The Rise of Constantine
By AD 305 Diocletian and Maximian had retired as co-emperors. The result was jealousy and years of war among the remaining caesars. In the end, Constantius’ son Constantine took on the role of “rescuer” of the persecuted Christians. In AD 313 he and his legions moved against Maxentius who had proclaimed himself as emperor in Italy and was executing the Christians of Rome.
Before facing the vicious Maxentius in battle, Constantine prayed to the Christian God for help in defeating his enemy. Although Jesus may have been just another of the “many gods” to Constantine at the time, Constantine reported that the Lord answered him with a sign of a lighted cross in the sky and the message that read In Hoc Signo Vinces, which in Latin reads, “with this sign, you will conquer.” According to Eusebius’ history, Constantine had a dream the next night where Jesus appeared with the same sign and directed Constantine to make the cross his battle standard.
Victory at the Milvian Bridge
Marching under the Christian banner, Constantine defeated Maxentius’ troops at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge on the Tiber River. Maxentius fell victim to his trap and drowned in the Tiber outside of Rome. When Constantine marched into Rome, he declared that the victory was due to help from the Christian God. Giving God the credit, Constantine refused the traditional triumphant parade up the Palatine Hill in Rome to honor Jupiter at his temple.
Shortly after, Constantine and his co-emperor, Licinius, signed the Edict of Milan which gave all Christians in the empire the freedom to worship and ordered the return of all of their church and personal property. The horror of death and dismemberment for the followers of Christ was finally over. Millions of Roman Christians were free to worship God in peace. All of the other Roman emperors in the tetrarchy who had so mercilessly executed the Christians met with a painful, fatal disease or death in battle while defending their title. By AD 324, Constantine had defeated Licinius as well and reigned as the sole emperor of Rome.
Triumph of the Church
Many biblical scholars believe that, in his remaining years, Constantine became a true believer in Jesus Christ. He built huge churches or basilicas to honor Jesus’ name and those who had been martyred for their faith. The blessings and the mistakes of Constantine’s rule can’t be compared here. But we do know that at the beginning of his reign, it was a great victory and a blessed relief from centuries of brutal Roman persecution.
In the end, the church of Jesus Christ was triumphant over three hundred years of persecution and death. Despite the evil intent of the persecutors and the number of Christians executed, Satan’s tactics had failed to hold back the church of Jesus Christ.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5 ESV)
Date: 13th April 2024
Martyr: Constantine
Location: Not Specified
Source: God’s Generals – The Martyrs
Author: Roberts Liardon
Suffering Saturday 086
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