River Jordan - the descent of Christ for us
- Young Han
- Oct 26, 2020
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 6
Each day that is spent searching out Jesus is a day well spent. Even in God's creation and in our day-to-day lives, Christ is there to be found. Paul writes in Colossians that "in Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him and in Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16, AMP)
Take the trees that we see everyday, for example, and how they change throughout the seasons. In the summer season, the tree is vibrant and full. It provides shade for some and food for others, among many other benefits. It serves as a reminder of Jesus' ministry - protecting the outcast and downtrodden, ministering to the sick, feeding the hungry. After summer comes the fall, when the leaves begin to change color as the temperature cools. The leaves begin to fall off showing us the sufferings of Jesus Christ as He Who knew no sin became sin for us (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). We see our once vibrant and lively Savior, now sweating drops of blood and being flogged at the post for us. And on that barren cross, He died in our place, showing to us the cold that death and winter brings. However, Jesus' death was no ordinary person's death. The Son of God died in our place so that through the coldness of His death, the snow of His righteousness can softly cover us. And as even little children know, the death of winter only lasts for so long. Spring is bound to come as the warmth returns and the trees begin to show life after a period of death. It is the season of His resurrection!
To repeat again what Paul wrote in Colossians, "all things were created and exist through Him and in Him and for Him." This includes His creation and the world that we live in. With this truth, I will endeavor to share on how even the River Jordan portrays to us a beautiful aspect of Christ's life - His descension for us.
A quick study on the topography of the River Jordan shows us that the river originates from the slopes of the highest mountain in the region - the snow-capped Mount Hermon. From this point of high elevation, the river continues to descend in elevation into the Sea of Galilee and furthermore continues its downward descent all the way into the Dead Sea, which is the lowest point of elevation in the entire world. Even the Hebrew name for the River Jordan, Nahar ha-Yarden, captures the downward trajectory of the river as Yarden (H3383) carries the meaning of descender.
Before any of creation ever existed, Christ existed (see John 1:1-2). Verse 2 says that Christ was "present originally with God." Proverbs says, “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth." (Proverbs 8:22-23, NKJV) The snow-capped tops of Mount Hermon show to us the Deity of Jesus as the Son of God. It shows us that Jesus was not only Man but He was first God, coming down from the presence of God the Father. He humbled Himself and brought Himself down so low to come to where we were. During His earthly ministry, Jesus confirms this with His Transfiguration which took place on Mount Hermon, where the River Jordan begins! In Mark 9, we read the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus.
2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (NKJV)
How do we know that this "high mountain" was Mount Hermon? Mark 8:27, from the chapter before the Transfiguration, tells us, "Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?"" Caesarea Philippi is located right below the foothills of Mount Hermon (see map), which is the highest mountain in that entire region! To add two additional witnesses, Matthew and Luke's gospels also have the same order of Jesus and His disciples in Caesarea Philippi directly preceding the Transfiguration! It is at this place, the highest elevation in all of Israel, where God the Father speaks audibly in Mark 9:7, "This is My beloved Son, My Chosen One; listen and obey and yield to Him!" God was confirming to Peter, James, and John that Jesus was the Son of God.
Reading Luke's account gives us an even deeper insight into the Transfiguration.
29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face became different [actually transformed], and His clothing became white and flashing with the brilliance of lightning. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory, and were speaking of His departure [from earthly life], which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:29-31, AMP)
Luke records that Moses and Elijah were speaking to Jesus! Just imagine yourself in their shoes. How as Moses, you would want to talk about the parting of the Red Sea, the wilderness journey, or the receiving of the Law. As Elijah, I would have definitely wanted to re-enact the calling down of fire and the experience of being taken up into heaven by the chariots of fire. But yet again, here is another confirmation that the Old Testament, portrayed by Moses and Elijah, was all a foreshadow and a prophecy of Jesus! And what is it about Jesus that they are specifically talking about here? Moses and Elijah "were speaking of His departure [from earthly life]" - His death at the cross just outside the gates of Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit is bringing up from within that this confirms the mystery of Revelation 13:8 which records that Jesus is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Before He ever came for us, before any of creation ever existed, while still in the presence of the Father, Jesus knew that He would lay down His life for us. No words can do justice to the love of God!
Following the descent of the River Jordan from Mount Hermon, we reach the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding region of Galilee, where Jesus performed most of His miracles. This included the calming of the storm, His walking on the water, and the healing of the demoniac of Gadara, amongst many other miracles. Even His first miracle of turning the water into wine happened in Cana of Galilee (see John 2). We see our Lord, and how "he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Philippians 2:7, NIV), serving the people and ministering to the poor and afflicted. We see Jesus, the One truly deserving of praise and worship, lowering Himself to the point of a servant. We are able to see, as did Peter, James and John, how the King of kings came down from the presence of God and loved the people by serving and ministering to them at their point of need.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV)
How easily and effortlessly pride is removed from the equation when we see His humility. How the flow to serve another abounds when we see Him washing our feet. This inward transformation is unattainable by our resolution and willpower. It is only attainable by the power of beholding Him as Paul writes above in which we "are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory."
Falling further in elevation, and heading down towards the Dead Sea, we can see Jesus right before the start of His earthly ministry, being baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. God's divine plan was to have Jesus baptized by John so that Jesus could fully identify Himself with our position of the sinner. That's why even though John resisted, Jesus insisted that He be baptized by John saying, "it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (see Matthew 3:15) Just as the offender in the Old Testament was required to place their hands on the sinless offering, John was required to place all of our sins on the Lamb of God. This was the only way for the true "fulfillment of all righteousness" because Jesus, the Lamb of God, was now carrying the sin of the world (see John 1:29). As I was studying on the River Jordan, I also found out that Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary defines Jordan as a "river of judgment." Amazing grace! In His baptism in the River Jordan, Jesus was taking the judgment of the entire world upon His body as the Lamb of God!
Finally, under the weight of our sins, He died on the cross and thus reached the completion of His descent for us. As we touched on in the very beginning, all things are created with Christ in the midst. It is no coincidence that the lowest point of elevation on this planet is the Dead Sea. This is not just an interesting geographical fact that makes it an attraction for tourists. The substance and the reason the Dead Sea was made to be the lowest place on the entire planet is to show us how far our Savior came to save us! It is no simple coincidence that this River Jordan begins at the highest point in all of Israel, either. The Son of God, Who had always been the delight of His Father (see Proverbs 8:30) willingly chose to obey His Father and came to this world to save us sinners. The Father, in His love for the world, sent His only Begotten Son (see John 3:16). The love of God for us! Thank You, Lord! The psalmist puts it so beautifully in Psalms 133:3.
3 It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore. (AMP)
Our journey with Jesus' descent is summarized in its entirety here. From Mount Hermon to the hills of Zion which is where Jerusalem is. Where Calvary is. Because of His descent and His subsequent ascension, we can receive the free gift of eternal life - "life forevermore." This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All that is required from our part is to believe and confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Only through Jesus can we cross the River Jordan into the promised land of rest where we can be assured that we are forever in His grace, on the unshakable Mount Zion. Thank you Holy Spirit for opening my eyes and ears to see more of Jesus!
Extra nugget on River Jordan topography.
See the visual above - specifically the second visual that shows the elevation change of the Dead Sea area. This shows how the River Jordan runs through the valley between two mountain elevations and deposits into the Dead Sea. The Holy Spirit is bringing to remembrance Psalm 23 and how our Shepherd is with me even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus will be there with us in our lowest moments to bring us through because He already went ahead of us in His descent for us!