Atoms: One Very Creepy Truth...

If statistics can be believed and relied on, then what I have read in a Creation Ministries International article, submitted to my Facebook wall by my good friend Dr Andrew Milnthorpe, looks to be very creepy indeed! The article is about how we are essentially made of atoms. I know that this is a typical school classroom stuff every student should be familiar with before leaving school. But considering what we are really made of, I think it's a good idea just giving it another thought here.

Indeed, I have written about the atom before on this blogger page.* But I still feel it's good to add a refresher from time to time, plus some astonishing scientific facts which I don't think I have mentioned before. It's either exciting - or it's rather creepy. And I emphasize the word scientific, as this is now held by most around me as the yardstick against all faith either standing or falling - with just about all of faith, especially Biblical faith, falling into mere myth in the eyes of science.

I have always been familiar with the atom as a miniature Solar System-like particle consisting of a nucleus with electrons whizzing around it as tiny orbits. That how I have always perceived it to look like. But according to the article, the electrons are no longer seen as tiny planets orbiting the nucleus. Rather, they are more like a cloud surrounding the nucleus.

Since the atom varies considerably in complexity, the article chose the simplest of all, the hydrogen atom. It consists of just one proton and one electron spinning around it. But what intrigues me is the actual space existing between the electron and the proton nucleus. Thus with the help of the internet, I had a bit of fun with numbers. Thus the classic illustration of the atom, above, is very misleading. If the true scale was to be shown, my computer screen would be as big as the lounge it's in, or probably even larger than our house altogether.

The distance between the proton nucleus of a hydrogen atom and its electron would on average be 60,300 times greater than the diameter of the nucleus itself. On a rough equivalent, this would mean that the space between the nucleus and the electron is so wide that if the nucleus was the size of our Sun, then the electron (perhaps represented by another star or very large planet) would be 14 times further away from the Sun - or 51,380,700,000 miles 82,689,320,000 km - than the actual mean orbit of the furthest planet of our solar system, Pluto, which is about 3,670,050,000 miles 5,906,380,000 km away from the Sun. Or for greater clarity, the distance of Pluto from the Sun: 3.67 billion miles. The distance of the electron from the Sun: 51.38 billion miles. Thus a 14 times difference.

Therefore, just supposing that every atom in the average-sized human body was to implode, that is, the pull of the nucleus bringing the electron to its touching point. Then the average human body would be reduced to the size of a single grain of table salt.

It's this unique property of the atom which, to me, is so dizzyingly complex. If I understand physics as I think I do, then I believe that opposites always attract, like the north pole of a magnet pulling towards the south pole of another magnet. So likewise, the negatively-charged electron should be pulled towards the positively-charged proton, causing the atom to implode on itself. Yet it doesn't happen. Instead, the electron whizzes around its nucleus, as it was believed, this fast movement keeping the electron at an equal distance from its centre and at the same time, forming an apparent solid shell, giving a billiard ball-type appearance.

I have wondered whether it's the centrifugal force within the atom which keeps the electron at the correct distance from its nucleus. Like the time, as a boy, tying a weight at the end of a length of string and then swinging the weight fast round and round. At all times the string tightens as it keeps the object at a constant, circular ark. Had the string snapped (and thank God that had never happened!) the weight would have flown in a straight line through space - except for the Earth's gravity arching the straight line into a parabolic curve which eventually brings the weight dropping to the ground.

And so, instead of positive/negative charged objects, could it be the centrifugal force generated by their orbital movement which is preventing all the planets in our solar system from plunging into the sun by its gravitational pull? Although I was very good on one or two of its subjects, unfortunately, during my school days, I didn't graduate in General Science, whether it be physics, astronomy, geology or biology (although if I wanted to now, I most likely could, without too much of a strain) but one thing is certain - acknowledging God for his power in Creation.

That's why I find the atom to be a fascinating study. As already mentioned, the rapid movement of the electrons (if that what it is) forming a billiard ball or cloud-like structure. This while considering that the atom is mostly empty space. Therefore it's this empty space between electron and nucleus which makes it possible for an omnibus to be over eleven metres long and over four metres in height, instead of being the same size as a coarse grain of sand, or myself standing at 5'11" instead of being the size of a single grain of table salt.

