From the Berean Call Dave Hunt

Pre- or Post-Trib Rapture?

First Published in October 2003 The Rapture of the church involves all believers being caught up to heaven-those just resurrected together with those alive at the time (1 Thes 4:13-18). If it occurs at the beginning of the tribulation period, then clearly Christ's Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation to rescue Israel in the midst of Armageddon is a separate event. According to Zechariah 14:3-5, "all the saints" must accompany Christ back to earth. But if the Rapture occurs at the end of the Tribulation, it must be simultaneous with the Second Coming, making them one event. Which is it: two events separated by seven years, or one event with two diverse purposes? This question, although it has nothing to do with the gospel of salvation, divides much of the evangelical church. Happily, it can be settled rather easily. The descriptions in Scripture of the Rapture and Second Coming respectively are so different in so many details that they could not possibly be describing the same occurrence. We can't cover all of these distinctions, but here are a few: 1) At the Rapture Christ does not return to earth but catches believers up to meet Him above the earth, taking them directly to heaven: "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn 14:3); "caught up...to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thes 4:17) In contrast, at the Second Coming Christ returns to this earth to rule Israel and the world from David's throne in Jerusalem: "His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem" (Zec 14:4); "the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end" (Lk 1:32-33); "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him....The armies which were in heaven followed him....Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron" (Rv 19:11-15). 2) At the Rapture there is a resurrection of all believers who have died up to that time: "The dead shall be raised incorruptible" (1 Cor 15:52-53); "the dead in Christ shall rise first...." (1 Thes 4:16) In contrast, at the Second Coming there is no resurrection until Antichrist is defeated, he and the false prophet have been "cast alive into a lake of fire" (Rv 19:20), and Satan has been bound in the "bottomless pit [for] a thousand years" (20:1-3)-none of which is even remotely related to the rapture of believers to heaven. Then, to "the first resurrection" that occurred at the Rapture are added a unique group: "Them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (4-5). 3) At the Rapture, the bodies of living believers (like those who are resurrected) will be changed to become immortal: "We shall not all sleep [i.e., die], but we shall all be changed...the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [who are living] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Cor 15:51-53); "We which are alive...shall be caught up together with them [the resurrected saints]...to meet the Lord in the air [clearly requiring immortal bodies]." (1 Thes 4:17) In contrast, at the Second Coming all of the saints return with Christ from heaven and will therefore already have been changed into immortality: "The LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee" (Zec 14:5); "I saw heaven opened [and one] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood...and the armies which were in heaven followed him [to] smite the nations" (Rv 19:11-15). 4) The Rapture occurs during relative peace and prosperity when the world does not expect judgment from God: "And as it was in the days of Noah [the last thing they expected was God's judgment]...they did eat, they drank...married wives...were given in marriage [and as in] the days of Lot...they bought, they sold...planted...builded....Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." (Lk 17:26-30) Again in complete contrast, the Second Coming occurs in the midst of the worst war the world has ever seen and following the greatest devastation this planet has ever suffered or ever will: "Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world...nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved" (Mt 24:21-22); "Behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed...power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger....There was a great earthquake...every mountain and island were moved out of their places...[men] hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks...for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (Rv 6:8-17); "And the four angels were loosed...to slay the third part of men" (9:15); "and the...sea...became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. And...the rivers and fountains of waters...became blood...the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and...men were scorched with great heat...and...there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth....And every island fled away and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail [of large stones]...every stone about the weight of a talent" (16:3-21); "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True....And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen....And I saw the beast [Antichrist], and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and...the false prophet [and they] were cast alive into a lake of fire..." (19:11-21). 5) The Rapture occurs when conditions in the world seem to indicate that all is well-when very few expect Christ to return, and He catches even the church by surprise: "Of that day and hour knoweth no man...in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." (Mt 24:36, 44) In contrast, when the Second Coming occurs, not even Antichrist is caught by surprise-the many visible signs alert everyone that Christ is right at the door: "When ye shall see all these things, know that it [Christ's coming] is near, even at the doors" (Mt 24:33); "The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse" (Rv 19:19). 