The Jordan, a river of miracles-1

The Jordan River

  

“Then Yeshua came from Galilee to the Yarden (Jordan) to be baptized by Yohannan.”  (Matthew 3:13) Many Believers seeking to deepen their understanding of the Bible and follow in the footsteps of Yeshua (Jesus) visit Israel’s Jordan River, a river of rich historical and spiritual significance for both Jews and Christians. Nehar haYarden (הירדן נהר, Jordan River) played a central role in the ministry of Yeshua (Jesus). The Scriptures reveal that at the age of 30, Yeshua began His public ministry there by being mikvahed (immersed) by Yohannan (John). When He was immersed, Yohannan witnessed a physical manifestation of the Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) descend on Him: "As soon as Yeshua was immersed, He went up out of the water.  At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him.  And a voice from heaven said, 'This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.'”  (Matthew 3:16–17)

The Mikvah of Yeshua (Bapteme de Jesus),

by James Tissot

 

While the word baptism is the term commonly used today, mikvah is the Jewish term for what Yohannan was performing on the banks of the Jordan, orYarden in Hebrew.  In fact, the practice of the mikvah was instituted by God through Moses in the Torah, so this was a necessary and regular part of the Biblical Jewish lifestyle. “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.”  (Mark 1:5) Although Yohannan's mikvah was one of repentance in preparation for the Messiah, Yeshua also mikvahed. "Now Yeshua learned that the Pharisees had heard that He was gaining and baptizing more disciples than Yohannan—although in fact it was not Yeshua who baptized, but His disciples."  (John 4:1–2) For Believer in Yeshua, the water of the mikvah is much more than a confession of sins. Being totally immersed under the water is a symbol of death to one’s old [sinned] life, and rising up from the water symbolizes the birth of a brand new life [born again] in Yeshua: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”  (Romans 6:4)

A Christian pilgrim wearing a robe dips into the

banks of the Jordan River at Qasr el Yahud.