From: Kent Hovind
Sent: May 5, 2009
To: Rebekah
First Read: Genesis 24
KH: Hey, Lord?
GOD: Yes, Son?
KH: It’s been 2 ½ years today since I got locked up.
GOD: That’s correct, Son.
KH: That’s over 900 days, Lord. The days and nights sure seem long sometimes. How much longer?
GOD: I know, Son. I’ve been with you the entire time. We’ve had some great fellowship, haven’t we?
KH: Yes, Lord. It’s been great, but…how much longer?
GOD: Oh, Son, I’ve got that all under control. Lots of My hurting children down through history have asked Me that same question. Let’s go for a walk. Maybe Rebekah can explain it to you. She went through exactly the same emotions you are going through (Gen. 24; 1 Cor. 10:6). That’s her by the camp fire talking with Abraham’s servant, Eliezer (Gen. 15:2). Go listen for a moment, and then ask her any questions you would like.
Rebekah (Reb): Hey, Eliezer? How much longer?
Eliezer (Eli): Oh, my child, you ask that every night. I know these hot days and cold nights in the desert are long for you. I also know that this is the first time away from home for you. It won’t be much longer, and every step brings us closer. It will be worth it all when you meet Isaac. I’ve known him since he was a baby. He’s an amazing man!
Reb: Tell me about him again, please!
Eli: Well he’s tall, handsome, and shy. He’s 40 and has never had a date or a girlfriend. His father Abraham is extremely wealthy and will leave it all to Isaac. He’s a very obedient son. He even was willing to let his dad kill him one time (Gen. 22)! His mom died three years ago. They were really close. He is very considerate and sensitive to the feelings of others. Oh! That reminds me. He wanted me to give you this note and gift tonight.
Reb: Wow! He is thoughtful! This makes 14 nights in a row for a note and a gift! Let’s see…Wow! Those earrings are beautiful! He says, “Dear Bride, I can’t wait to see you and show you the home I’ve been making for us. I know that by now you must be so tired of the long trip on those smelly camels. I’m so sorry that you have to endure all of this, but it will be worth it all, I promise! Dad and I have prayed fervently for God to lead Eliezer to exactly the right one. I’m sure he did. I’ve known Eli since I was born, and I trust him completely – even to pick out my wife. He will also be praying, so you will be an answer to prayer. Eli will take great care of you on the trip. I hope you enjoy the soft blankets I sent for you to sleep on. I’ll have a hot bath and a great meal waiting for you when you arrive. I’ll provide your every need. Please be strong. It won’t be much longer now. Love, Isaac.
P.S. I’m preparing a home for you that is beyond your wildest dreams (Jn. 14:2-3)!”
Oh! That is so sweet! Thanks, Eli. I think I can make it another day now.
Eli: You are most welcome, Rebekah. God did lead me to exactly the right one. You and Isaac are a perfect match!
KH: Excuse me, Rebekah. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
Reb: Not at all. Have a seat, please.
KH: Thanks. How long have you know this Eliezer?
Reb: 15 days now.
KH: How long have you known this Isaac you are going to marry?
Reb: I’ve never met him.
KH: So here you are in the middle of a desert, on a trip to marry a man you have never met, with a man you just met 15 days ago. Is that right?
Reb: I know it sounds crazy, but yes that’s correct. God has led every step of the way.
KH: Could you tell me a little about yourself?
Reb: Well, there is not much to tell. I’m a farm girl from Mesopotamia (Gen. 24:10). My dad, Bethuel, has seven brothers, so I have lots of uncles and cousins who watch out for me (Gen. 22:20-24). My grandpa, Nahor, has a brother named Abraham over in the Promised Land, but I’ve never met him. We are going there now so I can marry his son, Isaac. I’ve never met him either, but Eli tells me about him every night. I never tire of hearing it!
KH: How could you agree to marry someone you have never met? Was it some kind of “online dating service” on the web?
Reb: A what?
KH: Never mind. My bad. Al Gore won’t invent the internet for 4,000 years.
Reb: Who?
