The persecution of Dioclesian began in the year of Christ 302, and lasted ten years in the Eastern Empire and two years in the Western.  To this state of the Church the second Epistle, to the Church of Smyrna, agrees. I know, saith [2] Christ, thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou art rich; and I know the blasphemy of them, which say they are Jews_ and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:  Behold, the Devil shall call some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days.  Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life._ The tribulation of ten days can agree to no other persecution than that of Dioclesian, it being the only persecution which lasted ten years.  By the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews_ and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan_, I understand the Idolatry of the Nicolaitans, who falsly said they were Christians.

The Nicolaitans are complained of also in [3] the third Epistle, as men that held the doctrine of Balaam_, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to Idols, and [4] to commit_ spiritual fornication.  For Balaam taught the Moabites and Midianites to tempt and invite Israel by their women to commit fornication, and to feast with them at the sacrifices of their Gods.  The Dragon therefore began now to come down among the inhabitants of the earth and sea.

The Nicolaitans are also complained of in the fourth Epistle, under the name of the woman Jezabel_, who calleth herself a Prophetess, to teach and to seduce the servants of Christ to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to Idols_.  The woman therefore began now to fly into the wilderness.

The reign of Constantine the great from the time of his conquering Licinius, was monarchical over the whole Roman Empire.  Then the Empire became divided between the sons of Constantine:  and afterwards it was again united under Constantius, by his victory over Magnentius.  To the affairs of the Church in these three successive periods of time, the third, fourth, and fifth Epistles, that is, those to the Angels of the Churches in Pergamus, Thyatira, and Sardis, seem to relate.  The next Emperor was Julian the Apostate.

In the sixth Epistle, [5] to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia, Christ saith:  Because in the reign of the heathen Emperor Julian, thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which by the woman’s flying into the wilderness, and the Dragon’s making war with the remnant of her seed, and the killing of all who will not worship