Biblical sin city Sodom destroyed by asteroid stronger than nuke
A team of archaeologists working in Jordan has discovered new evidence that supports the idea that the ancient city of Sodom was wiped out by a massive asteroid strike, reports jpost.com.
The findings could shed light on the origin of the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah, which describes how God rained down fire and brimstone on the wicked cities.
The researchers, led by Dr. John Bergsma, a theology professor at Ohio’s Franciscan University, have been excavating the site of Tell el-Hammam, which is believed to be the location of Sodom. They have found signs of intense heat and destruction on pottery and human bones, as well as evidence of a sudden and violent end to the city’s prosperity.
According to Dr. Bergsma, these clues point to a catastrophic event that occurred around 3,700 years ago, when a large asteroid or comet exploded in the atmosphere above the city, unleashing a shockwave and a fireball that vaporized everything in its path.
The impact would have been more powerful than an atomic bomb and would have caused widespread devastation in the region. Dr. Bergsma suggests that this event could have inspired the biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah, which portrays God’s wrath against the sinful cities.
While some scholars have dismissed the biblical story as a myth or a metaphor, Dr. Bergsma argues that it is based on historical facts and that it reflects the cultural memory of a real disaster that affected the ancient Near East.
He also notes that other ancient sources, such as Egyptian texts and Mesopotamian tablets, mention similar events of cosmic destruction that occurred around the same time period.
Dr. Bergsma hopes that his research will help to bridge the gap between science and faith and to reveal more about the history and culture of the ancient world.
“And he looked over the face of Sodom and Gomorrah and over the entire face of the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the earth had risen like the smoke of a furnace.”
Genesis 19:28, depicting Abraham witnessing the aftermath of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
