Quote: "Newton's original theological and mystical writings will be on display in a special exhibition entitled "Newton's Secrets," opening today at the National Library at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This is the first time the manuscripts, in Israel since 1969, have been presented to the public. A digital version of some of the letters can be seen on the National Library's site: at http://jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/mss/Newton/. One of the most interesting manuscripts is a letter from 1704, in which Newton calculates that the world will end in 2060, based on a phrase from Daniel 12:7 "for a time, times, and a half." Newton interpreted this phrase as meaning 1,260 years would pass from the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire by Charlemagne in 800, until the End of Days.

The Bible states that no man will know the day nor hour of Christ's return (Matthew 24:36), not even Christ Himself. Nevertheless many sincere Christians have attempted to predict when it will take place. There is nothing wrong with studying prophecy to try and understand the time period in which the Lord might return, for Jesus Christ said we will know the "season" of His coming (Matthew 24:32-33). Many Christians and Jews, even before the birth of Christ, believed that the time period of man's reign on earth would last for around 6000 years, after which there would be the Millennial Reign of Christ. What Newton's writings do show is that despite living over 350 years ago, he had an earnest desire for Christ's return, and to study future events as described in the Bible. He was not privileged to witness the rebirth of Israel as we have been, yet his writings on the Temple show that he believed the prophecies would soon be fulfilled. We are living in the days when the prophecies are being fulfilled. Should the Lord tarry until 2060 or should He come sooner than that, we should be like Sir Isaac Newton, and like the angels who desire to look into these things (1st Peter 1:12), for we have the Scriptures which are the promise of God, and we have the God-given desire to know more about His will and what He will accomplish in these last days. 

Source Haaretz