Furthermore, I find it amazing that all though I, along with every known substance, whether animate, vegetative or inanimate, solid, liquid or gas, all consist of empty space, none can pass through each other. Let the rain fall upon the surface on a car, bus or bicycle and the water will run as beads over the smooth, painted metal. The same if a person is splashed, the skin will remain impenetrable despite that the human body is 99.99999999% empty space, yet just leaving that person dripping wet. Two vehicles colliding in an accident will dent or smash the areas of impact and at the same time making a very loud noise, but the two will never pass through each other, despite all of these are a bundle of well-arranged almost-empty atoms. It's the "shell" or "cloud" created by the whizzing electrons which give every created thing its substance.

All this makes me feel in awe of God, my Creator and Redeemer. Such knowledge, such wonderful knowledge, puts me in my proper place in the realm of God's holiness, that is, as Abraham once admitted, just dust and ashes, my sin had made me unworthy to stand in God's presence.

Indeed, it's the love of God and his grace through I exist, as God's intention has always been to populate the Earth. It was the command given at Creation Week. Then again immediately after the Flood, his initial command was the repopulate the Earth and to fill it with life.

Here is the marvel of God's loving grace. Knowing that I am very nearly 100% empty space is a sobering truth, even a very creepy truth. Yet not one atom in me implodes. Instead, each atom is part of a highly complex molecule, especially in the nucleus of the cell, where the DNA, the RNA and other cell parts making this minuscule machine far more complex than the most highly-developed and most fast computer.

Inner workings of a typical cell.

Therefore Abraham was right when he refers to himself as dust and ashes when standing in comparison with God's holiness (Genesis 18:27). God, in His righteousness, could cause every atom in us to implode, but He does not. Even after death, the flesh decays yet the bones remain relatively preserved. Its atoms do not implode.

Every breath I take, every heartbeat, whenever my food is digested, whenever my immune system is busy, the nights I spend oblivious to the world during sleep, even when my body heal itself after injury - indeed, how a well-arranged bundle of near-empty atoms can sustain life that's something science can't explain. Furthermore, unlike the rest of all lifeforms, I as a human being made in the image of God, a blessing indeed, which enables me to read, write, do maths, make decisions, carry out various tasks, and communicate in a way no other lifeforms can. Furthermore, to have a conscience, to know right from wrong, to make a choice between good or evil - and also to be accountable to God. Yet I'm composed of atoms - almost entirely of empty space, and yet no different to a boulder resting lifelessly on the ground or on a beach being lashed by the tides, a heavy inanimate object which too, is made entirely of atoms.

And so I write this blog after a week of reading in the national newspapers about the argument over Brexit - the promise of national sovereignty, the assurance of its coming greatness, the desire to rebuild the former British Empire. A class-obsessed nation with a history of racism and of xenophobia, the funny idea that this island, Great Britain, is really God's country, with England being the New Jerusalem of William Blake's tale of young feet of our Saviour walking through this land of mountains green and England's pleasant pastures seen.

And such cries to have this land restored to its former glory by leaving the "satanic political mills" of the wretched European Union, we now have a political deliverer - a very different saviour from the lone Jew who walked this Earth two millennia back in time. This one was elected by a group of devout Tories. But to him the leave-voting nation looks up to, to see the end of EU membership, to make ourselves great again, to have our God-chosen national status restored.

And so I look up to my good friend Andrew, who is a polar opposite to me in political matters, yet although holding a doctorate, he sees me as one equal to himself and therefore acts accordingly, winning my admiration of him, despite the two of us getting into a tizz on Facebook over leaving the EU. Yet despite all that, we both recognise that without the life-giving God, we are merely empty space. And that is a very creepy truth indeed.
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* Two of my blogs from the archives touching on the Atom are available by clicking here.

The Boy in every Man Just won't Go.

Today I write this as my beloved is resting next to me. As she goes through chemotherapy after a single mastectomy, she remains stable. All part of married life. After all, we both fully remember the vows we had taken on our wedding day as we placed our rings on each other's finger: 

For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death us to part.

To which our church pastor responded.

You are now husband and wife.

On that special day, I knew deep within that things were never going to be the same again. And such reminders came as prophetic dreams in my sleep, soon after the honeymoon was over. And one I remember so vividly, that across nearly twenty years, I'm still able to relate this dream as clearly as if it had occurred only last night:

I dreamt that I was standing near the check-in desk at Heathrow airport. But I wasn't on my own. Rather, I was with my father and his older brother, a strict Warrant Officer at the Royal Air Force. We were there not to board a plane but as if awaiting the arrival of somebody. The timing of the dream was set in the then-present day, around the year 2000, however, both Dad and Uncle looked as they were in the 1960s, relatively young, and therefore totally out of sync with the year I was meant to be in. And so, if I stirred or said something out of place, my Uncle's response would have been something like Quiet! or None of your cheek! - in a stern tone of voice.

