Jordan or HaYarden in Hebrew means the descender. Originating from the snowfilled Mount Hermon, Jordan flows through Lake Hula and Lake (Sea) of Galille before finally entering Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth's surface. The river drops tremendously - from the heights of Mount Hermon to the depths of the Dead Sea - a drop of about 2,380 feet. It has four major tributaries, viz. Dan, Hasbani, Banias and Iyon. Before entering Dead Sea, two more-Yarmouk and Jabbok joins Jordan. Jordan is Israel's largest river. Today, the river has been utilized by Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
Although just 251 kilometers in length, the Jordan River is one of the world's most sacred rivers. In the Bible the Jordan first appears as the source of fertility to a large plain (where Abraham and Lot parted) and it is said to be like "the garden of God" (Genesis 13:10). The river has been mentioned about 175 times in the Old Testament and about 15 times in the New Testament. When you realize that the Jordan River was crossed by personalities like Jacob (Genesis 32:11; 23-24), Israelites under Joshua (Joshua 3:15-17), Elijah and Elishah (II Kings 2:8,14), Namaan the leper (II Kings 5:1-14) and Judas Maccabeus (I Maccabees 5:24), you can understand its historic and religious significance in terms of a Jewish perspective.
However, the fame of Jordan River reached its summit when Jesus Christ was baptized on its shores by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21, 4:1). It was the area where John the Baptist conducted much of his ministry (Mathew 3:5-6; Mark 1:5; Luke 3:3; John 1:28).
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