Leon's Message Board

In his book, J.W. McGarvey Sermons, McGarvey states,

The river Jordan is the most famous river on the earth.  It does not owe its fame, like our own Mississippi, to its great length, or to the rich commerce that flows upon its bosom … It does not owe its fame, like the Nile, to the fact that its overflow every year makes fertile a land which would otherwise be a desert…Neither does it owe its fame, like the Tiber or the Seine or the Thames, to the fact that some great city like Rome or Paris or London has stood on its banks … To what, then, does this most famous of all the rivers of the face of the globe owe its fame? To three considerations: first, to its peculiar physical characteristics; second, to the historic events that are connected with it; and third, to an association of thought connected with it in the minds of believers (pp. 297-298).

I think we would concur that it is especially number reason number two that makes the Jordan famous–the historical, biblical events which occurred there. Jesus was baptized there (Mt. 3:13-17)!  John baptized with his baptism of repentance there (Mt. 3:5,6) in keeping with the counsel of God (Lk. 7:29-30).  Naaman was cleansed from his leprosy by the God of Israel there (2 Kings 5).  Israel crossed this river on dry land at flood stage to receive the promised land of Canaan (Josh. 3:17).

Jordan River, most famous river in the world. Photo by Leon Mauldin.

Today’s traveler to Israel is limited to very few sites from which to view the Jordan.  Most of its flow is on the Palestinian side of the border. Our photo above was taken March, 2011.

Two nights remain of our Gospel Meeting in Chipley, FL. Yesterday I took a photo of the local preacher and his family after we had enjoyed a bite of lunch, Mexican style.

Wes & family, local preacher at Chipley, FL.

My wife & I enjoyed taking a few minutes to view the historic district of Chipley.

House in the historic district of Chipley, FL. Photo by Leon Mauldin.