Page 43 - Holyland Magazine - 2019 Edition

A procession led by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch,
along with other respected clerics and a youth
orchestra, walking towards the Jordan River
Fifteen centuries later, following the settlement of Hidden from site, almost forgotten from
the Promised Land, the building and rebuilding
of two Temples, and surviving repeated dangers
from hostile neighbors and invading empires,
another great crowd gathered at Qasr El Yahud
at the 1st century AD.
The radical message of repentance of John
the Baptist drew what historians estimate were
millions of 1st century Jews to the remote
site. In those days, John the Baptist came
preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying:
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." For this is he who was spoken of by
the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the
LORD; make His paths straight." Also saying:
"Then Jerusalem, ALL JUDEA, and ALL THE
REGION around the Jordan went out to him,”
(Matthew 3:1-5, emphasis mine).
An epic event in its proportions and religious
significance, this sprawling crowd of Jews,
Romans, sceptics and curious observers
served as the backdrop for the historic
baptism of Jesus of Nazareth. Launching His
public ministry at this humble and remote site
on the banks of the Jordan River, a spiritual
movement was born that has since impacted
billions of souls worldwide. Was the location’s
choice coincidental, or was there a divine
hand guiding these events and placing both
the crossing of Israel into the Promised Land
and the introduction of Jesus’ ministry at the
same location?
memory and grossly neglected by mainstream
tourism for many years, Qasr El Yahud lay in
waiting for millennia. Following centuries of
Turkish Ottoman Islamic rule, that did not
encourage Christian pilgrimage to this remote
area, the region fell under the administration
of the Jordanians until the Six Day War of
1967, often serving as an operational base for
Islamic terrorists targeting Israeli communities.
The Israel Defense Forces secured the area,
cleaned out the terrorists’ nests, and kept the
region quiet and safe in recent decades. With
the days of obscurity over, Qasr El Yahud has
been refurbished with comfortable access to
the waterfront, public showers, shaded seating
areas for prayer and parking.
As we often hear it said: “Israel is the one place
on earth where the Bible comes alive.” Right
here, at Qsar El Yahud, on the western banks
of the River Jordan, both Jewish and Christian
pilgrims discover some of their foundational
truths anchored in the geography, history and
traditions of a humble oasis chosen by God for
a great purpose.
The writer is a director of Ministerial Relations / Sar-
El Tours & Conferences / www.sareltours.com
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