Most homes in most places have lost the benefit of a good old fashioned, and I mean Biblically-old-fashioned roof top. They were flat, covered in clay, and if there was a crack somewhere then grass was thrown on it to keep the rain out. (A History of Hebrew Civilization, The Bible Almanac)
I know, that doesn't really sound too appealing. But there were some features that made the roof tops back then unique:
-If you wanted to build an altar so that it was close to heaven, it was built on the roof. In fact, that's where you could meditate on God's word, or spend time in prayer and private worship.
-If you wanted to make an announcement so that everyone could hear, it was done from the roof. But, it was also the place for private conversation and reflection.
-If you wanted a better view of what was happening in the streets then going to the roof gave you that vantage point. You could even access it from outside the house. That's how the men in Mark 2 carried the paralytic man on a stretcher to the roof.
-Upper rooms were built on the roof. All kinds of things were dried up on the roof (flax, fruit, linen, corn). And, in some places, your neighbors' roofs were connected to yours, with a small raised wall to separate the homes.
I have to wonder if we've lost some of the pleasures a roof can offer. Where a fenced-in backyard might come close to the same features, there's something to be said for the ability to be up and away from the activities of the house.
Our pastor once mentioned something similar when he said garage door openers have eliminated the opportunity to visit with neighbors. As we drive up we click our button and the door is opened by the time we get there. We drive in and we close the door.
ReplyDeleteNo need to stop the car, get out, and open the door. No need to walk back and close it. That eliminates the opportunity to see our neighbors and have a talk.
Similarly, vanishes clothes lines and automatic sprinklers are doing the same thing. It's not that they're bad, but they've changed the way we relate to others.
We must be more intentional now. And I have to admit, I'm not doing a very good job of that.
Thanks for the reminder!
Vonda, thank you for the modern application. It is sad but so true. Answering the prompting the Lord has given has helped me to bring down some of those barriers. But like you said we have to keep at it. Lill
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