Somewhere around the southern end of the Dead Sea would be the Biblical site of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Abraham gave Lot his choice of land, it would have been very fertile and prosperous. Of course, the actions that occurred in Sodom and Gomorrah changed everything after God destroyed the wicked cities. Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere--this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah--like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. Genesis 13:10. Below are the Jordanian mountains reflecting in the southern Dead Sea area.
Salt deposits in the Dead Sea (Salt Sea). This was one of the borders for the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as Moses led them into the Promised Land. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,"Command the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance, even the land of Canaan according to its borders. 'Your southern sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom, and your southern border shall extend from the end of the Salt Sea eastward. Numbers 34:1-3.
'And the border shall go down to the Jordan and its termination shall be at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land according to its borders all around.'" Numbers 34:12.
The Lord Jesus referred to the "days of Sodom and Gomorrah" as one of the signs of His Second Coming. "For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. "But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ..... "It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Luke 17:24-29
When we were down by a series of Dead Sea Hotels at Ein Boqeq, a real nice rain shower came from the northeast across the water.
We let the brief storm go by. Below is the sun beginning to shine as the rain cloud goes further south. "The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'He who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God, Is as the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, When the tender grass springs out of the earth, Through sunshine after rain.' II Samuel 23:3-4.
Sunshine reflecting on the Dead Sea.
Towards the southern end of the Dead Sea is Masada. Two thousand years ago, Masada was one of King Herod's palaces. In 70 AD, approximately 900 Jews fled to Masada rather than submit to Roman rule. When it was apparent the powerful Roman army would overtake them, the Jews at Masada choose to commit suicide.
Masada.
Northern end of Masada. You can see a hiking trail to the top. There is also a cable car to the top where the ancient ruins are very good. Plus there is a beautiful view of the Dead Sea and the Jordanian mountains.
A little further south was a 4 x 4 road up Mount Sodom.
We were headed to a hiking trail known as "the flour caves".
At the parking lot you beginning walking down into a white-walled canyon (flour caves).
After an enjoyable hike that did not make an old man pass out, we headed toward Mt. Sodom.
A road sign to let us know that we were not totally lost.
Mountains of Jordan reflecting in the Dead Sea from the top of Mt. Sodom.
National park plaque showing the various sites. Moses was buried further north on the Jordanian side from here. He could only look at the Promised Land and not enter. Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan just north of the Dead Sea close to Jericho. Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo ... which is opposite Jericho And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day. Deuteronomy 34:1-6.
The way back to the highway.
An Israeli company, Dead Sea Works, which processes minerals from the water.
Separating the minerals.
The pure white mineral looks like salt but someone told me it is potassium. To understand the size of the "mineral hill", those are fully grown date palm trees on the right.
Ibyx are frequently seen in the desert.
Just like camels.
Bedouin boy headed home for dinner.
