29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
Numbers 13:29
1 After the plague, the LORD said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.” 3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying, 4 “Take a census of the people, from twenty years old and upward,” as the LORD commanded Moses…
Numbers 26:1-4a
The Jordan River, or I’ll be referring to it as just ‘the Jordan’ from here on out, was very significant in Biblical times. We see here that both Israel & her enemies settled by or along the Jordan, and important events occurred along, if not close to this body of water.
10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.
Genesis 13:10-11
It’s for a good reason that nations of different tongues settled along or nearby the Jordan; the valley also named the same was ‘well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD’, and was therefore chosen by Lot.
Through the Books of Deuteronomy & Joshua we read about how the tribes of Israel were ‘divided’ by way of their position, or on which side of the Jordan they chose to settle in… and throughout the Old Testament, we see many instances of the Jordan being the point of reference for many important events – so and so happened on this side of the Jordan, something happened further away from the Jordan, etc.
People and communities gathered around the Jordan, knowing that they could survive along its banks, and wherever it passes, the surrounding land is blessed. The Jordan was also a point of reference, for people to know where to go, or where certain things happened, or where certain people dwell.
Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Matthew 3:4-6
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mark 1:4-5
The Jordan was where John was doing his baptizing… and whereas it was implied that people were ‘divided’ by the river in earlier times, we see that, through John’s baptizing, it shifted from being a point of division to a point of congregation.
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:37-39
Earlier in the Gospels, John does remind the crowd that he baptizes with water, but the Messiah, Jesus shall baptize with the Holy Spirit. In Christ’s words in this set of verses, we see a difference between the two – That is, while John baptizes by immersing man in the Jordan, the one who believes in the finished work of Christ is ‘baptized’ by the Holy Spirit poured into him, that ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.‘
This is precisely what we appreciate, and it’s definitely what we’re thankful for – We’re thankful for the Holy Spirit poured into us through Christ, so that we would be a channel of blessing to others; We would not be sources of division, but instead, men and women would gather to us and marvel at the forgiveness of sins which we have through Christ.
We would be channels of blessings, indeed – and no matter how we choose to view these blessings, they all start with the Blessing of all blessings: the Holy Spirit. Yes, the same Holy Spirit by whom we conquer. We testify at the opportune time, for the goodness of God to lead multitudes to repentance; Not by our strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit alive in us.
Our banks swell with the living waters, present and overflowing no matter what we have or what we don’t have. Indeed, we have inspiration and motivation to live, because we overflow with life – it IS a life everlasting, and naturally overflowing. Through Christ, we overflow with the Holy Spirit, living because of the Life in us.
We give thanks to God, for through this we see another aspect to the salvation we have through no less than Christ. Indeed, at times when we think we have nothing, may we realize we have all things – we have no less than real LIFE through the Holy Spirit, alive in us. May this Life add value and meaning to all we have, and may this Life also give us peace for what we insist we SHOULD have.
It’s all given to us through Christ, and right now, I’m just so very grateful.
Until the next post, God bless you.
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