Since [the church] had no part in the first sixty-nine weeks, which are related only to God’s program for Israel, it can have no part in the seventieth week, which is again related to God’s program for Israel after the mystery program for the church has been concluded. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, 196.
Dave James belies his knowledge of his own theology of pretribulationism and dispensationalism when he made this statement. A couple of weeks ago I devoted a program to responding to this staple pretrib argument, which claims that since the church did not exist during the first 69 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy it will not exist during the 70th week. How Dave James has “never heard” of this pretrib argument is odd to say the least. He says above that he has been studying under dispensational teachers for 35 years. Practically every pretrib, dispensational teacher (including Pentecost quoted above) has made this argument for pretribulationism at one time or the other. It is a fundamental argument in their system.
Update: In the source link above, Bryan Cruz failed to show that I mislead readers with Pentecost’s words, which he said I did.
Also I appreciate and respect that Dave James said the following in response:
“I stand corrected on the matter of this argument concerning why the church can’t be part of the 70th week. I wouldn’t use it – because I don’t think it is absolutely necessary – though I see the logic of it. I don’t recall hearing it before. But have no problem acknowledging it when I’m mistaken.”
