Scientists: Sodom Was Destroyed by Big Heavenly Blast; Israelis: We Know
The only real question now is whether this was cosmic coincidence, or the hand of the Almighty directing natural phenomena
By Israel Today Staff | November 9, 2021 | Topics: Bible
John Martin’s “Sodom and Gomorrah” showing the divine destruction of the biblical cities. Photo: Public domain
A meteor or comet exploded while traveling through earth’s atmosphere at incredible speeds. The airburst had the force of 1,000 atomic bombs and destroyed cities in the vicinity of what’s now called the “Dead Sea.”
We know, this story has been out there for a while as archaeologists continue to uncover supporting evidence at Tall el-Hammam on the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea. And the evidence is indeed compelling. Remains of buildings and pottery showing an wave of heat that would have killed anything living. At the same time, no crater or impact point.
What could have caused such a catastrophe but a massive airburst resulting from the detonation of a large meteor, fragments of which would then have rained down on the earth?
This, the archaeologists say, happened around 3,600 years ago.
Up until that point, evidence suggests that the surrounding area was fertile and supported a large population in Tall el-Hammam, which might or might not be the biblical Sodom, and a number of other relatively large cities.
Of course, the Bible already spells all of this out.
Abraham had regular dealings with the inhabitants of the region, who were numerous and prosperous enough to support the existence of several city-states, including Sodom and Gomorrah. Scripture also reveals what science is only now figuring out – that a heavenly blast and subsequent rain of fire destroyed these cities and left the entire region utterly barren up until our day.
That was the essence of the reaction of many Israelis reading about these archaeological developments in Hebrew-language media: “We know, it’s in the Bible.”
When one article noted that the powerful airburst and the destruction it wrought would have to an eyewitness looked like what’s recorded in the Bible, one Israeli responded: “We know the identity of the eyewitness. His name was Lot.” Another retorted: “No, it was Mrs. Lot. She’s the one who looked back.” To which the first shot back: “How can Mrs. Lot be an eyewitness to events? She’s a pillar of salt!”
As so often happens when science follows the breadcrumbs left by Scripture, the only real difference between the biblical and archaeological accounts is the involvement of God.
Was what happened to the cities in the vicinity of the Dead Sea a cosmic coincidence? Or did the Almighty make use of dangerous natural phenomena in His timing to accomplish His will?