For This Cause
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Promises Shown in Geography of Israel
The blessings awaiting mankind in God’s kingdom are pictured for us in yet another
unusual way. The Jordan River together with its lakes were carved out of the promised
land of Israel by God in a peculiar way that illustrates the death and resurrection of
mankind.
The Jordan is the most unique river in all the world in that it is almost entirely beneath
sea level. Its winding crooked path is eventually swallowed up by the Dead Sea – the
lowest and deadest spot on the face of the earth – a sea from which there is no outlet.
The source of water for the beginning of the River Jordan is the majestic Mount Hermon.
Its name means “prominent,” a fitting name, since it is the highest spot in Israel, silently
keeping watch over all the land of Israel from its northern border.
Mount Herman pictures God, for He is above all, omnipotent, the source of all creation
and life. The fact that Mount Herman is a scriptural symbol of God is shown in Psalms
133. There it speaks of the Holy Spirit of God as, “the dew of Hermon that descends
upon Zion from God.”
The melting snows and springs of Mount Hermon form four small streams: Hasbani,
Leddan, Bannias and Bareighit. When they unite, they become a very tranquil and
beautiful site, the beginning of the River Jordan. The name “Jordan” is significant. It
means “descender,” describing its downward course, as it descends from Mount Herman
to 1,300 feet below sea level at the Dead Sea. In addition, we will see how the name
Descender aptly describes mankind’s sinful downward descent that ends in death,
pictured by the Dead Sea. As the River starts its path, we find it forms its first lake,
called Lake Huleh, at sea level. The lake now for the most part has been drained. Only
small fishpond hatcheries remain, as the water is being used to irrigate a very productive
valley.
In Old Testament times, Lake Huleh was called Merom, meaning elevated. How well
this pictures Adam. He was elevated by being given dominion over all things on earth.
He was created perfect, pictured by sea level.
After leaving Lake Huleh, the Jordan plunges rapidly below sea level, picturing the fact
that when Adam fell, man started his downward course of sin towards death. Its rapid
downward course from Huleh is stopped briefly at the Sea of Galilee. The waters of
Jordan enter Galilee very muddy, but they are clear and clean when they exit Galilee.
As Galilee slowed the descent of Jordan, so we find the great flood of Noah slowed
man’s downward course. By destroying the violent condition of society and removing
the influence of the angelic “giants” (see Genesis 6) it had a purifying effect upon the
human race. But even this purification was temporary. Soon the human race was swiftly
degenerating again. This is clearly pictured by the fact that as the Jordan leaves Galilee,
it again rapidly plunges downward. It follows a crooked and winding course for 65 miles
until it ends in the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea is a sea with no outlet. It is the lowest spot on the face of the earth – 1,300
feet below sea level – you cannot go any lower on earth! The Dead Sea pictures Adamic
death, the death into which all mankind is descending.
It is the only sea on earth that is completely dead. No living substance – fish, animal, or
vegetation – can survive its 25% salt content, five times more salt than the oceans. Thus
man traveling the crooked path of sin and depravity cannot survive, but ends up in death,
pictured by the Dead Sea.
The Jordan River pours 6 million tons of water into the Dead Sea daily, yet it does not
overflow even though there is no outlet. How well this depic ts the tomb of death into
which millions flow, no one escapes the “grim reaper,” death.
It was God who carved out this oddity of nature. But how thankful we are the picture
doesn’t end with all mankind just going into death and remaining there. There is a silver
lining to our story! God promises us in Ezekiel 47 that the Dead Sea will be brought
back to life, a picture of man receiving life again through the resurrection taught by Jesus.
Briefly, Ezekiel in this 47th chapter prophesied of a river of water of life that will come
out of the “temple.” (Temple here being a picture of the Heavenly seed, Jesus and his
Church. See John 2:20, 21; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; Revelation 3:12) This river would go
out of the East gate, then flow to the Jordan and the Dead Sea.
Everything the river touched would receive life, and the Dead Sea would come alive, as
even its bitter waters are sweetened. “…At last it will reach that sea whose waters are
foul, and they will be sweetened. When anyone of the living creatures that swarm upon
the earth comes where the torrent flows, it shall draw life from it. The fish shall be
innumerable.” (Ezekiel 47:8, 9 New English Translation)
Yes, the waters that were once foul shall be sweetened. There shall be abundance of life
to all mankind. “The prison house of death shall be opened…” “He will swallow up
death in victory…” “The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness…”
“Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely…” (Isaiah 42:7; 25:8; 26:9;
Revelation 22:17)
But now notice verse 11 of Ezekiel 47 – not all waters will be healed. “But the miry
places thereof and the marshes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt.”
(Ezekiel 47:12)
Marshes refer to stagnant waters and would so aptly apply to those few of mankind, who
after being resurrected from the dead will consistently refuse to make any progress
toward perfection even after every possible assistance is given to them by Jesus and the
Church. (See Acts 3:19-23)
So this Bible picture in Ezekiel shows us that the vast majority of mankind, after being
resurrected, will gradually have their characters developed – uplifted – until bit by bit
they reach perfection, they will be healed. But those who will not respond to the
influences of God’s kingdom will be “given over to salt” again, picturing second death –
total extinction – a death from which there will be no resurrection.
When the last of mankind reaches perfection, God’s promise through Isaiah will be
fulfilled, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth (notice
the EARTH, the earthly “seed of Abraham”)“shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as
the waters cover the sea.”
This is the great cause for which Jesus came – that through the ransom sacrifice of his
life, man could be brought back into harmony with their Creator, to enjoy the blessings
God originally intended for every man, woman and child who has every lived.