KH: Never mind, just a joke in my century. Anyway, how did this all happen so fast?
Reb: Oh, I love to tell the story! Eliezer came to my town 15 days ago with 10 camels. I was going down to get water at the well, and he asked me for a drink of water (Gen. 24:17). I gave him a drink, and then offered to draw water for his camels as well.
KH: A thirsty camel can drink 10 gallons of water! You volunteered to draw 100 gallons of water out of a well with a bucket for a perfect stranger? That’s a lot of work!
Reb: I know it sounds crazy, but yes I did. Mom and dad taught me to be a hard worker and to be kind to people.
KH: My wife is the same way. And she’s beautiful like you.
Reb: Well, thank you! I’d like to meet her one day. Anyway, after I watered the camels, the man put these gold bracelets on my arms and gave me these earrings. I didn’t know it at the time, but the whole thing was a test.
KH: Sort of like a Miss America contest?
Reb: A what?
KH: I’m sorry. My bad again. America won’t be discovered for 3,500 years.
Reb: Right. Anyway, Eli asked me whose daughter I was (Gen. 24:23), and asked if we had room for some travelers. I told him who I was, and that we had lots of room for his camels. He got all excited and began to worship God. He told my family that he had been praying for God to lead him to the perfect wife for his master’s son, and then told us about the test at the well. We all agreed the thing was from the Lord, and there was no need to argue with God (Gen. 24:50).
KH: That’s for sure!
Reb: They spent the night, and the next morning they asked me the final question, “Wilt thou go with this man” (Gen. 24:58)? I said I would, and here we are, hundreds of miles from home, in a desert with a bunch of smelly camels, and talking around a fire about a man I’ve never met, but am going to marry as soon as I get there. The more I learn about him, the more I find myself falling in love with him, sight unseen. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?
KH: Not really. God sent His Holy Spirit into the far country to get a bride for His only Son. I’m sort of on the same journey as you, Rebekah. I agreed to go marry someone I’ve never seen or met either. He’s the obedient Son of the Father and is building me a house, too (Jn. 14:1-3). I can’t figure out why He chose me.
Reb: Me neither. I’m not a Canaanite – that’s a plus. I’m willing to go (Gen. 24:58) – that’s another big plus. And I’m an answer to prayer.
KH: Well said, Rebekah. How do you handle the long days and nights?
Reb: I won’t say it’s always easy, but I try to focus on the wedding, and not the trip. I spend a lot of time talking with the servant about the son. I really enjoy studying him. I can’t wait to be his bride (Rev. 21:2, 9; 22:17). I don’t know the way or how long it will take, but he gives me new gifts every day (Lam. 3:23; James 1:17), and I reread his love notes quite often. That keeps me excited to continue the journey. The servant meets my needs every day (Mt. 4:4).
KH: Thanks, Rebekah. Enjoy the trip, and congrats on the wedding.
Reb: Thanks.
GOD: Let’s go home, Son….Does that answer your question?
KH: Well, sort of. I do enjoy the trip some, especially the great talks we have and the love notes and promises I find in Your Word. I really enjoy studying the few details You gave about the home You are building up there. I wish I could understand it better.
GOD: Can you explain colors to a blind man or sounds to a deaf man?
KH: No, Lord. They cannot receive the information.
GOD: You can’t understand Heaven yet either, Son (1 Cor. 2:9). Just trust Me. It will be worth it all. I’ve got everything under control. Go walk the track. I’ve got your back.
Dr. Kent E. Hovind is currently at the Edgefield Federal Correctional Institution in South Carolina. Please send postcards and letters to:
Kent E. Hovind #06452-017
FPC Edgefield D-2
P.O. BOX 725
Edgefield, SC 29824
Feel free to send Dr. Hovind a letter or postcard. Please understand he is not able to answer every letter he receives, but he certainly appreciates any support and encouragement. He can also receive new books, but only directly from bookstores. And no hardcover books are allowed. No DVDs, CDs, or anything hard or sharp such as staples, etc (no tracts with staples in them). Do not send more than one tract at a time, as all gifts containing more than one tract will not be allowed. Do not put “Dr.” on his name, or it may be discarded by the guards. They do not always return postal items that are not delivered to inmates, so you may want to save a copy before mailing, so that you might try again in the event that he was recently moved for example.
