Our next stop in our Journey to Jerusalem is to the Jordan River.
Stop #3 - Jordan River
Historical Notes:
Mark, the earliest of our Gospels, begins with the urgent message of John the Baptist, “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8) When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, his actual journey to Jerusalem began. As a major river in the country, the Jordan was the scene of many significant events in Israel’s history. Jacob crossed it freely, but Moses died without crossing over to enter the Promised Land. Joshua and the people of Israel crossed over in triumph to occupy Canaan. Saul and David both crossed the Jordan by night to escape impending defeat. Elijah and Elisha both passed through waters that miraculously divided. Naaman was cured by the Jordan’s water upon Elijah’s command, and Elijah’s axe head floated on his command. In the very same river, which was the scene of so many of God’s mighty acts, Jesus was baptized.
In the years after his baptism, Jesus was never far from the Jordan
River, ministering primarily in the towns around the Sea of Galilee. Baptism marked both the beginning and the end
of Jesus’ ministry, for the final words in Matthew’s Gospel are Jesus’, “Go,
then, to all the people everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19).
Read Mark 1:11, Matthew 28:16-20
Dr Todd Fink, once again, gives us a wonderful teaching video
about the Jordan River. The video is
just over 7 minutes long.
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