Beth-Abara

I was reading in the new Covenant of Christ this morning and realized something I hadn't noticed before in Lehi's telling of the future John the Baptist. He notes that John would baptize "on the other side" of the Jordan River:

"He also spoke about a prophet who was to come before the Messiah to prepare the way for the Lord, who would cry out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord and follow in His straight path. There’s one standing among you whom you don’t acknowledge, who’s far greater than I; whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to even touch. My father spoke at length about this. My father said that prophet would baptize in Bethabara on the other side of the Jordan River. He also said that he would baptize with water, including baptizing the Messiah with water, and after he baptized the Messiah with water, he would testify that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who would redeem all of creation from the Fall." (1 Nephi 3:3).

This hit me like a brick, as I realized approximately 1,500 years before these baptisms the whole nation of Israel also crossed the river Jordan to enter the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. Ancient Israel crossing the Jordan River with Joshua was an interesting event because it was a sort of repeat of what took place 40 years prior when Moses and the Israelites crossed the Red Sea. It was a new crossing of water for a new generation. 

Likewise, a new generation of God's people were crossing the Jordan River to get to John the Baptist. Perhaps this pointed their minds to those prior events as they made the journey.


My first thought after realizing this was, "Why were they crossing the Jordan River away from the Promised Land? Shouldn't they cross water towards the Promised Land?"

That's when I realized that's exactly what was happening. You see, they went back to the starting point, where the Israelites first crossed into the Promised Land [1]. This Reformation or Restoration took them back to the beginning, their origins, and after their baptism, they crossed back into the Promised Land, indeed.

To get to where John was in Bethabara, the Jews - including Jesus - had to symbolically leave the Promised Land and travel from West to East. Then, after their baptism, they would travel from the East to the West. There is plenty of Temple Symbolism that can be gleaned from this and I would love to hear your insights on that.  

All in all, Trusting Gods voice through some obscure Priest in the wilderness, getting back to our roots, being baptized by actual power and authority from Heaven, looking forward to the return of our Anointed King, and taking our new life out of the waters back into our communities is a pattern in scripture. 

I am grateful for the Covenant of Christ making things so much more clear for me.

--

[1] Jesus's baptism at the Jordan River is also the place He was anointed King by His Father's Spirit. It's interesting this event also took place "on the other side" of the Jordan River. 

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