In the Armenian versions of “The Signs of the Judgement,” we read the following:
|
I (Jerusalem, No. 1729, Miscellany copied in the monastery of
Lim in 1741) |
II (Jerusalem, No. 1861, Miscellany copied in Julfa [Isfahan] in
1669)) |
|
XV On the fifteenth day the heavens and the earth shall
be burnt, that is to say the atmosphere |
XIV On the fourteenth day the heavens and earth shall be
burnt like atmosphere |
The above is taken from Michael E. Stone, Signs of the Judgement, Onomastica Sacra and The Generations from Adam (University of Pennsylvania: Armenian Texts and Studies, 3; Chico, Calif.: Scholars Press, 1981), 29
In the version in the manuscript I from 1729, the (old) heavens and
earth being burnt is qualified as being the “atmosphere”; the author does not
seem to believe this to be a complete destruction of the earth (for Star Trek fans:
think of the destruction of the Klingon moon Praxis); instead, the destruction
of the atmosphere and re-creation of the earth itself, consistent with biblical (and Latter-day Saint) eschatology that the (albeit, paradisical or "celestialized") earth will remain forever.
I just happened across this while reading the book for a work-related project. Does not prove anything (as the text is from the 18th century) beyond there being a belief that does not interpret the burning of the heaven/earth to be complete annihilation in a (late) Armenian tradition, but thought it was interesting and worthy of a short blog post.