Mrs. Hovind is currently at the Federal Correctional Institution in Marianna, FL. Because of prison regulations, Mrs. Hovind can only receive letters. Please refrain from sending stickers, stamps, books, or media of any kind. If you would like to write her letters of encouragement, please send them to:
Jo D. Hovind #06453-017
FCI Marianna, Satellite Camp
P.O. Box 7006
Marianna, FL 32447
Please write with the understanding that whatever you write could be subject to monitoring by the guards. Please do not write politically-charged or tax-related comments, etc. In the event that Dr. or Mrs. Hovind is moved to another facility, one can always check for current addresses by using the Inmate Locator on the Bureau of Prisons website:
http://www.bop.gov/
From the CSE team,
Thank you for your continued support.
Dear Dr. Dino,
Thanks for your wonderful and timely ministry! Praying for you and your wife! I read this today from the pbministries.org website and it was an encouragement to me.
In the Old Testament [we read about] the bitter experiences and faithful life of Job. On this particular occasion, the Lord said unto Satan, “Hast thou considered My servant Job; that there is none like him in the earth?” Satan knowing God has abundantly blessed Job, counters with an accusation against Job: “Doth Job fear God for nought?” He charges Job with a wrong motive, that Job loves God, because God has made him rich, or that he serves God for what he can get in return. And to augment his charge against Job, says to God, “But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face” (Job 1:11).
Satan tells God the reason Job is not a traitor and rebel against Him is because “Thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side. . .” (Job 1:10). Satan in essence says, “Your wall of benevolent providence around Job is too high. I cannot cross over. You lower your wall and let me have him for a little while, then he will curse you to your face.” God accepts what Satan believes is a challenge, saying, “All that he hath is in thy power;” that is, “only upon himself put forth not thine hand, spare his life” (Job 1:12). Job’s faith is to be tested by the arch adversary. He is made a ready target for the fiery darts of Satan. Can Job’s faith endure the awful pressure? Can his faith absorb the shock of disaster upon disaster, or will his great loss destroy his trust in God?
Satan speaks to Job through his friends, and says, “Where is the goodness of God toward you, if God loves you, why has He taken your substance, and made you the poorest of the poor? He has taken your precious children in death, and has consigned you to a disease that is more repulsive than death. Why don’t you take the easy way out? Curse God and die.” But the answer of a God given faith comes through clear and plain; “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
Job’s faith was in the omnipotent God Who doeth everything His soul desireth (Job 23:13). So, Job’s faith is of such nature that it transcends his present and painful circumstances, and enables him to see that God has a gracious purpose in all that has befallen him. And with absolute assurance he exclaims, “When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 28:10).
Love in Christ,
Yetunde
Greetings Brother Kent,
Just another note to remind you that we still uphold you, Jo, Ricky, your family and the whole of the CSE Team in prayer every day.
We also continue to distribute copies of your Seminar DVDs to as many as we can.
We can ONLY imagine how you might feel in your current situation, but just want to encourage you to continue to stay faithful to HIM WHO IS FAITHFUL and worthy of our trust – Galatians 6:9-10.
Each time we pray for you, think about you and even when watching your seminars (again), we are always encouraged and reminded to be bold in our witness and to remain faithful to His calling, and to continue our petition to Him, on your behalf.
May our Lord continue to bless, guide and protect you and yours,
in Him whom we love,
The Roberts family
(Australia)
Hi Kent,
Just wanted you to know you’re still in our thoughts and prayers. My wife burst out in tears today just thinking about you and Jo in prison.
Isn’t it always the case that those who do great exploits for Christ are Satan’s chief targets…But great is your reward in heaven..