My feelings in the dream were indescribable. Those feelings were from the pounding memories and a crushing longing for the clock to turn back three years. Because three years earlier I was standing at that very same spot, alone, with a rucksack strapped over my shoulders. I was checking in to board a flight to Singapore, which was the first call on the real-life 1997 Round-the-World trip, the second and third being the Queensland resort of Cairns and Los Angeles respectively. In the dream, I even saw the same Earls Court YHA hostel I stayed at on the eve of the flight. Seeing it again three years later whilst standing between Dad and Uncle has rubbed salt into an already emotionally-charged wound.

Two more similar dreams I had soon after the wedding were based on the same theme. In one dream I found myself on board a bus as it sped along the M4 westbound. From it, I was able to see Heathrow Airport as it sped past. As with the first dream, in this one too, I had that gut-wrenching feeling of regret, and the wanting to be there, checking in, and yet knowing that will never happen again. And whilst asleep the third time I found myself standing, alone, outside one of the terminals of Heathrow Airport. It was a solid wall, brilliant white and reflecting the sunlight, yet with no doors or even windows conveying the message that I couldn't enter the building anymore, despite my longing desire to do so.

Three dreams, all different, yet telling the same message. That is, one chapter of my life had closed and another chapter, one with far greater responsibilities, had opened.

Which could bring the reader to ask, Am I happy in my marriage or have I any regrets?

The answer to that is Yes, I am very happy in our marriage and I have no regrets in marrying my beloved. That is because we are deeply in love with each other, and the intention for both of us is to make it last until one of us is called home. Yet our wedding day did mark the death of something very dear to me - long-haul intercontinental travel.

I have often thought about this. At present I could ask, am I really interested in returning to the airport to check-in for another long-haul flight? Or has interest whittled away over the years as I fulfil my role as a husband? Really, coming to think of it, we are quite fortunate to travel overseas after getting hitched. Together as a married couple, we have visited Israel, Lanzarote, Rhodes, Kos, Paris, Brussels, Sicily and Malta. We have also sailed to Jersey and to the Scilly Isles - if these islands can be classed as overseas. We went to Rhodes for our honeymoon and we went back there to celebrate our tenth anniversary. And we intended to return for our twentieth. Due to illness, this is not to be. Instead, another trip to Brussels by Eurostar to visit the Old City is on the cards. 

This love for travel is what psychologists refer to as the boy in every man. Let's face it, we men don't really grow up at all, as lurking within all of us is a fun-loving boy. There's nothing negative about the boy in every man - I think God has included him in his initial creation.

As such, I find it all amusing to read about when, on one particular weekend in the seventies, a well-known church leader returned home, wheeling a brand-new motorcycle into his yard. His wife then turned to her daughter-in-law and said,

My dear, there is only one difference between a man and a boy - the man's toys are more expensive.

Fortunately for that family, the wife took it well, as he and his son often rode out into the desert on their bikes for that exhilarating experience of open-air freedom, the leaving behind of all responsibilities involved in pastoring a church. Or the case of the same leader's father, many years earlier. Just before one Christmas, he young lad spotted a wrapped present tucked away in the cupboard. Peeking into it, he discovered that it was a radio-controlled model aeroplane. However, he never saw his present again, and he forgot all about it. It was years later, after marrying and having children of his own when he remembered the present, and he asked his mother about it.

She burst out laughing and explained that on that Christmas eve, his father could not resist the temptation. He took the plane out of the cupboard and assembled it. He took it to the beach and flew it out into the night. He flew it alright, it splashed into the Pacific Ocean and lost it forever!

It's the boy in the man who causes him to shake his Christmas present, trying to find out what's inside.

It's the boy in the man who takes a chocolate truffle out of the box before presenting it for his wife's birthday.

It's the boy in the man who plays with his son's train set on Christmas day.

It's the boy in the man who rides a shopping trolley down the hill late at night.

It's the boy in the man who compels a policeman on duty to slide down a children's helter-skelter when he thinks no one is looking.

It's the boy in the man who has compelled 18th Century evangelist John Wesley to ride on his horse early every morning.

