"On Jordan's Stormy Banks" (No. 1)

ONE of the most famous rivers in the world is the Jordan. It is also one of

the most loved. Many songs and poems have been written about the Jordan.

There are many things which contribute to the fame of a river. Some rivers are

famous because of their great length. If there were nothing else to recommend

it, the length of our own Mississippi would make it famous. But the Jordan is

not a lone; river. We have creeks in America as long as the Jordan. Other

rivers are famous because of the great volume of water which they carry. The

Jordan is not a big river. Other rivers have great cities built on their banks.

There are no cities on the banks of the Jordan. Some rivers carry great boats

of commerce on their waters. There are no commercial boats on the Jordan.The Jordan is in a class by itself. It is fed by the melting snows of old

Mount Hermon. Little streams come together forming the Waters of Merom,

a little lake. This little lake is at sea level. It is on a level with the

Mediterranean Sea thirty miles to the west. In other words, the Jordan rises

where other rivers empty. This lake is just a few miles across. We go on down

the river about a dozen miles and come to dear old Lake Galilee. Around this

body of water the blessed Christ did so many of his works. He made

Capernaum his headquarters during his earthly ministry. This was on the

northwestern shore of Galilee. This lake is almost seven hundred feet below

sea level. It is about a dozen miles in length and not quite so wide.

The Jordan flows out the southern end of Galilee and meanders on its way

to the Dead Sea. Here it empties. This sea is about thirteen hundred feet below

sea level. Thus the Jordan flows its entire course below the level of the sea.

The Jordan valley is some ten to fourteen miles wide, nestled between low-

lying mountains. These peculiar physical characteristics contribute to the fame

of the Jordan.

But the Jordan is famous to all lovers of the Bible because of the great

events that have transpired in its waters or on its banks. After Moses had led

the children of Israel for forty years through the wilderness, they came to the

Jordan. They were encamped on the plains of Moab on the eastern side of

Jordan. Moses was not permitted to cross over the Jordan to the land of

promise. Back yonder in the wilderness he had made a mistake God had told

Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. Moses smote the rock twice.

God called this unbelief. Doing what God says is belief. Doing something else

is unbelief. Today we show belief in God by worshiping him exactly as he

says. We show unbelief by doing something else. When we sing, that shows

belief in God. When we play with the singing, that shows unbelief.

Because of this transgression on the part of Moses, God would not permit

even this magnanimous man to lead his peo

ple into the promised land. (Num. 20:7-13.) However, God did allow him to

view the land before he went hence. From old Nebo's lofty height Moses was

permitted a panoramic view of the land of promise. What a view it must have

been from Mount Pisgah! "How beautiful heaven must be." So Moses, the

servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab; and God buried him and

never told a man where he was buried. Moses was one hundred twenty years

old when he died. "His eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." (Deut.

34.) Servant of God, well done.

Here is something significantly sad. Of the original number of men (above

twenty) who left Egyptian slavery, just two (Caleb and Joshua) were permitted

to enter Canaan. They had fallen in the wilderness. We must be careful or

many of us will never reach the heavenly Canaan. "Therefore we ought to give

the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we

should let them slip." (Heb. 2:1.) ''But I keep under my body, and bring it into

subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others. I myself

should be a castaway." (1 Cor. 9:27.)

After a long and hard journey, Israel had come to the Jordan. Their future

home was just across the river. They must cross that river, and it was a

turbulent stream indeed! But thanks be to God, he would take them safely

across. After we have come to the end of our earthly pilgrimage, we too have

a Jordan to cross. Our eternal home is over on the other side of this mystic

river of death. It looks like a dark, cold stream indeed. It would be fatal to try

to cross without help from on high. Our earthly friends and loved ones cannot

cross with us; but if we have been faithful to the Lord, he will be there to

transport us. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.''

(Psalm 23:4.)

Stephen came to the Jordan. His enemies, or rather the enemies of the

Lord, were stoning him to death. "And they stonedStephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he

kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their

charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:59, 60.) That was

a beautiful crossing.

And after thirty-odd years of strenuous labor in the vineyard of the

Master, Paul came to the Jordan. He was ready. "For I am ready to be offered,

and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have

finished my course. I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a

crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at

that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

(2 Tim. 4:6-8.) And thus we are going down the valley, one by one.

Thirty days were spent in mourning for Moses. Joshua is the new leader.

God said to him: "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this

Jordan." (Jos. 1:2.) God told him just how they were to pass over. The Levites,

the priests, bore the ark of the covenant. There was a space of two thousand

cubits between them and the people. Just as soon as the soles of the feet of the

priests touched the waters of the Jordan the Lord opened up a path through

the river. These priests stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan. (Josh.

3.) Thus they stood "until all the people were passed clean over Jordan."

Before the Lord closed up the river he commanded Joshua, saying: ''Take

you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, and command ye

them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place

where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over

with you." (Josh. 4:2. 3.) What was this all for? Listen: "That this may be a

sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come,

saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them. That the

waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when

it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stonesshall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever." (Josh. 4:6, 7.)

And, brethren, do not forget that we have a memorial, and we had better

explain to our children time after time the significance of this memorial.

But this is enough for this time. In a future article we want to study some

more about the Jordan. These things were written for our learning. (Rom.

15:4.)