Friday, February 11, 2022

The Armenian "The Signs of the Judgement" I:XV and the Eschatological Burning of the Heavens and the Earth

 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.