In recent years, I discovered, and ever since have regularly resorted to, a resource called “Got Questions”, which I often defer to when researching some biblically related subject. While not telling me everything I want to know, nor do I agree with everything set out, I invariably find it tells me some of the things that I need to know.  

It was only just over two weeks ago that I posted my “The 2024 World Chess Championship – some thoughts” (see here) blog making the point that I am a chess enthusiast and have been since I was a boy, yet admitting my own abilities are modest and I only play occasionally these days but that I am fascinated by what happens when chess is played at the highest level. Not only do I enjoy seeing excellent play but I love observing the human and psychological aspects, taking comfort even top players blunder.

One of the things I have done regularly since becoming a blogger over ten years ago is to write what could be termed as an obituary concerning someone whose life had impacted my own, some I knew and some I didn’t, who had died a little prior to my writing.

I was recently taken to task by a friend who, like me, has spent the greater part of his Christian life associated with that group of (widely diverse these days) Christians known as the Christian Brethren, of which there are two main branches: Open (OB) and Closed (XB), and which I refer to as the Plymouth Brethren (PB).

I am not a fan of the British monarchy for reasons I will not go into here, but as a Bible believing Christian I accept that when we are told to honour the king, that is what we must do.

In my recent blog titled: “Watching from my wall (2024/25) – an introduction” (see here) I set the scene for a project I hope to undertake from the beginning of the new year when I plan to consider a number of significant happenings in the world at this time and share my own understanding and how one might respond.

According to Wikipedia (see here): “Motorway service areas (MSA) also known as services or service stations, are rest areas in the UK and Ireland where drivers can leave a motorway to refuel/recharge, rest, eat and drink, shop, use the toilet or stay in an on-site overnight hotel. They are also a safe refuge for drivers who break down alongside leaving at a motorway junction. The vast majority of motorway services in the UK are owned by one of three companies: Moto, Welcome Break and Roadchef. Smaller operators include Extra, Westmorland and EG Group. The first two service areas in the UK, Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell, opened with temporary facilities when the M1 motorway was opened, on 2 November 1959”.

According to Got Questions (see here): “Watchmen in the Bible were guards responsible for protecting towns and military installations from surprise enemy attacks and other potential dangers. Ancient Israelite cities often stationed watchmen on high walls or in watchtowers. Their job was to keep watch and warn the townspeople of impending threats. The Hebrew word translated “watchman” means “one who looks out,” “one who spies,” or “one who watches.” Sometimes watchmen were scouts who looked out for approaching friends as well as enemies”. The Bible exhorts ordinary followers of Jesus to be watchmen, to “watch and pray”.

We come to the final episode of our “Daniel’s Four Visions” series. Rather than going over old ground to establish the context and background, besides pointing out Daniel’s ministry overlapped that of the later part of Jeremiah’s and all of Ezekiel’s (who refers to Daniel in glowing terms (Ezekiel 14:14,20)), might I suggest readers check out the previous four episodes for the story so far:

A few weeks back, I opened and read the contents of a brown envelope put through my door, the sort none of us like to have to read, but I suspect some reading this have themselves received.