It's the boy in the man which made an elderly Royal bodyguard scowl with envy as he watches a young lifeguard slide down a newly-installed adventure flume as a demonstration to the visiting Royal who is declaring the facilities open. And this incident cannot be any truer as the photo was published in a local newspaper.

It's the boy in the man who pesters his wife to buy him an electric train set. He was one of my regular customers and a doctor by profession.

It's the boy in the man who compelled me to go out and buy an electric train set, and whilst carrying it home, explained that it was for my (non-existent) son to a group of sniggling female teenagers.

I know of a couple of adult men who own train sets. They tend to lay it out, run the train around the layout, then pack it away. Then again, I know of one male adult who takes his hobby more seriously, creating his layout into a mini-landscape. Some men have taken years to build their layout with utmost seriousness. As for me, I have added a station to my train set so I can watch with a thrill as the train races non-stop through the station! Oh, the boy in me.

The boy in me who loves train sets. The boy in me who loves being onboard a fast train. The boy in me who would fly halfway around the world to take pictures of tropical vegetation, among other things an exotic scenery can offer. The boy in me who compelled me to try out all the newly-installed adventure flumes at our local Coral Reef water world - for scientific research, of course! One fortunate enough to have a loving, understanding wife who has realised that "a night out with the boys" is actually good for the marriage, making it more robust.

And this is something I would encourage all wives. That is, not to stifle the boy lurking within your husband. According to the testimony of others, the understanding wife who is okay with letting the fun-loving boy come out of the man is the one who will also enjoy a richer, more loving relationship than the scolding henpecker who is more likely to drive her husband into the arms of another woman. However, there are issues.

During my courting days, I hit upon a crossroad. I had a stark choice. Should I marry this pretty sweetheart of mine sitting across the apartment? Or should I remain single and making use of the Trailfinders magazine I had in my hand - the one which carries ads for Round-the-World backpacking deals as well as testimonies from those who had accomplished them? That was when I proposed to her and having accepted, I tore up the magazine in front of her to say that I will be fully committed.

But having made the right decision, I do regret not abling to travel long-haul anymore, hence the dreams I had. But although I still dream of travel up to the present, these dreams don't have such an effect as they did in the past. And the fact that we hope to travel to Brussels for the day - this proves that although I might have tried to run away from the bug, it has never left me - at least this time it's to visit the Old City, whilst last time it was to visit the EU Parliament Museum.

Flumes at Coral Reef Water World, Bracknell.

However, there is one downside, the wrong reason for continuous long-haul travel. I know a good Christian friend who goes out on his own to work projects in various continents, leaving his wife at home.  These trips are usually just a month in duration, but I have also known him to be away for up to three months apiece on one or two occasions. On the surface, this looks to be a good way of following Jesus Christ in obedience. And indeed, I don't doubt whether God has called him to serve him in this way. I prefer to believe that he is walking in obedience to God's calling. However, I'm also aware of him feeling trapped in a loveless marriage, something which he had admitted in the past. 

Among other things, had she stifled the fun-loving boy character which is quite prominent within this man? Indeed, I have wondered whether his long-duration trips are a way to escape home responsibilities rather than face the more difficult task of seeking a full restoration, or whether this serious, computer-literate, home-based businesswoman has simply made the possibility of such a reconciliation more difficult to attain?

It's the kind of situation I would never want to be in. Yet I can feel sympathetic towards this friend of mine. If Alex was to turn against me and declare that she doesn't love me anymore... I dread just to think about it.

Yet I know it won't happen. It will never happen. One reason is that she sees the boy in the man and respects him. Allowing the boy in the man to come out and enjoy a bit of fun is one way to preserve a loving marriage relationship which will stand up against any tribulation which life throws at it.

Invited to Pray? Why I Declined...

Whenever the alarm clock radio turns itself on every weekday morning, or I turn on the television for the evening news bulletin, or go online to browse its version of the daily newspaper, my spirit tends to sink under the weight of the political dross I constantly hear or read. As I write this line, a song is playing in the background, by Mr Mister, an American pop band of the 1980s with Richard Page as the lead vocalist. The song is titled Broken Wings, and it's about taking these broken wings and learning to fly again, a reference about a broken relationship and pleading for its restoration.