I’d like to end this with the last part of John Foxe’ account of William Tyndale as he faced his imprisonment and execution for translating the Word of God into the English Language. May you also stand strong in persecution as he did…Blessings Brother and Sister
So when it was dinner time, Master Tyndale went forth with Philips, and at the going forth of Pointz’s house, was a long narrow entry, so that two could not go in front. Master Tyndale would have put Philips before him, but Philips would in no wise, but put Master Tyndale before, for that he pretended to show great humanity. So Master Tyndale, being a man of no great stature, went before, and Philips, a tall, comely person, followed behind him; who had set officers on either side of the door upon two seats, who might see who came in the entry. Philips pointed with his finger over Master Tyndale’s head down to him, that the officers might see that it was he whom they should take.
The officers afterwards told Pointz, when they had laid him in prison, that they pitied to see his simplicity. They brought him to the emperor’s attorney, where he dined. Then came the procurator-general to the house of Pointz, and sent away all that was there of Master Tyndale’s, as well his books as other things; and from thence Tyndale was had to the castle of Vilvorde, eighteen English miles from Antwerp.
Master Tyndale, remaining in prison, was proffered an advocate and a procurator; the which he refused, saying that he would make answer for himself. He had so preached to them who had him in charge, and such as was there conversant with him in the Castle that they reported of him, that if he were not a good Christian man, they knew not whom they might take to be one.
At last, after much reasoning, when no reason would serve, although he deserved no death, he was condemned by virtue of the emperor’s decree, made in the assembly at Augsburg. Brought forth to the place of execution, he was tied to the stake, strangled by the hangman, and afterwards consumed with fire, at the town of Vilvorde, A.D. 1536; crying at the stake with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice, “Lord! open the king of England’s eyes.”
Such was the power of his doctrine, and the sincerity of his life, that during the time of his imprisonment (which endured a year and a half), he converted, it is said, his keeper, the keeper’s daughter, and others of his household.
As touching his translation of the New Testament, because his enemies did so much carp at it, pretending it to be full of heresies, he wrote to John Frith, as followeth, “I call God to record against the day we shall appear before our Lord Jesus, that I never altered one syllable of God’s Word against my conscience, nor would do this day, if all that is in earth, whether it be honor, pleasure, or riches, might be given me.”
Dear Kent,
I find so often that this world is upside down;
A sweet & pleasant scent costs money and is hard to keep, yet an unpleasant odour gets into ‘ones’ furniture & carpets and is almost impossible (costs money) to get rid of.
And again…
Time spent enjoying ‘ones’ self will fly past (seemingly) at the blink of an eye, yet time spent
waiting……….
w a i t i n g . . . . . .
w a i t i n g . . . . . for a time of Joy lasts (seemingly) an eternity.
One thing for sure, and I agree with you right the way down the line. What God has for us is beyond our wildest dreams and is worth every aching moment and every bad smell.
Just think…. An eternity of Joy where bad smells don’t exist!
Waiting is hard, but don’t be deceived God has a great reward for your faithfulness.
Lots of Love
Jason x
Hi Kent,
A day rarely goes by without a thought for where you and Jo are.
lots of love,
Hi Brother Kent!
It’s been a while since we have written to you and Ricky. How are you all? We are praying for you always.
We have had a very bad year with sick children. Our youngest child (Timothy) had a very bad reaction to Scarlet fever
called HSP. It affected his kidneys. 4 months later now he still goes into kidney failure. But God is good. We have placed him into the Lord’s hands and have kept him there. Since his illness it seems that we have been so preoccupied
with our own problems and just didn’t get those letters written we wanted to. However, we want you to know how much
we are thinking about you and Jo and your precious family and your friend Ricky too.
Your encourageing attitude the whole while you have been in there has been an encouragement to us!
God Bless you brother,
Love in Christ,
the Strunk family, Sam Kellee Aaron Samuel Helen Mary & little Timmy
Beloved Brother Kent,
I thank the Lord for tis lesson of looking to the glory ahead.
Keep looking to the glory ahead though it’s hard. Jesus Christ will sustain you.
I pray that the Lord in His power will uphold you & sis Jo in Jesus name.
He is very well able to do all things. We keep trusting in Him for your release & sister Jo’s release in Jesus worthy name. Amen.
Sade Tennyson