Why is it called "the river"? One theory we found online says that card actually was a cheater's card long ago - and gamblers would throw it over the side of a riverboat if they got caught. Into the river, you see.
But big things happened at rivers long before poker came along. Consider a few examples....
So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them... as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.... So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. - Joshua 3:14-16
The nation of Israel entered God's "promised land" by crossing the Jordan River. Decades of wandering ended, and a payoff was achieved.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John... As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:13-17
The Son of God agreed to be baptized in a river, and God used that moment to make a major statement about Him.
On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. - Acts 16:13
The apostle Paul went to the riverside to pray - and more baptisms followed (verse 15).
So historic events can happen at rivers. Perhaps you can think of more from the Bible. But we've been reminded of this lately by a big song on Christian radio - ironically, by a singer with "Jordan" in his name. It talks about a "river" offering something far more valuable than poker pots.
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