It's a beautiful song, with a regular beat and an intense tune conveying a sense of longing for forgiveness and a revival of a love which once bonded their hearts together. The sort of desperation, a sense of blasted hope, an aimless drift towards desolation. Lost without direction and not knowing what lies in the future. It's this feeling of uncertainty which we as a nation is feeling at the moment. 

The country is split into roughly two equal halves - those who want to leave the European Union and those who prefer to remain. Both sides are left with a feeling of frustration after a series of complications having arisen which had turned the straightforward course to leave the EU into a convoluted labyrinth of confusion and dead-end turns and making us wonder just when the longed-for exit from the maze will finally appear.

As the Bible likens a restless nation to a stormy ocean, Parliament can be likened to a tall ship caught in this storm, and as the waves sweep over the deck, every crew member is under full strain to keep the sails in position, yet the threat of sinking is never far away, let alone straying off-course. How the thought of land appearing on the horizon stirs the imagination of each crew member as he visualises the safe harbour welcoming them with open arms.

But the harbour is not only out of sight but the stormy ocean seem to be forever shoreless. That is until the captain thinks he could see something on the horizon. Land ahoy? He directs the ship towards it, but as it draws closer, it turns out to be a jagged reef, and dangerous at that, according to the fear lurking in the minds of all on board, the jagged rocks of the reef would tear the hull into shreds, and at best, the ship would run aground, at worse, sink to the depths below, taking the life of all of them.

Therefore, considering the political situation we are in, it comes as no surprise that prayer meetings are arranged by local churches, pleading with God for special wisdom to direct our leaders in the right direction. Although I was told about the strict neutrality of these meetings - neither for Leave or Remain - just godly wisdom bestowed on our leaders in making the right decisions.

On the outside, this seems like a wise move, a proper course to take. Christians praying for their Government and political leaders, for kings and for all in authority is Biblical (eg, 1 Timothy 2:2-4, 1 Peter 2:7, 2 Chronicles 7:14.) Also, Paul wrote in Romans 13:1-7 that there is no authority which has not been established by God, and therefore everyone in authority should be obeyed, as they are servants of God in use to keep evil in check.

Therefore I don't find it wrong to pray for the goodness of our country. For example, our beloved National Health Service (NHS). Intercessory prayer includes thanking God for the NHS and asking him for the NHS to be properly staffed with people who are motivated more with compassion rather than with a career drive. Prayer also including thanking God for our excellent communication infrastructures. This includes transport, TV and radio, newspapers and the internet. By thanking God for these and other institutions designed for both public and individual benefit, and asking God that these infrastructures and institutions can run efficiently by a properly motivated staff and workers is not a bad thing.

But my main concern is not whether we leave or remain in the EU. Rather, I mourn as I witness a country which once had a Christian-based Constitution turn away from God, towards atheist-based secularism, which is fed each day by a constant stream of Darwin's evolutionary theories which undermine the truth of the Gospel and denying its historicity.

EU Headquarters in Brussels.  

As such, if I pray, then it's not whether we leave or remain in the EU. Rather, it's for the Spirit of God to be poured out on a national scale. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says it well: If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.

The phrase, my people, can only refer to the nation of Israel at the time that was written, and it was written at the time King Solomon was dedicating the newly-built Temple to the Lord. Literally speaking, the full forgiveness of sin and the complete healing of the land remains in the future, after the risen Jesus Christ returns and begins his reign from Jerusalem. Under this Kingdom age, not only sin would be forgiven but eradicated, and the whole of the earth will be restored to an Eden-like paradise, an event which had never occurred since the Fall and the Edenic Curse.

But a partial application can be made in this era. The history of ancient Ninevah and its repentance under the preaching of the prophet Jonah is so outstanding, that the whole book of Jonah was written, dedicated to that particular event. During his first advent, Jesus has remarked that even the people of Ninevah will rise to condemn the Pharisees, who had rejected the Lord's ministry, including his miraculous works which the men of Ninevah had never seen.

During the days of Paul the apostle, the Roman Empire reigned supreme, with its Pax Romana allowing its citizens to live in peace and enjoying freedom from wars and skirmishes. However, Emperor Nero was as corrupt as most other emperors were, including having both male and female lovers, a way of governing which would be scandalous in Britain at present! But he never prayed for any political change. He never prayed for the Roman Empire to be dissolved or taken over by foreigners, nor did he pray for the Emperor to be ousted. Rather, his main concern was that the Gospel may spread unhindered throughout the Empire.

