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Bible Gardens - Page 2

© Kirk Johnson

Continuing north along the main path, there is a planted flagstone terrace, surrounded by a low rock wall. In a planted terrace, all of the flagstones are not mortared together, some of the flagstones have soil between them, so that low growing plants can spread over parts of the terrace. Many herbs do well in these conditions. The low stone wall is intended for people to sit on, so it?s stones should be mortared together.

There is a flagstone path between the rock wall and the vegetable plots, this path continues along the east and west sides of the wall, it should be wide enough that people can sit on the wall with their feet on the path and still have room for other people to walk along the path. Shrubs, including pomegranates are planted to the east and west of the terrace. Running the length of the north end of the terrace, there is a grape arbor. Under this arbor there is a rustic table with chairs. This table is mainly intended for using as a desk when studying the Bible, but it could also be used for dining. The floor of this arbor is paved with flagstones. To the north of the arbor, there is a small clearing of swept earth which is surrounded by trees, including figs and olives, with a cedar of Lebanon ending the view along the main path.

At the center of the clearing is an altar made out of piled stones. This isn?t intended to be a real altar for burnt offerings, it is intended to be a focal point for meditations. Altars and pillars of piled stones were frequently erected in the ancient Near East. They were often memorials to commemorate a covenant or a sacred vow, sometimes between two men, but more often between a man and his god, Genesis 31:45-48 is a good example of this practice. My altar is intended to provoke meditations on the covenant between the Jewish people and their God, as well as thoughts about how the sacrifices on Jewish altars were different from pagan sacrifices. According to the Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols, because of it?s association with sacrifices, the altar became a symbol for Jewish martyrdom. Expressions such as ?the altar sheds tears? symbolized the suffering of the Jewish people.

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