Editing Apocalypticism (section)

====Isaac Newton and the end of the world in 2060====
{{Main|Isaac Newton's occult studies}}

In late February and early March 2003, a large amount of media attention circulated around the globe regarding largely unknown and unpublished documents, evidently written by Isaac Newton, indicating that he believed the world would end no earlier than 2060. The story garnered vast amounts of public interest and found its way onto the front page of several widely distributed newspapers, including the UK's ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', Canada's ''[[National Post]]'', and Israel's ''[[Maariv]]'' and ''[[Yediot Aharonot]]'', and was also featured in an article in the scientific journal ''[[Canadian Journal of History]]''.<ref name="Snobelen">{{cite journal | last = Snobelen | first = Stephen D | title = A time and times and the dividing of time: Isaac Newton, the Apocalypse and A.D. 2060 | journal = The Canadian Journal of History | volume = 38 (December 2003) | pages = 537–551 | url = http://www.isaac-newton.org/newton_2060.htm | access-date = 15 August 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825070542/http://www.isaac-newton.org/newton_2060.htm | archive-date = 25 August 2007 | url-status = live }}</ref>

The two documents detailing this prediction are currently housed within the Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem.<ref name="Snobelen" /> Both were believed to be written toward the end of Newton's life, circa 1705, a time frame most notably established by the use of the full title of ''Sir'' Isaac Newton within portions of the documents.

These documents do not appear to have been written with the intention of publication and Newton expressed a strong personal dislike for individuals who provided specific dates for the [[Apocalypse]] purely for sensational value. Furthermore, he at no time provides a specific date for the end of the world in either of these documents.<ref name="Snobelen" /> See [[Isaac Newton's religious views]] for more details.

The first document, part of the Yahuda collection,<ref>Yahuda MS 7.3o, f. 8r</ref> is a small letter slip, on the back of which is written haphazardly in Newton's hand:
{{Blockquote|
Prop. 1. The 2300 prophetick days did not commence before the rise of the little horn of the He Goat.

2 Those day {{sic}} did not commence a[f]ter the destruction of Jerusalem & ye Temple by the Romans A.[D.] 70.

3 The time times & half a time did not commence before the year 800 in wch the Popes supremacy commenced

4 They did not commence after the re[ig]ne of [[Pope Gregory VII|Gregory the 7th]]. 1084

5 The 1290 days did not commence b[e]fore the year 842.

6 They did not commence after the reigne of Pope Greg. 7th. 1084

7 The diffence {{sic}} between the 1290 & 1335 days are a parts of the seven weeks.

Therefore the 2300 years do not end before ye year 2132 nor after 2370.
The time times & half time do n[o]t end before 2060 nor after [2344]
The 1290 days do not begin [this should read: end] before 2090 nor after 1374 [sic; Newton probably
means 2374]<ref name="Snobelen" />
}}

The second reference to the 2060 prediction can be found in a folio,<ref>Yahuda MS 7.3g, f.
13v</ref> in which Newton writes:
{{Blockquote|So then the time times & half a time are 42 months or 1260 days or three years & an half, recconing twelve months to a yeare & 30 days to a month as was done in the Calendar of the primitive year. And the days of short lived Beasts being put for the years of lived [sic for "long lived"] kingdoms, the period of 1260 days, if dated from the complete conquest of the three kings A.C. 800, will end A.C. 2060. It may end later, but I see no reason for its ending sooner. This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fancifull men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, & by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail. Christ comes as a thief in the night, & it is not for us to know the times & seasons wch God hath put into his own breast.<ref name="Snobelen" />}}

Newton may not have been referring to the post 2060 event as a destructive act resulting in the annihilation of the globe and its inhabitants, but rather one in which he believed the world, as he saw it, was to be replaced with a new one based upon a transition to an era of divinely inspired peace. In Christian and [[Islamic theology]] this concept is often referred to as The [[Second Coming]] of [[Jesus Christ]] and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth.  In a separate manuscript,<ref name="Snobelen 2001 pp. 95-118">{{cite book | last=Snobelen | first=S. | title=Millenarianism and Messianism in Early Modern European Culture | chapter="The Mystery of this Restitution of All Things": Isaac Newton on the Return of the Jews | date=2001 | doi=10.1007/978-94-017-2282-7_7 | pages=95–118| isbn=9789048156641 }}</ref> Isaac Newton paraphrases Revelation 21 and 22 and relates the post 2060 events by writing:
{{Blockquote|A new heaven & new earth. New Jerusalem comes down from heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband. The marriage supper. God dwells with men wipes away all tears from their eyes, gives them of ye fountain of living water & creates all thin things new saying, It is done. The glory & felicity of the New Jerusalem is represented by a building of Gold & Gemms enlightened by the glory of God & ye [[Lamb of God|Lamb]] & watered by ye river of Paradise on ye banks of which grows the [[tree of life#Christianity|tree of life]]. Into this city the kings of the earth do bring their glory & that of the nations & the saints reign for ever & ever.<ref name="Snobelen" />
}}