The whole of the 26th chapter of Acts is focused on the discourse between Paul and the three rulers, Festus, Agrippa and Bernice. His desire was not to revolutionise and clean up the Empire but to desire that they would become Christian believers too. "To become as I am, except for these chains."  v. 29. Paul desired that all would repent - to change their minds - and believe that this Jesus of Nazareth is the risen Christ, and turn to him.

There are times when I pray for this nation in the quietness of solitude, whether at home or outside. But those prayers are never about whether to leave or remain in the EU, neither whether our Prime Minister should be ousted, or resign. Nor whether he should attempt to pass a deal with the EU, or to leave without a deal, or to further a delay. It's none of these things. If I was to deliver a prayer for our nation, it's always to do with salvation for all, whether it's for the ministers or the electorate alike.

Therefore when my good friend, Dr Andrew Milnthorpe, invited me to pray for the nation at his church, I first hesitated, then refused.

The regular readers of my blog posts may already be familiar with Andrew, for I have mentioned him several times before. Our friendship with each other is quite unique. Here is a holder of PhD degree, happily united with a retired window cleaner. Culturally, the difference not only couldn't have been wider but very unusual too, for it crosses all social class barriers, a cultural-divide system held dearly by the English. Yet we remain close, perhaps seeing me as an older brother or even a father, as he is young enough to be my son. We, along with my beloved Alex, have spent a couple of weekends away together. The two of us often go swimming and the sauna together, as well as days out in London, to attend a Christian conference or visit museums.

Dr A. Milnthorpe at the London Transport Museum, Aug 2019

As such, he delights in my company during midweek church meetings, such as Encounter, a weekly lunchtime meeting held throughout the school term. And he invited me to this prayer meeting. So why did I decline his invitation this time?

While I voted to remain in the EU during the 2016 Referendum, he voted to leave. And we have both polarised in our opinions ever since! It's amazing, coming to think of it because our differences in political opinion do not get in the way of our friendship and our activities. Except for intercessory prayer for our nation. 

Andrew is a committed Leave advocate, and he has other close friends in his church who are also committed advocates of Leave. At this point, I don't want to appear critical or judgemental, but I cannot help notice that his fellow Christians, nearly all graduates, appear to be far more committed to these political issues than they are of Jesus Christ. And there are Christians in my own church with the same political opinion. I even heard the idea that the European Union is the forerunner of the coming Revived Roman Empire ruled by Antichrist of Revelation 13. To think that leaving the EU is a way to escape the clutches of Antichrist is certainly a sign of ignorance of the full significance of Biblical prophecies! There is no way power-hungry Antichrist will grant the Brits their own independence or their own sovereignty, yet upon such assumptions have these Christians voted to leave the EU.

Of course, there is the imperial mentality prevailing many leave-voters, both inside and outside the church. One elderly gentleman actually explained why he voted Leave. It's so Britain not only becomes an independent sovereign nation but also to revive its former Empire.

Intercessory prayer is a matter of the heart between himself and God. No man can look into the heart in the same way God can. During such prayer meetings such a Christian may pray aloud for God to grant our Government wisdom to carry out His will. But silently, in his heart, he is probably thinking, of course, I meant the right way to leave the European Union. In such company, I doubt if I can settle well, let alone pray together in full harmony.

Maybe it's because I'm passionate about the UK remaining in the EU, neither am I ashamed to admit this, to allow myself to be identified as a European, one who wants to identify myself as one with my fellow citizens in Christ who happen to live just across La Manche. 

Two Lakes - Two Different People.

One of the joys of backpacking in the Middle East back in 1993 was that I had the privilege to board an Egged bus at the Jerusalem Bus Terminal for Masada. From which I was able to watch Jerusalem fade into the distance and watch as the bus travelled through the Judean desert down into a valley. We even passed a roadside sign which read in Hebrew, Arab and English, Sea Level. Even then, the bus continued downhill into which the Guinness Book of Records classifies as the lowest point on Earth, a small section of the Great Rift Valley which contains the Dead Sea, or the Yam HaMelakh (Salt Sea in Hebrew) some 395 metres below sea level. The whole valley itself, which begins in the Lebanese area, winding down through the Red Sea, into Africa, to end at Mozambique, 3,703 miles (6,000 km) away from its northern end.

