The true extent of the fifth age is strongly confirmed by Ezekiel iv. 1–8, where, in the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, or in A. M. 4885, the prophet is commanded to predict in a striking manner the siege of Jerusalem, and to lie on his left side 390 _days_, according to the _number of the years_ of the iniquity of the house of Israel; and, on his right side _forty days_, according to the _number of the years_ of the iniquity of the house of Judah; EACH DAY FOR A YEAR. The sum of these prophetic days, namely 430, is therefore, the whole _number of the years_ of the iniquity of Israel and Judah. This number of years singularly coincides with that of the period appointed for the “sojourning of the fathers and children of Israel,” and has no doubt a very extensive prophetic signification. But the period of 390 years more particularly points at some _great general defection_, when the iniquity of Israel was particularly prominent. This iniquity in fact, rose to its highest pitch, when the Ten Tribes separated themselves from the house of Judah, and took to the worship of the golden calves. Now, it appears from 2 Chronicles xi. 13–17, that the general defection from the worship of the true God, both in Israel and Judah, did not take place till _three_ years after the accession of Rehoboam to the throne of David, and the election of Jeroboam to the kingdom of Israel. For a period, therefore, of _forty years_ after the foundation of the Temple, the iniquity of the Twelve Tribes was restrained, and an apparent desire to worship God aright, prevented the full manifestation of their idolatrous propensities. After this, however, “Rehoboam forsook the law of the Lord, _and all Israel with him_,” (2 Chron. xii. 1); and by this time the subjects of Jeroboam had become more accustomed to the “new gods that came newly up” at his accession, and had begun to think that it was indeed “too much for them to go up to Jerusalem” to worship; and accordingly, they went to worship a golden calf, “even unto Dan,” (1 Kings xii. 30). If from this epoch, A. M. 4491, therefore, the period of 390 years be computed, it will terminate in the first year of the _captivity of Jehoiachin_, A. M. 4881; and, if the whole period of 430 years be computed from the epoch of the _completion of the Temple_, A. M. 4459, it will terminate in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, A. M. 4889, when the _holy city was besieged_ by Nebuchadnezzar; and when, according to Ezekiel’s prophecy, “he and all his host came against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about,” (2 Kings xxv. 1). Moreover, in two years after this epoch, in A. M. 4891, and when the 439 years from the _Foundation of the Temple_ in A. M. 4452, were completed, the “city was broken up,” the “walls were broken down,” and the Temple was “burned with fire!” (2 Kings xxv. 1–10). Thus, the true extent of the _fifth_ age is established by Sacred History, and confirmed by prophecy.