Signature in the Sand

Proof of Jesus Series: Article 9

(Part 1 of 3)

The Firpo Files Newsmagazine

(November 15, 2012)

"The ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah have been discovered southeast of the Dead Sea," declares one scholarly source. "The modern names are Bab edh-Dhra, thought to be Sodom, and Numeira, thought to be Gomorrah. Both places were destroyed at the same time by an enormous conflagration.

"The destruction debris was about three feet thick. What brought about this awful calamity? Startling discoveries in the cemetery at Bab edh-Dhra revealed the cause. Archaeologists found that buildings used to bury the dead were burned by a fire that started on the roof."

Because wicked people lived in the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Bible says God rained fire and brimstone (sulphur) from heaven and burned these and other cities to ash.

"And Jehovah rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire," destroying those cities and their inhabitants. (Genesis 19:24, 25, Darby Bible Translation) But for centuries, the ruins were thought by some to be covered by the Dead Sea--concentrated with salt and sulphur--located in modern-day Israel and Jordan.  

When I first dipped in the Dead Sea in 1987 it was quite a robust body of water. But when I visited again 17 years later (2004), it was a shell of its former self.

With the naked eye you could see the shoreline had receded, which is further evidenced by satellite photography.

But, in receding, the sulfuric surf apparently gurgled up the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, uncloaking an awe-inspiring mystery some believe constitutes God's very signature in the sand.   

Critics' Comments: Skeptics say a powerful flood, an ancient volcano, a massive earthquake, or even "a fiery ancient asteroid over a half-mile in diameter that destroyed everything in its path" caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

So far, fire-breathing dragons haven't been implicated; neither have dinosaurs with laser beams shooting from their eyes. The evidence shows this was God--not Godzilla--who destroyed these cities.

Great Balls of Fire!: Just as it rains individual drops of water, there is conclusive evidence that individual drops of fireballs rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah. Scripture depicts an angry God causing "thunder," "hail," and "burning coals of fire"! (Psalm 18:9-13, New World Translation)

Archeologists have unearthed "brimstone with a burned, hardened shell that has the unburned sulfur inside," as well as "brimstone without a burned shell."

Among the myriad photos currently in researchers' possession is one that shows tiny crystals that formed on a surface of a capsuled sulfur ball that "was burning and was in a liquid state, then it burned out."

"Each of the cities of the plain contain[s] evidence of brimstone which God rained down upon the cities to destroy them. 

"The brimstone is composed of 96-98 percent sulfur, with trace amounts of magnesium which create an extremely high temperature burn.  This is the only place on earth where you can find 96 percent pure monoclinic sulfur in a round ball. 

"This brimstone is NOT from any type of geo-thermal activity as there is no evidence of such in the area, and geo-thermal sulfur nodules are only 40 percent pure sulfur and are of the rhombic type."

Analysis of the Ash: The apostle Peter said that as God reduced "the cities Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them." (2 Peter 2:6)

"The ash there today is composed of Calcium Sulfate and Calcium Carbonate which are by-products of the limestone and sulfur burning," say researchers.

"The extremely high burning temperatures created a multi-shaded layering of ash that was formed by thermal ionization, caused by electrons repelling and attracting, creating a swirling effect in the remains."

"The top layer is a solid slab of sulfur crystals created by a complete layer of brimstone underneath that was burning, then turned to a liquid, then cooled down leaving this layer of crystals."

Furthermore, satellite photos show distinctive, grayish ash deposits where Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim used to be.--Deuteronomy 29:22, 23.

The Christ Connection: A very real Jesus of Nazareth said God "rained fire and sulphur from heaven" on the very real cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Luke 17:29) There's great interest in these cities.

Over the past few decades scholarly articles in Biblical Archaeology Review (a magazine which has documented my work as well) discuss details of the saga of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And legendary scholar William F. Albright who, like me, worked with famed scholar John C. Trevor, also weighed in on the issue. It's an incendiary subject! Stay tuned for Part 2.