Isaac Newton, renowned for his contributions to mathematics, physics, and astronomy, made a less-known but equally fascinating prediction regarding the end of the world. According to Stephen Snobelen, Director of the Newton Project Canada, Newton’s prediction was deeply rooted in his religious beliefs and his conviction that the Bible contained divine prophecies. Newton, who saw God as omniscient and outside the bounds of human time, believed that the scriptures offered a history of future events, albeit in symbolic language that required careful interpretation.
Newton’s method for predicting the world’s end involved straightforward arithmetic based on biblical time periods, leading him to conclude that the world would end in the year 2060. This prediction, however, was not meant to herald doom but rather to signify a transition from one era to another. Newton envisioned 2060 as the beginning of a new epoch marked by Christ’s return to earth, initiating a millennium of divine kingdom characterized by peace and prosperity. This period, as per Newton’s interpretation of the prophet Micah, would see an end to war and the transformation of instruments of conflict into tools of agriculture, symbolizing a universal peace.
Despite the specificity of his prediction, Newton cautioned against seeing the year 2060 as a definitive endpoint. Instead, he suggested it as a time of significant change, leading to a more harmonious era. Whether Newton’s foresight into the future holds true remains to be seen, with the year 2060 serving as a milestone for assessing the accuracy of his prophetic vision. As we approach the predicted date, Newton’s prediction invites reflection on the potential for transformative change and the enduring quest for understanding the mysteries of our existence and ultimate destiny.