11 Ancient Apocalyptic Myths

Zoroastrianism also states that the world will go through four different ages, and that we are currently in the fourth age.

In the first age, good and evil were separated, but evil made it's way to good in the second age. The third age consisted of an intense battle between the two, but in the fourth age good will prevail over evil. This last age started when Zoroaster, a spiritual leader, was born and continues today.

The world is believed to last for 12,000 years in total. In the last 3,000 years, the fourth age, three saviors will be born at 1,000-year intervals. They will all be born by 15-year old virgins who bathed in a lake where Zoroaster's seed is preserved. When the first child, Aushedar, turns 30, the sun will stand in the middle of the sky for ten days, as it did before evil appeared.

After this the world will be closer to perfect for three years and some evil creatures will disappear. When the second child, Aushedar-mah, turns 30, the same thing will happen, but the sun will stand still for 20 days and the world will be closer to perfect for six years.

The third child, Soshyant, will rid the world of all evil and bad things, such as famine or disease. He will raise the dead and all mankind will be judged. Bad people will go to hell and good people will go to heaven for three days and nights. Molten metal will run across the earth and all humankind making it pure and good again, and it will destroy hell and all monsters. Humans will receive immortality when Soshyant sacrifices an ox that will be the last animal killed for humans. Zoroastrians refer to this as a "renovation" rather than the end of the world.