As we consider the end-time events for spiritual day/age 5, the culminating events of previous spiritual day/ages offer a pattern.  Spiritual day/age 2, when humanity appeared on the earth, ended with the judgment of the world and its destruction by the flood because every intent of the thoughts of [the human] heart was only evil continually (Gen 6:5).  Spiritual day/age 3 ended with judgment of the rebelliousness kingdoms of Israel and Judah, with destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and with captivity in Babylon for Judeans.

Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.”  Ezekiel 2:3  NASB

Similarly, spiritual day/age 4 ended with judgment of the Jewish nation by the destruction again of Jerusalem followed by a time in a spiritual wilderness, because the Jews did not recognize the time of [their] visitation by Jesus (Luke 19:44).  The judgments and destructive events at the end of spiritual day/ages 2, 3, and 4 suggest judgment and a destructive event at the end of spiritual day/age 5.

When we pair the six days of creation of Genesis 1 as three groups, day 2 is paired with day 5, which suggests an association of events in spiritual day/age 2 with events in spiritual day/age 5.  At the beginning of spiritual day/age 2, God Almighty created a man and a woman, and that first couple produced two sons.  The younger son Abel was killed by the older brother Cain (Gen 4:8), who was a spiritual son of Satan.  God Almighty cursed Cain for killing Abel and sent him into the wilderness.

And He said, “What have you done?  The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.  And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.”  …  Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.  Genesis 4:10-11,16  NASB

Thereafter, God Almighty became angry with humanity.

And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  And the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”  Genesis 6:6-7  NASB

There followed the flood that destroyed all life, except for Noah’s family.

Similarly, God Almighty at the beginning of spiritual day/age 5 created a spiritual man and a spiritual woman (Section 5.9).  We have identified the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost as the seed which produced the conception of Jesus’ spiritual son within the church (Section 6.2).  Later, we associated the reformers separating from Roman Catholicism with the church giving birth to the spiritual son of Jesus (Section 6.5).  At the close of spiritual day/age 5, God Almighty’s one new man (Eph 2:15) composed of the Gentile and Jewish witnesses will be killed by the beast and the antichrist, which will be composed of spiritual sons of Satan (Rev 11:7).  As in spiritual day/age 2, God will exercise His anger at the church and the whole world for the persecution of His spiritual sons.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  1Peter 4:17  NASB

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.  Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of Grace?  For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.”  And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.”  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Hebrews 10:26-31  NASB

The components of the church which have become unfaithful to God Almighty are characterized as BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS (Rev 17:5), so God Almighty will judge Babylon the Great, her harlot daughters (human-led religious organizations), and the world.  Chapter 18 of Revelation tells of the judgment of Babylon the Great.

“To the degree that she [Babylon the Great] glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow and will never see mourning.’  For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire, for the Lord God who judges her is strong.”  Revelation 18:7-8  NASB

God Almighty’s judgment will come upon Babylon the Great, her daughters, and the earth at the end of spiritual day/age 5.  The ancient world at the end of spiritual day/age 2 received judgment by water, and the apostle Peter tells us that our present world of spiritual day/age 5 will receive judgment by fire.

For when they maintain this [all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation], it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.  But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.  2Peter 3:5-7  NASB

As spiritual day/age 2 was the age of water (the world formed out of water and destroyed with water), so the church era of spiritual day/age 5 is the age of fire.  A formative event in the early church involved fire.

And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent, rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.  Acts 2:1-4  NASB

The purification of the earth by a baptism of fire at the end of spiritual day/age 5 is identified in scripture as the day of the Lord.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.  Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!  But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.  2Peter 3:10-13  NASB

Is this not a realistic description of destruction upon the earth by nuclear weapons?  Here then we have a suggestion of a nuclear catastrophe at the end of spiritual day/age 5.

Like the flood of spiritual day/age 2, the destruction of the world at the end of spiritual day/age 5 will surprise the inhabitants of the earth.

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness;  1Thessalonians 5:1-5  NASB

However, a forerunner or prerequisite for the day of the Lord in spiritual day/age 5 is an Elijah ministry.

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.  And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their father, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.”  Malachi 4:5-6  NASB

John the Baptist was the Elijah ministry that preceded a great and terrible day of the Lord for Jews when Jerusalem and the nation of Israel was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 AD.  We are presently awaiting The 144.000, who will be the Elijah ministry that proceeds the great and terrible day of the Lord to come at the end of spiritual day/age 5.

The judgment and destruction of the world at the end of spiritual day/age 5 is also indicated in the pattern of the Israelites.  Recall that two spies, Joshua and Caleb, advocated that the Israelites advance into the Promised Land while the other 10 spies expressed their fears (Num 13, 14).  As we have suggested, the Two Witnesses will advocate that the church move into the spiritual Promised Land.  In fact, there are already some whose message is that the church should leave the Pentecostal realm and enter the spiritual Promised Land of the era of Tabernacles.

In the pattern of the Israelites, God Almighty’s judgment, pronounced upon the Israelites because of their rebellion at the edge of the Promised land, was that the adult generation, those 20 years of age and older, would die in the wilderness.

“Then the LORD heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, ‘Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers,’ ”  Deuteronomy 1:34-35  NASB

“Say to them ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses shall fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.’ ”  Numbers 14:28-29  NASB

Here then is an indication that God Almighty, because of rebellion against His new message delivered by the Two Witnesses, will pronounce judgment upon the church and the world.

The Israelites, in response to God Almighty’s announcement of judgment, initiated a futile attempt to forestall judgment by attempting to enter the Promised Land on their own.

