Baptism

Baptism

The first reference to baptism comes from Genesis 1:2:

Ge 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Examine the word מים waters:

As a combination of, מי water, and ים water, the plural form מים has the י yud, representing a new creation in the midst of the waters. Baptism is a representation of a new birth.

This doctrine predates all paganism, even predating man himself.