As the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ, the Jordan River is the source of all holy water in Christianity and has for centuries attracted pilgrims from across the world.
As the only area within the Holy Land visited by all of these great individuals, Jordan breathes with the histories recorded in the Holy Bible. Through the words of the prophets Abraham, Job, and Moses in the Bible's Old Testament, this land is where God first manifested Himself to man.
The Jordan was seen as the prototypical “river of life,” but also the site of a divine manifestation of God, for just as water had been the primeval element that witnessed God's creation, the Jordan had witnessed the beginning of the Gospels.
In the Book of Genesis, God refers to the Jordan River Valley around the Dead Sea as the “Garden of the Lord,” and it is believed to be the location of the Garden of Eden. Baptism Site. Truly, the history Jordan holds is immense.
In the Hebrew Bible the Jordan is referred to as the source of fertility of a large plain ("Kikkar ha-Yarden"), said to be watered like "the garden of the LORD" (Genesis 13:10). There is no regular description of the Jordan in the Bible; only scattered and indefinite references to it are given.
In 2Kgs 2, Elijah strikes the Jordan with his cloak and causes the water to back up so that he and Elisha can cross over on dry land. After Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind ( 2Kgs 2:11 ), Elisha assumes the authority of Elijah and uses his cloak to again stop the river and cross on dry land.
Scripture tells us that after a near stoning by the Jews, Jesus retreated to the place across the Jordan, where John spent his time in the wilderness. “Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
The majority of Christian connotations accepted that Bethany beyond the Jordan is the authentic location of Jesus of Nazareth's baptism, a conviction which strongly characterized historic and present practice of the cultural tradition.
As a geographic term, the description "Holy Land" loosely encompasses modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, western Jordan and south-western Syria.
There are many holy places spread across Jordan. Five sites were recognised as Christian pilgrimage sites by the Vatican in the year 2000, including the Baptism site of Jesus Christ at Bethany Beyond the Jordan in the Jordan Valley.
All Christian religious ceremonies are allowed to be publicly celebrated in Jordan.
Jordan is a captivating spiritual destination steeped in biblical history and Christian heritage. For Christians and history buffs alike, a trip to Jordan is a fascinating exploration of the landscapes where many important figures and events from the Bible have left indelible marks.
Mount Nebo is steeped in religious significance as it is believed to be the place where Moses stood to view the Promised Land before his death. According to the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses died on Mount Nebo and was buried in Moab.
For centuries, the Jordan River has been revered as a holy site by Christians and Jews alike. It is significant in many religious communities because it is where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. In Judaism, this is where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land.
The land known as Canaan was situated in the territory of the southern Levant, which today encompasses Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, and the southern portions of Syria and Lebanon.
Moses led the Israelites through Jordan as they fled Egypt, and prophets Abraham and Job heard God's word there. The modern-day Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan welcomes Christian pilgrims to discover the well-preserved religious sites where Biblical leaders worked and worshiped.
The majority of Christian connotations accepted that Bethany beyond the Jordan is the authentic location of Jesus of Nazareth's baptism, a conviction which strongly characterized historic and present practice of the cultural tradition.
As a geographic term, the description "Holy Land" loosely encompasses modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, western Jordan and south-western Syria.
The New Testament speaks several times about Jesus crossing the Jordan during his ministry (Matthew 19:1; Mark 10:1), and of believers crossing the Jordan to come hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases (Matthew 4:25; Mark 3:7–8).
Mount Nebo is steeped in religious significance as it is believed to be the place where Moses stood to view the Promised Land before his death. According to the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses died on Mount Nebo and was buried in Moab.
Jordan, located in the heart of the Holy Land, is intrinsically woven into biblical accounts throughout the Old Testament. Biblical sites in Jordan are many: Adam and Eve's Garden of Eden may have been on the fertile northwest bank of the River Jordan.
As the presence of God came through the Jordan River in Joshua 4:18, in the form of the ark of the covenant into a new life in the promised land, Jesus God incarnate also passed through the Jordan River into a new stage in his life. The Jordan river represents an opportunity we all have before us.
This set the stage for Israel to invade the land, as God commanded them to do (chap. 1). To enter the promised land, the Israelites had to move west across the Jordan River. Joshua ordered the people to set out from Shittim, and they came to the Jordan, where they camped for three days (3:1–2).
The most important site is that of the Baptism of Jesus, traditionally identified with the site of Al-Maghtas on the East Bank in Jordan and extending onto the West Bank at Qasr al-Yahud.
For centuries, baptisms have been performed in the Jordan River, considered holy by many religious communities. As the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ, the Jordan River is the source of all holy water in Christianity and has for centuries attracted pilgrims from across the world.
we're back at Kadesh, and this time Moses rebels and is forbidden to enter the land because of his unbelief in God's word.