6) The Rapture occurs when the church is sleeping, with little expectation of the Lord's return: "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept" (Mt 25:5); "Watch ye therefore...lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping." (Mk 13:35-36) In contrast, the Second Coming occurs at the end of the Tribulation in the midst of worldwide devastation and hopeless distress; the Antichrist and his armies are attacking Israel, much of Jerusalem is already captured (Zec 14:1-2), and Israel is on the verge of annihilation. It is inconceivable that the church, if it were still here, would be slumbering in complacency and under the delusion that "surely Christ wouldn't come now"! 7) Since the Rapture instantly takes us, without dying, out of this world of sin, pain, and sorrow to be forever with Christ and like Him, never more to grieve Him, it is called the "blessed hope": "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Ti 2:13); "every man that hath this hope." (1 Jn 3:3) In contrast, the Second Coming (or a post-trib rapture at that time) could hardly be called a "blessed hope," inasmuch as very few Christians (if the church were still here) would survive to enjoy it. Having refused to receive the 666 mark of the beast "in their right hand, or in their forehead" and therefore being unable to "buy or sell," and refusing to "worship the image of the beast [they would] be killed" (Rv 13:15-17). It makes no sense to suggest that if you can secretly eat out of enough garbage pails to avoid starvation and still keep one step ahead of Antichrist's world police death squads, "Blessed hope! You'll be raptured at Armageddon!" 8) As for the Rapture, unquestionably, the early church was taught to expect it at any moment and to eagerly watch, wait, and look for Christ's return, when He will catch all believers up into His Father's house to be with Him eternally: "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord..." (Lk 12:35-36); "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Phil 3:20-21); "Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven...even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Thes 1:9-10); "looking for that blessed hope" (Ti 2:13); "unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Heb 9:28). One does not watch, wait, and look each day for something that cannot happen until Antichrist's advent or the end of a seven-year tribulation. Thus, there must be a coming of Christ that could happen at any moment. In contrast, the Second Coming, by very definition as described in Scripture, cannot be expected momentarily. Therefore, none of the scriptures just quoted concerning watching and waiting and looking for the Lord could refer to the Second Coming or to a post-trib rapture of the church. These scriptures could therefore refer only to a pre-trib rapture. 9) The pre-trib Rapture has a powerful, purifying effect upon those who have this hope in Him. The fact that it is to be expected at any moment can only mean that it must come before Antichrist is revealed and before the Tribulation. If Christ could come at any moment, there is no time to waste, no time to delay witnessing, no time to indulge in sin with the idea of repenting and changing one's ways later: "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 Jn 2:28); "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." (3:3) In contrast, anticipation of the Second Coming (or a post-trib rapture at that time) could hardly have a purifying effect, because it can't take place for at least seven years-plenty of time to delay witnessing, getting right with the Lord, and holy living until later. In fact, the Lord said that believing He couldn't come at any moment would have the opposite effect from purifying believers: "If that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants...and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come at an hour when he is not aware" (Mt 24:48-50; Lk 12:45-46). 10) The Rapture is not only an event that we are to expect momentarily and to eagerly anticipate, but we are to ask our Lord to come immediately. Here is how the Bible ends: "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come....Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Rv 22:17,20) In contrast, the Second Coming is not of such a nature and timing that we could ask Christ to effect it right now. Since Christ obviously cannot return to the earth in judgment to rescue Israel, stop the destruction at Armageddon, and destroy the Antichrist along with his kingdom and his armies until the end of the Tribulation, for us to cry out to Christ, "Come, Lord Jesus!" would be like demanding payment on a debt that isn't due for seven years. Yet, "the Spirit and the bride" do cry out, "Come, Lord Jesus." We can only conclude that there must be a coming of Christ that could occur at any moment. It cannot be the Second Coming or a post-trib rapture. It can only be a pre-trib rapture. 11) There are at least two events that occur in heaven for which the church must be present and that therefore cannot take place until the Rapture occurs: the judgment seat of Christ, and the marriage of the Lamb to His bride: "for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom 14:10); "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor 5:10); "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted [to] be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white [as a result of her cleansing at the judgment seat of Christ]" (Rv 19:7-8). Both these events occur prior to Christ's return to earth and thus demand a prior rapture. It is clear that the Second Coming cannot occur until these two vital events, which demand the presence of the church in heaven, have taken place. It is only after the Lamb has been married to His bride that she accompanies Him back to earth to rescue Israel and to destroy Antichrist and his armies: "And the armies which were in heaven followed him...clothed in fine linen, white and clean" (Rv 19:14). We know not why the Bridegroom tarries, but exactly as He foretold, the church is asleep. In that context, our Lord added: "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" (Mt 25:6). May each of us be listening eagerly for that cry of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Indeed, we ought to be sounding it aloud, for the Lord could come at any moment to take us to Himself. So let us watch and wait and look for Him in eager anticipation-and encourage others to do the same. It will have a purifying and motivating effect in our lives.  TBC

