. The land and the Book; or, Biblical illustrations drawn from the manners and customs, the scenes and scenery of the Holy Land . eir master,and demand obedience thereto. It is plain that the roofs were resorted to for worship,both true and idolatrous. We read, in Zeph., i. 6, of thosewho worshiped the hosts of heaven on the house-tops; andfrom Acts, x. 9, we learn that Peter at Joppa went up to theroof to pray about the sixth hour. All this is very natural. The Sabeans of Chaldea andPersia could find no more appropriate place for the perform-ance of their idolatrous worship of the heavenly bo
. The land and the Book; or, Biblical illustrations drawn from the manners and customs, the scenes and scenery of the Holy Land . eir master,and demand obedience thereto. It is plain that the roofs were resorted to for worship,both true and idolatrous. We read, in Zeph., i. 6, of thosewho worshiped the hosts of heaven on the house-tops; andfrom Acts, x. 9, we learn that Peter at Joppa went up to theroof to pray about the sixth hour. All this is very natural. The Sabeans of Chaldea andPersia could find no more appropriate place for the perform-ance of their idolatrous worship of the heavenly bodies thanthese open terraces, with the stars shining down upon themso kindly. And, as very few Oriental dwellings have closetsinto which the devout can retire for prayer, I suppose Peterwas obliged to resort to the roof of Simons house for thispurpose; and when surrounded with battlements, and shadedby vines trained over them, they afford a very agreeable re-treat, even at the sixth hour of the day—the time whenPeter was favored with that singular vision, by which thekingdom of heaven was thrown open to the Gentile Tt»UACK WITH VINK8. Our Lord says. Let him that is on the house-top not comedown to take any thing out of his house.^ Is it a correct in-ference from this that the stairway landed on the outside ofthe house ? Outside «f the house, but within the exterior court. It Matt. xxiv. 17. SPARROW. 53 would not be either agreeable or safe to have the stairs landoutside the inclosure altogether, and it is rarely done, (x-cept in mountain villages, and where roofs are but httleused. They not unfrequently end in the lewan, but morecommonly in some part of the lower court. The urgencyof the flight recommended by our Lord is enhanced by thefact that the stairs do lead down into the court or in effect says, though you must pass by the very doorof your room, do not enter; escape for your life, without amoments delay. No in Syria will long need an introd
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbible, bookyear1874
