The fresh water from the River Jordan flows from the North to the South and passes through the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee then empties its fresh water again via the Jordan River at its southern end. This fresh water continues on down the river and finds itself in the Dead Sea.
Seas are normally associated with salty undrinkable water, but not so with the Sea of Galilee. This is a sea of fresh water, a lake of healed waters so to speak. It is continually kept fresh by receiving fresh water from the Jordan and emptying itself again downriver. In this sea of fresh water there is abundant life, multitude of fishes and an active economy sustained by this fresh water supply. In times past this sea was Israel’s main source of fresh water. The water level is continually guarded so it doesn’t fall below levels where irreversible ecological damage would occur and its quality is continually monitored.
As the currency of fresh water exits the Sea of Galilee and flows down the Jordan River it collects in the Dead Sea. Here we find a totally different situation. The Dead Sea is so called because there is no life in it and it has no capacity to sustain any form of life. Despite fresh water flowing into it, the Dead Sea is hypersaline, ten times as salty as the ocean. In fact, the water is so dense that you can’t even dip into it to refresh yourself, even the heaviest person floats in the salty waters.
But what makes the Dead Sea so salty?
One of the Arabic names for the Dead Sea is Birket Lut (The Sea of Lot). It’s located in the very same place where the ancient cities of Sodom, Gommorah, Admah and Zeboim used to be. God destroyed these cities by raining fire and sulphur due to the wickedness of the citizens. You will remember from the bible, that Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt in this very place for coveting the pleasures of Sodom.
All the salt that is leached out of rocks in the mountains is carried through underground water channels and also washed down the river into the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea has no outflow of water, all the water it receives just collects in itself. As such it has no way of refreshing itself as the saline water can never flow out of it. It is the lowest place on earth being about 430 metres below sea level. The deepest point of the Dead Sea is about 304 metres deep. That’s about six times deeper than the Sea of Galilee!
The Dead Sea problem – hoarding
The inability of the Dead Sea to empty itself into the ocean or Sea means the only way it can empty itself is by evaporation of the water into the atmosphere. The surface area of the Dead Sea is shrinking so fast that it’s now only about 60% of what it was in 1930. Despite it holding bigger volumes of water than the Sea of Galilee, it is shrinking at an alarming rate.
Reflection points:
“There is the one who [generously] scatters [abroad], and yet increases all the more; And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.”
Proverbs 11:24 AMP
“The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered.”
Proverbs 11:25 AMPC
“He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor.”
Psalms 112:9 NKJV
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
II Corinthians 8:9 NKJV
All we have comes from God who is our source and continually refreshes and replenishes our resources. All we have will ultimately return to God our source for we own nothing of ourselves. Like the Sea of Galilee , those who give of their resources will live and sustain life. On the contrary, those who hoard it and skimp like the Dead Sea will shrink and die. Give and live! Share and sustain life!