|If the Historicist
view is correct, good times must immediately follow the writing of
Revelation. The Historicist view holds
that this seal was accomplished under the rule of the “Good Emperors” --
Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Aurelius Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. Trajan was the greatest of these
conquerors, conquering both Dacia and Parthia, and much of Arabia down to the
Persian Gulf. Their reign ran from
roughly AD96 (just after or around the time of John’s Revelation) to
AD180. How do they fit the bill?
|• They are indeed
military conquerors, especially Trajan.
|• Their victory did
indeed mean good times for the church -- examine the spread of the Gospel!
|• They are well
reputed for their virtue. Aurelius
Antoninus was surnamed Pius for his piety and devotion to religion (pagan, of
course); Marcus Aurelius was the most
famous Roman philosopher of all time.
His works of philosophy in many ways parallel Christian ethics, and
are studied to this day.
|But what about the
bow? The explanation is simple -- to
the first century or second century Christian. Nerva and his descendants came from Crete. In
all the Roman Empire, only the people of Crete prided themselves on
the use of the bow. Archers in the
Roman army were always recruited (at this time) from Crete. Anyone of this time looking at the bow as
symbol would have put it down to Crete.
|Unless, of course,
you look outside the Roman Empire.
Then it would be put to the Parthians (indeed, today we still use the
“Parthian shot” as an expression, often misquoted as “parting shot.”). And the Parthians were conquered by Trajan.