Posted on 06/17/2007 7:26:12 PM PDT by voletti
JERUSALEM: Renowned British scientist Sir Isaac Newton, the father of modern physics and astronomy, predicted the world would end in 2060. He made the prediction in a 1704 letter that went on show in Jerusalem on Sunday.
A famed rationalist, who secured a royal exemption from the ordination in the Church of England that was normally expected of academics of his day so he would not have to follow its teachings, Newton nonetheless based his prediction on a Biblical text.
Working from verses in the Book of Daniel, the elaborator of the classical laws of gravity, motion and optics argued that the world would end 1,260 years after the foundation of the Holy Roman empire in western Europe in 800 AD.
The letter, on show at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University as part of an exhibition called “Newton’s Secrets”, is part of an array of papers of the British scientist bequeathed to the institution by a wealthy collector of scientific manuscripts.
The university said it was the first time the letter had been put on public show since 1969. Newton’s late 17th century work at Cambridge University was the foundation stone of modern science until the discovery of relativity and quantum mechanics in the last century.
But it has long been known that the ground-breaking physicist from Grantham, England, also took a keen interest in superstitions of his day that have long since fallen foul of modern science. Newton spent four years in the 1670s preparing a work on alchemy, the notion that base metals can be turned into gold.
We’re DOOMED!
Jesus said he didn’t know the date. I’ll go with that.
What, Not 2012??
Hillary could be in 2008.
THE END
no one knows but the Father
But some of the crazy ideas are just crazy. The fact that a great scientist believes it does not automatically make it true. The fact that many scientists believe it does not automatically make it true.
Anthropogenic Global Warming is a case in point.
Looking forward to it. I’ll be 109 by then so I’ll be bright eyed and bushy tailed and waiting for Sir Isaac’s ending.
Yes and he also was an alchemist. Assuming he didn’t find the solution to that either I’ll assume he can be wrong on more than one thing..
Apparently Newton never heard of the Kennedy\McCain\Bush banana bill,or he would have predicted it a whooooooole lot sooner !!!
Bet he forgot there’s no year zero.
Mayan calenders where not handy for hanging on the fridge magnet.
So he’s off by a year? LOL
BAse metals can be turned into gold;all you need is a nuclear lab and unlimited funding.
Newton was what would now be called a Noahide - a believer in the truth of Judaism and the Hebrew Scriptures, but not a Christian nor a convert to Judaism.
Actually, the world won’t end, but rather be “made new” again, which we see at the end of Revelation. That’s when Jesus hands the Kingdom over to God and “all things are made new” at that time (at the time of the Great White Throne Judgement).
And the time frame for that is — at least — 1,000 years (for the time period of the Kingdom of God on this earth, during which time the Messiah of Israel rules), and then the prior time of the Tribulation, which is a 7 year period of time.
So, right there, that’s another 1,007 years prior to the time “all things are made new” — at least. And then, it’s “up in the air” as to when the Tribulation time starts (which kicks it all off, the 1,007 years of time). That could start anywhere from now (this evening, the next day) to the next few years to a decade or so.
I don’t think it will be longer than a decade, because of the pressures and the capabilities of the Islamic nations in progressing towards their goal of the destruction of Israel. At some near point in the future, they will actually have the capability to destroy Israel. When that happens (when they reach that point), that will be the point in time which will kick off a whole series of events, talked about in the Bible, which starts off the Tribulaton period, those terrible 7 years of judgement (from God, upon this earth, and upon the present nations of the world, as we see them now).
It’s not really that far away, that these things will happen, because we see all the Islamic nations and countries moving very methodically and purposefully towards that destruction of Israel which is their primary goal in life.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Well that sucks....the world will end one year before I turn 100. Oh well.
I’ll be 85 years old so let it come!!
You think Iran will be ready to destroy Israel with nuclear weapons by 2012? I would think they would fully well have the capability by then...
I’ll be a young 103 whippersnapper.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.