Now I know that I have mentioned about the castles in Wales before, but I recently heard something that amazed me. It seems that there are 641 castles in this small country. Wales is about 140 miles long and about 100 miles at its widest point. At present the population is about 2 and three quarter million, but was far, far less a thousand years ago. So all these fortifications are contained within a very small area. 

They range from the huge to the small; from fully intact and grand, to the dilapidated and ruined. The tribal Welsh built some to defend their lands, but the invaders built others. Romans, Normans, Saxons (English), all tried to subdue those Celtic tribes. Castles passed in battle from the Welsh to the enemy, and then they were besieged and passed back to the invader. They all have a story and a history. 

But the people of God, who are made up of the elect from every nation, tribe and tongue, also have their fortification. Isaiah declared with assurance and victory, “We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks” (Isa 26:1). Likewise David grandly describes the same means of defence, “Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks” (Ps 48:12-13a). Though the Church is often besieged, it never surrenders. Neither is it subject to decay, nor can it be overthrown, and there is no successor to Christ its King.