. This is consistent with the prophetic
language of the Old Testament. For instance,
Hosea used a similar expression to signify
the coming fall of Northern Israel to
Assyria.
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall
be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up
on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains,
Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. Hosea
10:8
Jesus uses a similar figurative expression to
refer to
the call by men to hide from the judgment to come
on Jerusalem.
But Jesus turning unto them said, behold, the days
are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed [are]
the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the
paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to
say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills,
Cover us. Luke 23:28-30
In the book of Samuel the same
expression "to hide" is used of Israelites hiding from
Philistines in rocky caverns in the time of Saul.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a
strait, then the
people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets,
and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. I
Samuel 13:6