Close to the northern end of the Dead Sea, the road divided. One continued eastwards, towards Allenby Bridge which spans the Jordan River into Jordan itself, to end at its capital city of Amman. The other road, the one our bus was on, swung south to run west of the Dead Sea towards Ein Gedi, and on towards Masada, and then across the arid landscape of the Negev Desert surrounding Beersheba to continue towards Eilat, the last Israeli town before crossing into Egypt.

It was only a couple of days earlier that I boarded the same bus to Ein Gedi, a nature reserve and a nearby resort where a freshwater spring feeds into the Dead Sea via a waterfall, the Shulamit Falls, where, seven years later in the year 2000, my pregnant wife Alex and I bathed in the refreshing pool under the falls. No wonder the fledgeling King David hid here to escape the reigning King Saul, according to 1 Samuel 24. Aware of such a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert, David certainly knew where to hide!

Back to 1993. This time I was one of the few who remained on the bus as it pulled out of Ein Gedi bus stop to continue south along the west coast of the Yam HaMelakh until the majestic, breathtaking mesa of Masada loomed above us, which was the turnaround point for the bus to return to Jerusalem. After I have alighted, I was alone as I watched a few make their way for the cable-car station to convey them silently to the summit. As for me, the real fun was about to begin: to hike the trail to the summit, up to 400 metres high. Known as the Snake Path, I recall its resemblance to the Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Trail with its switchbacks as the terrific view of the valley with its southern end of the Dead Sea unfolding into view.

Masada from the air.

And I cannot escape history. Directly below me, perched on a natural ledge, was the perfect rectangle of an ancient Roman fortress staring back up at me. Eventually, I made it to the summit, a rhombus-shaped archaeological site, mainly that of a Jewish synagogue, a couple of ceremonial washing baths, a hewn-out cistern, a swimming pool, various other ruins, together with those of Herod's palace, a place of isolated retreat when his chips were down.

In AD 73 when the Romans re-captured Judea, up to 965 Jewish men, women and children sought refuge as the Roman legions were advancing. Rather than submit to Roman slavery, they all agreed to a mass suicide pact. When the Roman army arrived at the summit the next morning, they found 960 dead bodies, with just two women and three children left alive. It was a hollow victory for the Romans.

As I stood, looking out towards the southern end of the Dead Sea, I could not help thinking about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The very air of death hung over the lake, the stillness, the deafening silence as if mourning over the loss of the once active civilisation which once prevailed in that region. And so I thought. According to at least three sources: the map pages of my old KJV Bible, the Lion Handbook of the Bible (1975 edition) and the Rough Guide to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, all three place Sodom and Gomorrah under the briny waters of the Sea, south of the Jordanian peninsula of Al Lisan. But just reading Scripture places Sodom, Gomorrah and Bela (or Zoar) at a very different location.

The whole chapter of Genesis 13 tells how the herdsmen of Lot were quarrelling with Abraham's herdsmen, due to a lack of adequate resources. Abraham then suggests that the two should part, and offered his nephew the first choice in finding a location. We are told that Lot looked across the Jordanian Valley from a high precipice near Bethel and Ai (Vs. 10-13.) He was dazzled by the forests which lined the river, and maybe with a feeling of relief that there is a settlement where, according to Genesis 19, he had made a home, swopping his tent for a house in Sodom itself, while his herdsmen, I guess, either camped some distance out of town or somehow parted for some reason.

Lot's view of the valley (grey line.)

Sodom was apparently the chief of the cities which lined the Canaanite side of the river. Yet, if all the men of that city were able to gather at Lot's house, then the population was very small compared even to our present townships. Indeed, archaeologists have confirmed that the city-states of ancient Canaan were no larger than London's Trafalgar Square! Yet several townships were lining the southern end of the Jordan River, according to this chart:*

This seems to make sense, considering that these townships were in Canaan itself, the land which God has already given to Abraham. Therefore it does look like that because of their more grievous sins, God had to judge those cities before the Israelites moved in to settle. By checking out on Google Maps or Google Earth, at that region between the Dead Sea and Jericho, the land lies desolate, as if vegetation was not able to survive after the catastrophe. However, from Jericho northward, the Jordanian valley continues to be a well-watered strip as described before the judgement.

The Yam HaMelakh is constantly fed by the Jordan River, yet has no outlet to the nearest sea. Over thousands of years, the rate of flow of the river was in balance with the rate of evaporation, keeping its level reasonably steady. But lately, in the last couple of decades, the area south of Al Lisan peninsula is almost dried out, leaving a marshy area which, according to Google Maps, is made into salt pans where salt and other minerals can be harvested and processed. However, there were no signs of the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah ever found there.

