**Noise of Thunder: Judgment on the Roman Empire**
1 ¶ And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
The “noise of thunder” in this passage refers to the voice of judgment. The first living creature speaks with a voice like thunder, signifying an order or command, a proclamation of judgment. Thunder in this context implies a storm, and storms symbolize political turmoil and upheaval (1 Samuel 2:10, Zechariah 9:13-14). The thunder is symbolic of the storm of judgment upon the Roman Empire, specifically from 96 to 324 CE, marking a time when the pagan traditions of Rome were subdued in favor of Christianity.
This judgment was rooted in Rome’s brutal persecution of both the Jews and Christians. The age of Ecclesia, particularly the Smyrnan Epoch from 110 to 312 CE, witnessed severe oppression. Under Roman rulers such as Emperor Trajan, many Christians suffered. Notably, Ignatius, sentenced to die in the Colosseum, was devoured by lions in 110 CE. The persecution became particularly intense during these years, with notable martyrs like Polycarp (burned alive in 156), Justin Martyr (beheaded in 165), and Perpetua and Felicity (martyred in 202), among others. These acts were part of the violent tradition of Roman leadership, exemplified in the infamous persecutions under emperors such as Decius and Valerian.
The thunderous judgment, however, also extends to the brutal political climate of Rome during this time. From 96 CE, when the tyrant Emperor Domitian, known for persecuting the Ecclesia, was assassinated, the thunder grew louder, symbolizing political instability. Even after Domitian’s death, the empire continued to experience turbulence, culminating in events like the Second Jewish Revolt under Hadrian (132-135 CE). This revolt led to the complete destruction of Jerusalem and marked a significant turning point in Roman-Jewish relations.
The subsequent emperors, such as Commodus (180-193 CE), who was strangled to death, and Pertina (193 CE), who was assassinated, continued to face violent ends. Didius Julianus (193 CE), who famously purchased the empire by bribing the Praetorian Guards, ruled for only 63 days before being beheaded by those same guards. This period of violent shifts in leadership marked a series of political storms, further symbolized by the thunder in Revelation.
The period from 193 CE to 211 CE was particularly bloody, with the reigns of emperors like Septimius Severus, who brought temporary stability, and Geta, murdered by his brother Caracalla. The violence escalated further during the years 217-235 CE, with emperors like Macrinus, Elagabalus, and Alexander Severus meeting violent deaths. In total, 39 emperors were either assassinated or died violently in a period of 50 years. The list includes Maximin (238 CE), murdered; Gordianus (238 CE), killed in battle; Philip (249 CE), killed; and Decius (251 CE), murdered.
The storm intensified as the empire faced constant revolts and civil wars, with figures like Gallus, Hostilianus, and Aurelian all assassinated or killed. The tumultuous reigns were cut short by violent ends, with numerous emperors, such as Tacitus (276 CE) and Probus (281 CE), murdered or dying unexpectedly. The death toll in leadership reached a fever pitch with the reigns of Carus (284 CE), who was struck by lightning, and Numerian and Carinus (285 CE), both murdered.
By the time of Diocletian’s rule in the late 3rd century, the thunderous judgment had reached its peak. Diocletian elevated Maximian as a joint ruler, and they sought to stabilize the empire. But even as their rule began, the storm of judgment continued, with Diocletian’s persecution of Christians beginning in 303 CE, marking one of the empire’s most severe attempts to suppress the growing Christian movement. The thunder, representing the divine judgment upon Rome for its brutality and opposition to the truth, grew deafening.
In the end, the thunder of judgment cleared the way for a transformation in the empire. Christianity, once persecuted and oppressed, would eventually dominate the Roman world, completing the fulfillment of the prophecy of judgment. As the Roman Empire passed through the storm of political chaos and religious persecution, the thunder of judgment foreshadowed a new era, one where the storm would give way to the quiet reign of Christ.
Through all the turbulence and suffering, from the martyrdom of saints to the fall of emperors, the thunder was a reminder that judgment would come to those who persecuted the faithful. It was an inescapable sign of divine justice that reverberated through the empire, marking the transition from pagan dominance to Christian rule.
