Day 12 - Jordan River and Mt. Tabor

Posted by Eric Troff 12/03/2017 01:29:00 PM

Day 12 - Jordan River and Mt. Tabor

It was another full day in the Holy Land. We started out by driving to the Jordan river. There is a baptismal site that was opened in the last 5 years, so Alison did not come to this site during her last visit to Jerusalem.

It was a very nice site. We learned a lot about the Jordan river today. Specifically, it is a meandering river so it often changes course. This means archaeology can't give us much information about the place where Jesus may have been baptized. However, tradition points to a spot somewhere in the region where we were. This was an area of the Jordan river that was fairly close to the dead sea and also near the edge of Judea (at the time). Regardless of whether or not this was the actual spot we knew somewhere around this area, in this river, Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist.

Jordan river baptismal site

A dove sitting near the Jordan river

We sat on the shores of the Jordan river and read three bible stories together. We started with the story of Joshua and the children of Israel crossing into the promised land. This story also would have taken place in this general area as Jericho was just to our west. We talked about the inadequacy that Joshua must have felt as he had to follow in the footsteps of Moses. We talked about how God allowed Joshua to lead the people of Israel across the Jordan river on dry ground to show Joshua he was the chosen leader. We also read about Elisha taking up the mantle of Elijah after Elijah crossed the Jordan river. In this story Elisha also felt a lot of inadequacy, even asking Elijah to give him a double measure of the Lord's spirit. The Lord had also prepared Elisha who performed even more and greater miracles than Elijah. We ended our study by reading about John the Baptist. We discussed his role as one who baptized not just for ritual purity, but for a remission of sins. We read the story of Jesus' baptism and contemplated what it would have been like to be there that day and to hear the voice of the father saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Joshua and Elisha had many similarities. They both followed great prophets who are still well known nearly 3,000 years after their stories happened. However, both of those prophets were not able to complete their work while they were here on earth. Moses was unable to complete the journey into the Promised Land with the Israelites and Joshua was the prophet who finally brought them through. Elijah was also unable to finish his work of fully restoring the Sealing Keys and so he brought them back both on the Mt. of Transfiguration and again at the Kirtland Temple. Both Joshua and Elisha's name in Hebrew means "God Saves."

Alison dipped her toe into the Jordan River

Another view of the Jordan river

Our next stop is at Ein Harod. This is the location where the Harod Spring bubbles clear water into a cave on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. This is the site where Gideon camped with his men in the story told in Judges. Gideon's men were camped near this spring preparing to battle the Midianites when the Lord told Gideon that he had too many men. Gideon sent home those that were sick, those who had families, and those that were afraid. This left him with 10,000 men. The Lord said this was still too many men.

5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the Lord said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise, everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

The Lord then delivered the Midianites into the hands of the three hundred men. Steven shared his insight that the men who did not kneel or lap the water like a dog were the men who kept a hand on their weapons and remembered their purpose in being there. These were the men that the Lord chose to keep and use in his victory over the Midianites. If we remember our purpose here on this earth we can be tools in the hands of the Lord to accomplish his purpose.

Eric drinking from the spring at Ein Harod

Debbie drinking from the spring at Ein Harod

Alison drinking from the spring at Ein Harod

Ein Harod

The spring at Ein Harod bubbles out of that cave

Eric and Blake drinking from the spring at Ein Harod

More of Ein Harod. This is a really beautiful place

After Ein Harod we stopped by a restaurant in a local Arab village and had shawarma for lunch. The food here is amazing.

Our last stop of the day was Mt. Tabor, which is the traditional site of the mount of transfiguration. This was one of my favorite places we have gone to on this trip. There was such a special spirit on this mountain. We had to transfer out of our van and get into another van, which took us up eighteen steep switchbacks to get to the top of the mountain. The views from the top were breathtaking. At the top, there is a church at the Franciscan monastery complex. The architect was Antonio Barluzzi (the same guy who built the church at the mount of beatitudes). It is a beautiful church. It is actually three churches in one - one for Moses, one for Elijah, and one for Christ. It is built this way because in the New Testament Peter and the other Apostles who are with him want to build three tabernacles. This church is built to tell the story found in the bible. We walked through the church marveling at the beauty and discussing the significant events that lead up to Christ's transfiguration. We sat in the chapel dedicated to Moses and spoke about the keys he held and the role he played in preparing the earth for Christ. We moved into the Elijah chapel and spoke about the sealing keys he held. We then moved outside the chapel into a quiet corner of the gardens and read about the transfiguration. After we read the New Testament account we flipped over to D&C and read about the restoration of the keys in the latter days at the dedication of the Kirkland Temple. We talked about the four times God the Father's voice has been publicly heard on the earth 1. Jordan River at Christ's baptism 2. Mount of Transfiguration 3. Land Bountiful when Christ visited the people there 4. The Sacred Grove. Steven also told a story of a modern-day prophet who had a personal experience on Mount Tabor and believed this was the site of Christ's transfiguration. I felt the spirit very strongly here. I thought about the importance of priesthood power in my life and the sealing keys that are on the earth today. I thought a lot about Christ's mission to come to this earth and atone for our sins so that ultimately we can be sealed by the power of the priesthood and be part of an eternal family. Sitting on Mount Tabor the pieces of the plan seemed very clear and very simple. The missions of Moses and Elijah and Christ were all part of God's plan for his Children - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of Man. As I sat and pondered I felt very grateful to have a loving Heavenly Father who would prepare a way for me to return to live with him again.

Church at the Mount of Transfiguration. It is a Franciscan Church. This is the cross denoting their order.

A picture of the church at the Mount of Transfiguration

The view from on top of the mount

An altar inside of the church. This half dome depicts two angels around the all-seeing eye (a symbol used in Christian art to denote God the Father).

The central dome in the church. This depicts Christ with Moses and Elijah as the Apostles look on in fright. This church was built so that during the fall the sun would hit a mirror on the floor and illuminate Christ.