Is it just a Bible fable?

You’ve probably heard the Bible story about Sodom and Gomorrah, found in the Book of Genesis. You know, how God destroyed the two cities by fire and brimstone because of their great sinfulness. It is said by many to be just another one of those fables found in the Bible. Or is it?

A recent article in “Forbes” magazine by Elizabeth Fernandez, details archeological digs that may just go a long way to verify the story of Abraham and Lot, and the sudden and violent destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. She writes, “Recent archeological findings published in ‘Nature’ by researchers of the Comet Research Group indicate that a large meteor may have destroyed the ancient city of Tall el-Hammam, and that this destruction may have gone on to form the basis of the Biblical story of the destruction of Sodom.”

Tall el-Hammam is an archeological excavation site on the shores of the Dead Sea that many Biblical scholars believe is the location of Sodom. As they have been digging on the site, they have found some fascinating discoveries. Fernandez writes, “Puzzling findings indicate that the city was destroyed rapidly in a scorching fireball which is hard to explain. Pottery and mudbricks were melted. People were ripped limb from limb, and their bones are found smashed and scattered, buried in layers of ash, charcoal, and pulverized mudbricks. As archeologists dig through the ancient rock, they uncover a tell-tale blackened layer, where the rocks themselves tell the story of intense and widespread fires.”

The discoveries found by archeologists detail the destruction of the city by sudden and intense heat. Melted pottery was found, which can melt at a temperature over 2500F degrees. Human bone fragments have been found showing the scars of the high temperature. The thick mudbrick walls of the city were blasted into tiny pieces.

What could have caused such a sudden and violent destruction of Tall el-Hammam? Scientists and archeologists now believe that it was a meteor that crashed into the city, or the nearby area. They believe that the fireball was large enough to not only destroy the city but also devastate the surrounding area. (In other words, the meteor could have also destroyed Gomorrah.)

Here’s another interesting finding. Excavators would find layers of salt on walls and objects while digging in the area. Where did it come from? Experts propose that it possibly came from the nearby Dead Sea, which is 30% salt. The fiery meteor may have actually hit in the edge of the sea, splashing scorching salty water all over the area. (Didn’t I read somewhere about Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt?) By the way, the salt made the land infertile and unable to grow crops. (Remember that Lot chose that land because it was so good.) No one inhabited the land for over 600 years after the blast.

While no one knows for sure, the ruins of Tall el-Hammam closely correspond to the Biblical location of where Sodom would have been. Archeologists have also determined that the meteor event happened around 1650 BC, which is around the time of Abraham and Lot.

Does all of this prove the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah? Whether it does or doesn’t for you, it does make you think. It also makes me think about a line I’ve heard from preachers a few times. Concerning the way things are going today, I’ve heard them say, “If God doesn’t judge America for their sins, He’s going to have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!” So, along with everything else, I probably should checking the sky for possible meteors!