How was the Jordan river religious?

Question

I never understood this question... How was the Jordan River religious to the Hebrews? Help please.

Answer 1

It's the source of fresh water in the land where the Hebrews lived ever since Abram (later re-named Abraham) moved there ~1500 BC(E).  Water is so important that it's source to desert-dwellers is always a holy place.

Answer 2

The Israelites had to cross the Jordan to reach their promised land. The priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant waded into the river and God did a miracle and made the river bed dry up at that point, with a big wall of water upstream of it. The people were able to cross and reach the promised land.

Ever since then, the Jordan has been a symbol of some hardship that believers have to cross to reach their own promised land, heaven.