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 Hermon pictures God; for He is above all, omnipotent...the source of all creation and life. The fact that Mt. Hermon is a scriptural symbol of God is shown in Psalm 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 Mt. Hermon form four small streams— Hasbani, Leddan, Banias and Bareighit. When they unite, they become a very tranquil and beautiful sight—the beginning of the River Jordan. The name "Jordan" is significant. It means "descender"—describing its downward course as it descends from Mt. Hermon to 1300 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 fish pond hatcheries remain, the water 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" (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 earth—1300 feet below Sea Level—you can't go any lower on earth! The Dead Sea pictures Adamic death: the death into which all mankind are 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: 5 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 depicts 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's 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 47 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; John 2:20,21; 1 Cor.3:16,17; Rev.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 any one 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 NEB)

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; Rev.22:17)

But now notice Ezekiel 7 verse 11: 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."

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. (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." (Isa.11:9)

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 ever lived.

For This Cause