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Dead Sea (Salt Sea, Sea of Arabah, Lake Asphaltitis)
Meaning
The Dead Sea is a large lake with an extremely high salt concentration. It is located at the southern end of the Jordan Valley and in the deepest portion of the Jordan Rift. The lake itself is forty-two miles long and eleven miles wide. And at its lowest point it is almost 1400 feet below sea level, with the second saltiest waters on earth. Except for some microscopic organism, nothing else lives there. Other names for the Dead Sea include the Eastern Sea, the Salt sea, Sea of Arabah and Lake Asphaltitis or Lake Asphalt. The Jewish historian Josephus coined the name “Dead Sea.”
What’s interesting about the name “Lake Asphaltitis” or “Lake Asphalt” is that the lake is in the region of Sodom and Gomorrah. Both of which were part of the five cities of the plain. They were destroyed by the Lord in judgment. Many Bible scholars believe that the Dead Sea’s current state was the result of this judgment. And the fact the lake is named Lake Asphalt is indicative of the asphalt which can be found in the region and is related to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In addition, the Book of Ezekiel tells us that God will restore this lake at the end times and it will once again be teeming with life.
It’s interesting to note that quite a bit of Bible history took place in the area surrounding the Dead Sea. Including the rescue of Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. David who fought Goliath and later became king, hid in the caves around the Dead Sea. The Romans besieged Herod’s fortress at Masada in the area of the Dead Sea. And the famous “Dead Sea Scrolls” were found there in the caves of Qumran.
“And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” (Book of Gensis 19:27-29)
“You shall mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; the border shall go down and reach to the eastern side of the Sea of Chinnereth; the border shall go down along the Jordan, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries.” (Book of Numbers 34:10-12)
“The waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho.” (Book of Joshua 3:16)
“On the east side you shall mark out the border from between Hauran and Damascus, and between Gilead and the land of Israel, along the Jordan, and along the eastern side of the sea. This is the east side.” (Book of Ezekiel 47:18)
“Then he said to me: ‘This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.” (Book of Ezekiel 47:8-10)