Bulletin of Prophetic Historicism

                                                

12 October 2014                                                                       Editor and Proprietor

                                                                                                  Edwin de Kock

Bulletin # 16

 

The editor/proprietor assumes responsibility for his own contributions. He is not, however, responsible or liable for the ideas expressed in pieces by other writers, also sometimes mentioned or cited.

 

                                                  Leaving for Cuba Tomorrow

      

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omorrow, the Lord willing, my wife Ria and I shall begin our trip and fly 1,500 miles from McAllen, Texas, to Miami, Florida. Since this old man of 84 finds air travel exhausting, we will rest over for a day. Then, on 15 October, we must fly to Havana in Cuba. Strangely, our tickets to cover just 90 miles between Miami and that island cost more than those from McAllen so much further away!

     Edwin has finished the preparation of his four lectures, a series called The History of Prophetic Interpretation. If you would like to read its underlying text, you can find it on our website propheticum.com under All Publications. It contains much that many Seventh-day Adventists may find new and interesting. When Edwin speaks, he will naturally abbreviate it greatly. But he believes this material, with its color visuals, should in the not too distant future be adapted and published as a small book. In Spanish as well as English. Please let us know what you think.

     We have about 30,000 Seventh-day Adventists in Cuba. This is a missionary trip to blend with a self-supporting ministry known as the World Youth Group. It trains and sends out BW-MMs. This abbreviation stands for Bible Worker-Medical Missionaries. They use simple know-how and techniques that promote healing, health, and happiness. Amongst other things, they do hydrotherapy. This is an entering wedge for the proclamation of our Message. We will find out more about their doings and report to you after we return.

     Edwin’s lectures are due to be delivered in our largest church in Havana on 17, 18, and 19 October. Our return flights should bring us back home on the twenty-third, just ten days from now.

     Generous friends donated so well to pay for our tickets that we have some money left over. With this, we can begin to finance a long-cherished enterprise, a Spanish Translation of Christ and Antichrist in Prophecy and History.

      

                                                              The Spirits of Devils

 

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he Evil One will do his best to prevent us from going or create other problems. Cuba is also the home of Santería. This is a religion of West African and Caribbean origin, influenced by and syncretized with Roman Catholicism. It is a spiritualistic type cult. Wretched people with health and psychological or other problems consult mediums who communicate with demons. Demon possession is not uncommon. The BW-MMs often have to face Santería and do battle with spirits. Please pray for these workers of God and us.  

      

 

                                          Meanwhile Half a World Away . . .

 

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bout ten days ago, a series of dramatic events began in South Korea. An influential layman delivered a lecture before a large number of Seventh-day Adventist professors and ministers, debunking the idea that the 666 of Revelation 13:18 meant vicarius Filii Dei. That number, he said, referred to human imperfection. Afterwards, Koot van Wyk, D.Litt. et Phil., Th.D., an expatriate South African who is a professor at a university in that country, stepped up to the microphone and told the assembly that what they had just heard was rendered out of date by Edwin de Kock’s research and great work, The Truth About 666 and the Story of the Great Apostasy (2011).

     The audience was immediately abuzz with interest. But our Church paper published details of the misleading lecture. Angry reactions poured in from the Seventh-day Adventist membership, flooding the website of the Korean Union Conference. Its President intervened to ask why such an article had been printed. In rebuttal, Dr. van Wyk quickly wrote a six-page article, which his talented Korean wife who has a doctorate from Andrews University translated into her language. We hope it will soon appear.

     Other reactions also followed. Three scholarly men immediately ordered The Truth About 666 as well as the rest of Edwin’s books on prophecy. One of them is a professor at our Sahmyook University in Seoul. Another is the editor of our publishing house. He has even shown an interest in translating Christ and Antichrist in Prophecy and History (2013) into Korean.

     This is a developing story, of which we can relate the sequel only at a later time. And first we must go to Cuba.

 

                                                             A Crooked Scammer

 

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yberspace is a wonderful place. Unfortunately, criminals think so, too. They scavenge through the Internet, peer into Facebook, and try to read one’s e-mails. Some time ago, a relative alerted us from South Africa that a crook, pretending to be Edwin, reported that he was stranded in a foreign country, where he lost his wallet and passport. Therefore, he is urgently pleading for money. This also happened a few years ago. A dear friend in a neighboring town right here in Texas actually transmitted about $2,800.00 to him. Please do not believe such statements or pay any money for this purpose. Do, however, as a favor let us know what he or she says.  In Cuba, we will not be alone but be accompanied by many friends, from the United States as well as fellow-believers who live there.

 

                                                      A Special Adventist Event

 

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ne hundred and seventy years ago, the Lord Jesus entered the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary for the Investigative Judgment, which began on 22 October 1844 and is still continuing. We are all living in a most solemn period of our planet’s history. Fortunately he still intercedes for us while mercy lingers. At the same time, he also expects us to hurry up and finish the work of the Three Angels to warn the world and gather in a people for his Second Coming, which cannot be delayed much longer. Let us not slumber or beat our fellow-servants but by God’s grace do our part, faithfully and zealously.