Henry Archer (Fifth Monarchist) facts for kids
Henry Archer (who died around 1642), also known as John Archer, was a religious leader. He was part of a group called the Fifth Monarchists. This group believed that after four great empires on Earth, Jesus Christ would return to set up a fifth, perfect kingdom. Archer's book, The Personall Reigne of Christ Upon Earth (published in 1642), was very popular in the 1650s.
Contents
Who Was Henry Archer?
Henry Archer gave religious talks in London. However, a powerful church leader named Archbishop Laud stopped him from speaking. In 1631, a group called the Feoffees for Impropriations helped him become a minister at All Saints' Church, Hertford. This group worked to appoint religious leaders.
By 1637, Archer had left England. He then became the pastor of an English church in Arnhem, a city in the Netherlands. He stayed there until he died. Another religious thinker, Thomas Goodwin, likely influenced Archer's ideas.
Predictions in His Book
In his book The Personall Reigne of Christ Upon Earth, Henry Archer made several predictions about the future.
The Future of the Jewish People
Archer believed that Jewish people would convert to Christianity. He thought this would happen in either 1650 or 1656. He figured out these dates by using a special way of reading the Bible. He took the "1290 days" mentioned in the Book of Daniel (chapter 12, verse 11) and understood them as "1290 years." This is called the Day-year principle. He counted these years from the time of a Roman emperor named Julian the Apostate.
The End of the Papacy
Archer also predicted that the papacy would disappear in 1666. The papacy refers to the system of the Pope and the leadership of the Catholic Church. He got this date by interpreting "1260 days" from the Bible's Revelation 12:6 as "1260 years." He counted these years from the year 406. Archer believed that around 406 AD, the "Bishop of Rome" (the Pope) began to take on more power. He also thought that around this time, some of the "ten kingdoms" in Europe started to form. These ten kingdoms are mentioned in the Book of Daniel (chapter 2). They are seen as different empires that would rise in history.
When Would Jesus Return?
Thirdly, Archer predicted that Jesus Christ would return to Earth around the year 1700. This idea is known as the Second Coming. He calculated this date by taking the "1335 days" from Daniel 12:12 as "1335 years." He counted these years from the end of Julian the Apostate's rule. Archer believed that after Jesus returned, there would be a literal thousand-year reign of religious people on Earth. However, he did not think Jesus would be physically present during this time.
Why Was His Book Important?
Historian Katherine Hermes suggests that Henry Archer's book helped bring together the Fifth Monarchists in England. His ideas gave them a clear timeline for future events they believed in.
See also
- List of dates predicted for apocalyptic events
- Predictions and claims for the Second Coming of Christ
