Sodom and Gomorrah are two cities mentioned in the Bible as places that were subjected to God’s wrath and completely destroyed. These cities were known for their promiscuity, debauchery, and cruelty, which caused their destruction.
Archaeological evidence confirms the existence of Sodom and Gomorrah. Cuneiform texts found by scientists indicate that there used to be cities here, but now the salt sea stretches in their place. However, the reason for the demise of these cities is still a mystery.
Located on the shores of the Dead Sea, Sodom and Gomorrah were located on fertile land and offered all the conditions for prosperity. However, the inhabitants of these cities preferred to lead an idle lifestyle, unwilling to work. They were steeped in sin and vice, which attracted God’s wrath.
When God recognized the sinfulness of Sodom and Gomorrah, He decided to destroy these cities. He shared his intentions with Abraham, who prayed for the innocent righteous so that they would not suffer with the sinners. Abraham especially interceded for his nephew Lot, who did not succumb to lewdness and vice.
God sent angels to rescue Lot and his family from Sodom. Lot and his family were the only righteous ones, and they were forbidden to look back at the perishing city. As they left Sodom, an avalanche of fire and ashes came down from heaven, completely destroying the city and all its people.
Lot’s wife could not resist looking back at the perishing city, causing her to become a pillar of salt. Lot and his daughters continued on their journey and looked out over the smoking plain where once stood prosperous cities.
The events surrounding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah had such a great impact on culture and history that the name “Sodom” became a household name and gave rise to the concept of “sodomy” – perverted sexual relations.
Supposedly, the cave where Lot and his daughters took refuge is near a spring and overlooks the Dead Sea. A church and monastery were built at this location.
In 2000, British scholar Michael Saunders and a team of archaeologists discovered that Sodom and Gomorrah actually lie at the bottom of the Dead Sea.
There are many versions about the cause of the demise of Sodom and Gomorrah. One hypothesis suggests that the cities were destroyed by an asteroid impact. This assumption is based on the deciphering of records of Sumerian astronomer Mark Hampsell, who described the fall of a huge white ball. Scientists created a model of the sky of that time and determined the date of the catastrophe – June 29, 3123 BC.
The size of the asteroid, according to research, was about 800 meters across. Scientists believe that only a collision with such a cosmic body could cause destructive processes of such a scale.
However, despite all the hypotheses and findings, the exact cause of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah remains a mystery. Perhaps it was the result of God’s wrath or a natural disaster. Perhaps we will never know the answer to this question.
