Newton, Gabriel, and the Blessed Hope

The scientific genius Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) may have had the highest IQ of anyone in history.  He was called "The Father of Modern Science," and "The Father of the Industrial Revolution."  He was also a Bible scholar who was fluent in the Bible languages of Hebrew and Greek. 

Some 300 years ago and with great foresight, Newton wrote: 

"About the time of the end, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamour and opposition."

The end of Newton's life is described in The Columbia History of the World:

“At the end of his days he spent more time studying and writing about the prophecies in the book of Daniel than he did in charting the heavens.”

Gabriel.  The angel Gabriel seems to be the angel God uses to announce the arrival of His Son on the earth.  He was the one who appeared to Mary some 2,000 years ago and announced the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26).  A few hundred years earlier, Gabriel was also God’s messenger who gave Daniel detailed knowledge of the future.  Gabriel said that the understanding of the timing of the second coming of Christ was “sealed” until the “time of the end” (Daniel 12:9).  In other words, it could not be understood until that special and unknown time in the future.
 
In addition to other clues, Gabriel gave two key conditions that would prevail at that time: “travel and education (or knowledge) shall be vastly increased” (chapter 12, verse 5, Living Bible, emphasis supplied).
 
Now, fast forward about 2,600 years…
 
Travel: World travel, and even between cities and states, was absolutely minimal until the 20th century.  For all of human history, whenever people did travel, it was by horse or by walking.  Travel began to increase only in modern times with the invention of the internal combustion engine, but it was not until the middle of the 20th century that travel literally exploded. The main factor was the advent of the jet aircraft engine, first used on a commercial airliner in the 1950s. Almost everyone, except in the most primitive societies, is now traveling. Without a doubt, travel has “vastly increased” since the mid-20th century­not coincidentally about the time of Israel’s rebirth!
 
Education: Education and knowledge also exploded in the 20th century.  From the time of Christ until 1900, it is estimated that man’s knowledge doubled.  In just the next 50 years, from 1900 to 1950, it doubled again.  Then it began an extremely rapid doubling; first every seven years, then every two years in the 1960’s.  It appears that the 1950’s marked the time in history when knowledge and education “vastly increased” and literally began exploding.
 
All this means that according to the ancient prophet, Daniel, sometime about 1948 when Israel was reborn (a major end-of-the age sign), God began to unseal, and is now unsealing, the vision of Daniel to give us awareness that Christ’s return is near.
 
Are we really near Christ’s return?  Based on the many signs, which cannot be included here, millions of Bible scholars and students all over the world say yes, and believe it will be soon.  We are told to look for the signs.  There are things we are told that will happen, after which:

At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.

Caught up!  Paul refers to this momentous “caught up” event when he says:

According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Without question, we have a great hope.  There’s just nothing like it.  Someday, and maybe soon, we will see Him, the One responsible for the amazing “intelligent design” we see in Creation; the One who formed the universe, the worlds, the flowers, the amazing human body; and the One who chose to take on the frame of a humble servant, and to die for us as a sacrificial Lamb.  We will live with Him in an indescribable paradise for ever and ever, without end.
 
Paul referred to us as waiting…

...for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

The hope we are awaiting is not fantasy.  It is not just wishful thinking.  It is as valid as God’s own integrity and promises.  It is an inevitable happening.  Yet, it is still a hope.

But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

(For a possible modern-day appearance of the angel Gabriel, with the same mission of announcing the coming of Jesus, see my investigated and documented encounter at http://choicesforliving.com/spirit/part3/angels.htm .)

Jim