The Jordan River is the major river of ancient Israel. Its source begins at Banias in the foothills of Mount Hermon, it then runs south along a crack in the earth's surface called the Syro-African fault, where two tectonic plates meet. It is derived from the Hebrew words (Yarden from the verb root word Yarod, meaning to descend). The source of water for the Jordan River is the Sea of Galilee (Kineret). It is bordered with trees and shrubs, such as, Apple of Sodom, Tamarisk, Rhododendron, and Angus Castus. It contains twenty-two species of fish. The Jordan River is more than thirteen miles in length and a bridge, which connects Damascus to Galilee, crosses it. The river floods occur from February to May. The Jordan River ends in the Dead Sea. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptize by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:5-6). Jesus Christ traveled south to Jordan River to meet John the Baptist who was baptizing in the Jordan river all who would come and repent of their sins. Jesus Christ was then baptized in the Bethany across the Jordan River (John 1.28). Natural water no longer flows along most of the Jordan river. The northern part of the river, between the Sea of Galilee and the meeting of the Jordan and Yarmukh, where the Yardenit Baptismal Site is located, is the only place where it is still possible to be baptized in the flowing water of the Jordan river. Today Pilgrims to the Holy Land visit the Baptismal Site (Yardenit) and be baptized in the waters of the Jordan. The Yardenit Baptismal Site is located at the southern exit of the Sea of Galilee, just behind the gate of the Dam that is used on rainy winters to lower the level of the lake. The baptism site has a large parking lot, convenient dressing rooms, stairway to walk down into the waters, a restaurant and a shop.
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| Yardenit Baptismal Site | Jordan River |
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| Yardenit Baptismal Site | Yardenit Baptismal Site |
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| Baptism Of Jesus Christ | Baptism Of Jesus Christ |
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