In the morning, however, they rose up early and went up to the ridge of the hill country, saying, “Here we are; we have indeed sinned, but we will go up to the place which the LORD has promised”  Numbers 14:40  NASB

The arrogance of the Israelites led them to believe that their actions could affect and alter God Almighty’s spoken word and portend the current arrogance of humanity.  The achievements of humanity, particularly through science, have created a sense of independence and self-determination within much of humanity so that they see no need for consideration of spiritual matters.

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;  /  Pride and arrogance and the evil way,  /  And the perverted mouth, I hate.”  Proverbs 8:13  NASB

Of course, the Israelites’ attempt to enter the Promised Land by their might was doomed to end in failure.

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, and struck them and beat them down as far as Hormah.  Numbers 14:45  NASB

The Israelites ended up in Hormah, which is Strong’s H2767 and is derived from H2763:

Make accursed, consecrate, (utterly) destroy, devote, forfeit, have a flat nose, utterly (slay, make away)

So the Israelites ended up in a place of utter destruction.  Here then is an indication of utter destruction of the world in the day of the Lord at the end of spiritual day/age 5, for which there is the pattern of the destruction of Sodom.

God Almighty announces judgment.  God Almighty announced judgment upon Sodom.

And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.”  Genesis 18:20  NASB

God Almighty announced the coming day of the Lord as judgment upon the earth.

Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,  /  Cruel, with fury and burning anger,  /  To make the land a desolation;  /  And He will exterminate its sinners from it.  /  For the stars of heaven and their constellations  /  Will not flash forth their light;  /  The sun will be dark when it rises,  /  And the moon will not shed its light.  Isaiah 13:9-10  NASB

God Almighty’s representatives appear.  Two angels appeared in Sodom.

Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.  When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.  Genesis 19:1  NASB

The Two Witnesses will appear upon the earth.

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”  Revelation 11:3  NASB

God Almighty’s representatives are attacked.  The two angels were attacked.

Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight?  Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.”  Genesis 19:4-5  NASB

The Two Witnesses will be attacked.

And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.  Revelation 11:7  NASB

A miracle occurs for God Almighty’s representatives.  The two angles were protected.

And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.  Genesis 19:11  NASB

The Two Witnesses will be resurrected.

And after three days and a half the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were beholding them.    Revelation 11:11  NASB

God Almighty’s representatives depart.  The two angels departed Sodom.

But he hesitated.  So the men seized his hand and the hand of this wife and the hands of his daughters, for the compassion of the LORD was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.  Genesis 19:16  NASB

The Two Witnesses will depart the earth.

And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”  And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them.  Revelation 11:12  NASB

God Almighty brings judgment of fire.  Sodom was destroyed by fire.

Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.  Genesis 19:24-25  NASB

The earth will be destroyed by fire in the day of the Lord.

Near is the great day of the LORD,  /  Near and coming very quickly;  /  Listen, the day of the LORD!  /  In it the warrior cries out bitterly.  /  A day of wrath is that day,  /  A day of trouble and distress,  /  A day of destruction and desolation,  /  A day of darkness and gloom,  /  A day of clouds and thick darkness,  /  A day of trumpet and battle cry,    Against the fortified cities  /  And the high corner towers.  /  And I will bring distress on men,  /  So that they will walk like the blind,  /  Because they have sinned against the LORD;  /  And their blood will be poured out like dust,  /  And their flesh like dung.  /  Neither their silver nor their gold  /  Will be able to deliver them  /  On the day of the LORD’s wrath;  /  And all the earth will be devoured  /  In the fire of His jealousy,  /  For He will make a complete end,  /  Indeed a terrifying one,  /  Of all the inhabitants of the earth.  Zephaniah 1:14-18  NASB

Thus the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah suggests the destruction of the inhabitants of the earth by fire in the day of the Lord as the concluding event of spiritual day/age 5.

We can update the seven step, decline-increase illustration representing the church era of spiritual day/age 5 (Illustration 5.2) by adding events in church history which correlate with events from the Old Testament pattern.  In addition, we have added a timeline and the Day of the Lord.

For the paired steps in the cycle, there is symmetry in both the level of the production of spiritual fruit and in the length of time.  The timeline in the illustration is taken from the historical record except for the two unknown dates at the end of spiritual day/age 5.  There is interesting speculation about those yet-to-be-determined dates.  In the pattern of the Mosaic tabernacle, we have associated spiritual day/age 5 with the Holy Place within the tent of meeting.  An assimilation of commandments about the tabernacle and the temple produce 20 x 10 x 10 as the dimensions of the Holy Place.  Hence the volume of the Holy Place, found by multiplying the three dimensions, is 2,000 cubic cubits.  Assigning this number as the years in spiritual day/age 5 suggests that we are at the end of this day/age.

There is not a consensus as to the length of Jesus’ ministry.  Some suggest His ministry was a short as 62 weeks.  However, it is common to assign 42 months or three and one-half years as the length of His ministry.  With the assumption of three and one-half years, then the church era, spiritual day/age 5, is bookended by seven years of ministry at the 100-fold level of production of spiritual fruit.  Jesus’ ministry of three and one-half years started spiritual day/age 5 and the Two Witnesses’ ministry of twelve hundred and sixty days (3½ years) will end it.  This segmented “week” of seven years of ministry suggests the completion of this stage of the restoration of humanity.

The destruction of the day of the Lord brings an end to spiritual day/age 5.

And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.  Genesis 1:23  NASB