Before Jerusalem Fell

PREFACE
The present volume represents more than two years’ labor while
engaged in studies in the doctoral program of Whitefield Theological
Seminary of Lakeland, Florida. The topic was undertaken under the
able counsel and with the much needed and very gracious encouragement
of the writer’s dissertational advisors at Whitefield Seminary –
Rev. W. Gary Crampton, Th.D., Ph. D.; Rev. Daniel C. Coleman,
Ph. D.; and Rev. Carl W. Bogue, Jr., Th.D. – and of the seminary’s
president, Rev. Kenneth G. Talbot, Ph.D.
In addition to their project-long assistance, the manuscript was
also critically read by three scholars outside of the Whitefield faculty:
one an early date advocate, Rev. Jay E. Adams, Ph. D., of Westminster
Theological Seminary West, and the others late date advocates,
Rev. C. Gregg Singer, Ph. D., of Greenville Presbyterian Theological
Seminary, and Rev. George W. Knight III, Th.D., of Covenant
Theological Seminary. Their willingness to share their scholarly
expertise despite their own time pressures is deeply appreciated.
Still further I must mention Gary North, Ph.D., of the Institute
for Christian Economics, who, as an avid early date advocate, was
willing to publish this manuscript in its present form. His additional
insights and suggestions have also been received with much benefit.
In addition I would like to mention four others who assisted me
in the preparation of the manuscript. Mr. Vance A. Burns of Houston,
Texas, graciously employed his considerable technical computer
competence in printing the original dissertation for final presentation,
despite his unexpected medical difficulties. My daughter, Amanda
Gentry, spent many hours helping me double check quotations for
accuracy — hours she could have more enjoyably spent playing tennis.
Mr. Bob Nance generously assisted me in the final wordprocessing
preparation of the manuscript for presentation to the
publisher, as well as preparing some of the indices (despite his preparations
for his upcoming wedding to Lise Garrison). Mr. James
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