Portrait of Newton in 1689 by Godfrey Kneller
Sir Isaac Newton - Credited with the discoveries of the laws of motion, law of gravitation, invention of calculus, and construction of the 1st reflecting telescope. He was and is considered one of the top physicists of all time. Among other things, he was also known for his Christian faith. He spent a great deal of his time studying the Bible, and maintained a special interest in prophecy.
But what does Isaac Newton have to do with Daniel, and the verses in chapter 9, concerning 70 weeks?
Daniel 9:24-27 (KJV)
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
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At this point, we all must understand that when referencing a Jewish week, the week described is actually a week of years. That means for every one week, it is a seven year period. In Daniel, chapter 9, you see a breakdown of the full seventy years in 3 periods. First, you have 7 weeks, then 62 weeks, followed by the final one week, or 7 year period.
In this prophecy, Sir Isaac Newton indicates that the dispersed Jews re-incorporated into a people and a holy city, Transgression was finished, sins ended, iniquity expiated, everlasting righteousness brought in, Vision accomplished (all completed with the death and resurrection of Christ). The prophet consummated - He interprets the word prophecy as Prophet (also supported by the Septuagint translation). Regarding The most Holy (Messiah) anointed, He makes the distinction that the "Prophet" relates to Christ's 1st coming, and the anointing of the most Holy" relates to the Prince or King at Christ's 2nd coming which is yet future, Daniel's Prophecies reach to the end of the world. He also applies the 7 weeks (49 years) to the time when the Antichrist is destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming.
Now regarding the commandment to return and build Jerusalem (which occurs twice), and the 62 weeks of years which is separate from the remaining 7 weeks of years. Newton actually provides two starting points: (Zerubbabel's and Ezra's).
In Zerubbabel's, they only had commission to build the temple. Neh. 6:15 (Julian period 4712) counting 62 weeks of years (434 years) from the completion of the wall takes us to the year Christ was born.
In Ezra's (Ezra 7:25) - From the decree of Artaxeres Longimus (city by government of their own, with magistrates to judge according to the laws of God). Ezra put the King's (Artaxerxes Longimanus) decree in execution and counting 490 years takes us to the year that Christ was crucified.
Regarding the covenant with the many-
Sir Isaac points out that the "he" is the Messiah that confirms the covenant with many for 1 week (7 years), which is also supported by the Septuagint. And he (Messiah) kept it, notwithstanding his death till the rejection of the Jews, and calling of Cornelius and the Gentiles (Acts ch.10) in the 7th year after his passion (death of Christ). So we must ask, Is this the covenant - "this is my blood of the new covenant shed for the many" as described in Mark 14:24?
Isaac Newton also states that in half a week (3 1/2 years), he (Messiah) shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease; that is by the war of the Romans upon the Jews which began when Vespasian, with an army, invaded them (Vespasian was later promoted to Emperor). In 70 AD, his son, General Titus, took the city. The siege lasted 3 1/2 years, until the temple was destroyed and oblation ceased. Titus himself later becomes Emperor. The people of the prince are the Romans, and the prince to come was no doubt Titus (actually could be considered a prince) who destroyed the city and the sanctuary. The "desolations determined" pertain to the diaspora (scattering of the Jews after the destruction of the temple in 70AD).
Of the remaining 7 weeks of years-
Newton interprets "the street built again, and the wall, even in troublous times...and streets rebuilt" as pertaining to the Jews returning a 2nd time, as they expected a double (twice) return. The first return, when they were led into captivity and returned, Nehemiah found the city lying waste. The houses and wall not built. They Finished the wall (Neh.6:15) in Julian period 4278.
A young General Shlomo Goren - Head of the Mlitary Rabbinate.
The second return, may have been completed in June of 1967, by the decree of the Israeli Knesset to rebuild the city. General Shlomo Goren, Chaplain of the IDF, declared at the Western Wall following the recapture of Jerusalem, "blessed art thou, King of the universe, who has kept us in life, who has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this day. This year in Jerusalem - rebuilt"!
So it looks like Isaac Newton sees this prophecy as a prediction of all major periods relating to the coming of the Messiah, his birth, his death, the rejection of the Jews, the duration of the Jewish war whereby he caused the city and sanctuary to be destroyed, and his 2nd coming. He also views the 62 weeks as complete with the Anointed (Prophet) cut off (Christ's death at the cross and resurrection), and with 7 weeks (49 years) of years remaining until the Anointed Prince (Christ's 2nd coming). Now, The remaining 7 weeks of years looks like they may have been completed from 6/7/67 through 9/23/15. If this indeed fulfills the 62 and 7 weeks, then there should be 1 week (or 7 year tribulation) remaining.
This brings us to question what we've been taught over the last few decades concerning the tribulation. Does the tribulation begin when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with the many? Will we even be here to witness that or will we be whisked away before anything REALLY bad happens? This is not the case as discerned from Sir Isaac Newton's interpretation. But, then when does the tribulation begin?
Isaac Newton states that these time periods are governed by Sabbaths and Jubilees. Interestingly enough, if we calculate the dates between June 7th, 1967 (the day Israel was liberated and acquired Jerusalem undivided), and Sept. 23, 2015 (Yom Kippur-the day of Atonement), it is 17,640 days or exactly 7 weeks of years. Both dates are hi-lighted by blood red moons, tetrads, and Jubilees which are considered as signs and wonders in the heavens that the Bible says will precede the glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will suggest that this is not just an amazing coincidence, but that we may be currently in that final week, or 7 years that mark the Tribulation period that may have began on Yom Kippur - September 23, 2015, or that it is indeed a sign and the meaning of such a sign pertains to "portending remarkable events soon to happen".
Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.
