Did Issac Newton see the return of Christ in OUR day?

   

PNN NOTE: This article is reprinted with permission from the author, Dr. Bramlett. At PNN we do not attempt to set specific dates for the return of the Lord Jesus - however, Dr. Bramlett is a friend of PNN and has made some interesting observations in this article, specifically from the writings of Sir Isaac Newton, that we thought many of our readers might find informative.

THE PROPHECIES OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON

By Dr. Jim Bramlett

Sir Isaac Newton had perhaps the highest I.Q of anyone who ever lived.  He was called “The Father of Modern Science,” and “The Father of the Industrial Revolution.”

 

Newton was a devout believer in Christ and a Bible scholar, fluent in ancient languages, who translated directly from Hebrew and Greek. He was unusually drawn to the prophet Daniel, which he began studying at the age of 12 and continued until he died at the age of 85. In fact, The Columbia History of the World, a secular history book, remarks, “At the end of his days Newton spent more time studying and writing about the prophecies in the Book of Daniel than he did in charting the heavens.”  

Apparently, God Himself put in Newton’s heart this burning desire to study Daniel, then gave him the key to the timing of Christ’s return. Could this be the final profound secret the Lord revealed to this godly genius near the end of his life – a secret “accidentally” discovered in the Library of Congress and republished just in the last few years – a secret so simple that most have missed it?      

If Newton was correct in his interpretation of Daniel, the prophet to whom God gave specific timing, then the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will be very, very soon, indeed! Newton’s understanding of one key passage in Daniel chapter 9 is fundamentally from that of most common interpretations. In about 550 B.C., God gave the prophet Daniel a view of history to the end. 

     

From Daniel 9:25, scholars usually add the “seven weeks (of years, or 49 years) and 62 weeks (434 years)” to get 483 years and calculate the timing of the Messiah’s First Coming. However, Newton says there is no linguistic basis for adding those two numbers (49 and 434), and to do so is “doing violence to the language of Daniel.”  Newton says the two numbers separately speak of both the First Coming and the Second Coming, both being counted from the “going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem.” Some commentators agree.    

    

Newton says the “62 weeks” or 434-year part was fulfilled at the First Coming, and the “seven weeks,” or the 49-year part will apply to the Second Coming. And three centuries ago he saw in the Scriptures and wrote about the rebirth of Israel at a time when such a thought was preposterous. Amazing, by faith and understanding of the Scriptures, he foresaw a “friendly kingdom” someday again issuing the “commandment to restore and build Jerusalem.” Now, centuries later, that friendly kingdom may have been the United Nations, which decreed Israel’s rebirth in November, 1947, causing Israel to be reborn as a nation on May 14^th, 1948 (fulfilling the 2500-year-old prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah, “Shall a nation be born in one day?”). 

_____________________________________________________________

The above is taken from my essay on Newton written in the mid-1990s shortly after obtaining a copy of Newton’s commentary on Daniel from the doctor who discovered Thomas Jefferson’s personal and initialized copy of it in the Library of Congress, and who then got permission to reprint it in the original, difficult-to-read olde English script.

However, my speculations back then wrongly assumed the final 49-year count began when Israel was born in 1948. At the time, I thought we were so close to the Lord’s return it did not occur to me that the count should probably begin on June 7^th, 1967, when Israel captured Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.   Sid Roth of Messianic Vision ministry promoted a new book on the subject, Newton’s Riddle authored by Neill G. Russell, which contains additional information about Newton and his understanding of end times.

  

Sid says, “Before his death in 1727, Sir Isaac Newton, the famous physicist, concealed a prophetic script in one of his journals. This mysterious coded script detailed critical future events involving Israel and the return of Jesus. Incorporating Sir Isaac Newton’s extensive research, Bible prophecy, and the bond that exists between America and Israel during the final days of planet earth, Newton’s Riddle by Neill Russell (see link below) is a captivating suspenseful tale ripped from tomorrow’s headlines. I have never read such a current, prophetic book. Newton’s Riddle is a ‘now’ book for the most critical junction in human history. You will not be able to put this Biblical thriller down.”  

Sid quotes from the book where it explains Newton’s calculations of adding 49 years to the June 1967 date. Based on “Newton’s riddle” the book says, “Messiah’s possible return to earth will be on or before the year 2016.” However, that is apparently based on using modern (365-day) years in calculation. As I pointed out in my e-mail dated February 20, 2008, if you use the exact 49 Jewish (360-day, prophetic) years from the day Israel captured the Temple Mount on June 7, 1967, you get 49 X 360 = 17640 days, which amazingly takes one exactly to September 23^rd, 2015, the Day of Atonement 2015.

  

Newton obviously saw that as the Second Coming.  But could it be the rapture?  Jonathan Cahn’s new book, “the Mystery of the Shemitah”, (see link below) appears to point also to September 23^rd, 2015.


Dr Bramlett's website:

www.choicesforliving.com

The two books mentioned in Dr. Bramlett's article

Newton's Riddle - HERE
The Shemitah - HERE