The River Jordan is aqua dolce, as its source the smaller Sea of Tiberias, or the Hebrew Kinneret, which I had the privilege to visit as far back as 1976 (when I also visited the Dead Sea for the first time ever) but did not visit the Sea of Galilee in 1993, but I did visit again in 1994 and once more with Alex in the year 2000.

Being freshwater, the Sea of Galilee is rich with life, with St. Peter's Fish being most abundant. Although sharing the same valley system, the contrast between it and the Dead Sea couldn't be more different.

I have swum in this lake several times in 1976, 1994 and with Alex in 2000. A lido enclosed by floating plastic bottles roped to each other through the handles kept us from swimming too far out and getting in the way of the boats which ply the lake, both for tourists and yes, for fishing too. The nets used are the same as in Jesus' day. The only difference is the presence of modern outboard motors. As far as I know, I could just as well dive in the Sea of Galilee and suffer no ill effects. Likewise, if I had a cut or a graze. But floating in the Dead Sea, if the oily water accidentally gets into the eyes, then the burning sensation is quite intense, as was the case of a cut or graze, causing localised but intense pain.

It is these two lakes which, to me, symbolise two different kinds of people. The Sea of Tiberias is fed by the Upper Jordan, which as its headstreams at the mountains of Syria. But it also has an outlet, the Jordan River. This, in a way, is a symbol of a generous person, one who does good to others. It could be likened to a Christian saint. A true saint is benevolent, or loving towards others and therefore gives to the needs of others. This is the Jordan River flowing out of the Galilean lake. As a result, the lake is teeming with life. Fish is abundant and provides man with good nutrition whilst still happy to make the lake its own home, which has done so for millennia.

But the Dead Sea has no outlet. Therefore, it has no life. Nothing can survive in it. It's even hostile to bathers. As already said, it can sting the eyes and intensify the pain should one have a graze. The oily waters of Yam HaMelakh also have a nasty taste, and if swallowed, one can become ill, causing him to vomit, if not suffering a worse illness. All this is a symbol of an unsaved sinner who is particularly selfish. As the Dead Sea has no outlet, so a selfish person does not give generously to those in need, and his heart is shut to any feeling of compassion. And while a selfish and wicked person continues to keep his heart waterproof, he is still willing to receive the goodness of God and from others, symbolised by the aqua dolce of the Jordan River.

The Jordan River system of the Middle East is extremely unique. There is no other system like it anywhere in the world. I don't believe that such a unique system is merely coincidental. Being in the midst of the land chosen by God to give to his people Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Jordan River system is unique, and so is the Cave of Machpelah, found in Hebron and marked by a fortress built by Herod the Great. The cave is a burial site of Abraham and his wife Sarah, of Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and Jacob with his wife Leah. These three couples are the founders of the nation Israel. No other country anywhere in the world has a burial site housing the nation's founders.

Fortress over the Cave of Machpelah, Hebron. Visited 1976.

Furthermore, the initials of each individual, together with one of God's titles, make up the name Israel, which is easily demonstrated (the Hebrew for Israel is Yisrael:

Yacob,
Isaac,
Sarah,
Rebekah,
Abraham,
Elohim,
Leah.

All of them, except Elohim, is buried in the Cave of Machpelah. Since poor Leah was least loved by her husband Jacob (he preferred Rachel, his second wife), her initial is also part of God's own title, Elohim, thus receiving greater favour. It's such a wonderful sign of God's compassionate love. To add to this, seven initials are making up the name. Seven is God's own number, according to Revelation, which is greater than man's number, which happens to be the number of bodies buried at Machpelah.

The future of the Dead Sea is also a fascinating symbol of its redemption. In Ezekiel 47:1-12, a river is described as flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, freshening the water and becoming home to a wide diversity of fishes, which will also provide nutrition for mankind. This will happen in the future, after the return of the risen Jesus. The risen and crowned Jesus Christ of Nazareth will sit on the throne of the Temple, where the Ark of the Covenant used to be. Therefore I assume that for the first time in its history, the elongated lake will have an outlet. As the water freshens, it does look as if fish from the Sea of Galilee will flow down the river to make its new home in what was once the Dead Sea. 

The Jordan River system tells a good story of the history of man's fall and redemption.

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*Journal of Creation 31 (2) 2017.