From Answers in Genesis

The new show at Stargazers Planetarium, Aliens: Fact or Fiction?, and the new Pocket Guide to UFOs & ETs point out that the Bible does not address the question of whether there is intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. However, we can use biblical principles to reach a conclusion about ETs. Romans 8 makes it clear that man’s sin has tainted the entire universe. So if there were beings on other planets similar to man, then those beings would be subject to the effects of man’s sin. Would this be just? Could sentient beings on other planets be fallen creatures? If so, and since these beings are not descendants of Adam, what would be God’s plan of redemption for them? The Bible indicates that man was made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) and is the center of God’s attention (Hebrews 2:7), leaving no room for other beings. It is clear from these and other considerations that there are no “aliens” living on other planets.

If there are no extraterrestrial aliens, then there can be no flying saucers piloted by them. So how do we explain all of those sightings of UFOs? Most can be explained by misidentification of other objects, such as bright stars and planets, aircraft, and weather balloons, to name just a few. A few sightings remain unexplained, but that does not mean that they necessarily are flying saucers—they just haven’t been identified.

However, some people have reported more than just sightings of flying saucers, but have gone further to say that they have had direct interaction with aliens. Some of these reports merely are communication with aliens, while others involve being taken aboard spaceships. Some of these stories include traveling great distances aboard spacecraft. Much more disturbing, some people claim that while aboard spacecraft, aliens carried out bizarre investigations of their bodies. Many of these amount to vivisections and often are sexual in nature. We cannot attribute these sorts of claims to misidentifications, so what are we to make of many of these claims of alien abductions?

It is probable that at least some people who claim to have been abducted by aliens simply have concocted their stories. Possible motives for such fabrications vary, but could include profit or desire to be important. Other stories of alien abduction may have been the result of vivid dreams. Some people may truly believe that they have been abducted by aliens but merely suffered some sort of delusion. Let us briefly consider a few cases.

One of the early proponents of alien abductions was George Adamski. Adamski began lecturing on UFOs in 1949. This was shortly after the beginning of the UFO craze following two famous and well-reported incidents in 1947. By 1952, Adamski was claiming that he had had close encounters with aliens. Over more than 15 years, until his death, Adamski made many wild claims, but investigators eventually determined that Adamski was a con man. Since Adamski profited greatly from his books and speaking fees, it appears that he was motivated by profit.

Many supporters of alien abductions consider the 1957 experience of Antônio Vilas-Boas, a Brazilian Farmer (later an attorney), to be more credible. Boas did not describe his ordeal until months after it supposedly happened. His story was not publicized much at the time, at least partly because of the sexual nature of his claims. According to Boas, he mated with a humanoid female creature while aboard a spacecraft. Through gestures made by the female, Boas said that he came to realize he had been used for breeding purposes and that his offspring would be raised elsewhere by the aliens. While Boas maintained the truth of his story until his death in 1991, there was a similar story published in the periodical O Cruzeiro a few months before he first described his alleged encounter. Most investigators think that this story and perhaps Adamski’s stories influenced Boas. Was Boas’ story a hoax, or was it a dream or delusion influenced by earlier stories? We don’t know for sure.

Even more famous is the case of Barney and Betty Hill. The Hills claimed to have undergone an alien abduction and examinations in September 1961. They did not immediately report their encounter, but began to do so after a few days. Their story dribbled out over the next few years. While the Hills said that they initially remembered nothing or very little of the encounter, Betty claimed to have had vivid dreams over some time that dredged up those memories. In 1964, the Hills underwent hypnotic sessions to further retrieve their memories of their alleged encounters. While Barney’s and Betty’s stories had similarities, there were differences. Much later, an investigator noted that some of the details revealed through Barney’s hypnosis were similar to an episode of the science fiction TV series The Outer Limits that had broadcast shortly before Barney’s sessions. The Hills did not seek publicity, nor did they profit from their story, which would seem to exclude fabrication. With the dreams and hypnosis sessions, it is possible that the Hills related what they thought was a real event, but may have been imaginary.

These three examples run the gamut from someone who almost certainly lied to individuals who appeared to be sincere in their beliefs about what happened to them, albeit leaving doubts as to the reality of their claims. Still, these explanations may not be sufficient to explain all claims of alien abductions. If so, would that mean that at least a few alien abduction stories are genuine, thus proving that ETs exist? No, for there remains at least one other possibility.

RESEARCHERS HAVE CATEGORIZED SOME COMMON ELEMENTS TO MOST CLAIMS OF ALIEN ABDUCTION.

Researchers1 have categorized some common elements to most claims of alien abduction. We need not discuss most of these here, but there are some important common themes. Many people report meeting a god-like creature or creatures during their abductions. Often these beings communicate universal-sounding messages or warn of impending nuclear or ecological disaster if mankind does not change his way. That is, the religious message, if there is one, is of the nature of a very hip, human-centered one.

Another common element is that most people who have claimed these close encounters with aliens profess spirituality, with a belief in God. As such, there is a wide distribution of denominations and sects represented among those who have claimed alien abduction. People reporting alien abductions also report indulging in the occult and new age practices in much higher proportion than the general population. Conspicuously absent from those reporting alien abductions are those who are truly born again followers of Christ. In fact, many researchers have collected reports of alien abductions abruptly ending when abductees verbally mention the name of Jesus.

These facts are extremely pertinent. If those who report alien abductions are sincere and truthful in relaying experiences that they firmly believe occurred, then we are left with the conclusion that there is a spiritual component, and that this spirituality is contrary to the Bible. 

This is just one front in a spiritual war to divert people away from the truth of Scripture. We have already seen that the implication of the Bible is that Adam’s race is the only race of sentient, physical creatures in the universe. That is, there are no ETs to fly spaceships to Earth. But if one believes in evolution, one must accept the likelihood that life, even intelligent life, has evolved many times on other worlds. Thus, if life exists elsewhere, then that would argue against the Bible and hence the God of the Bible. So, a very effective tool in undermining the authority of the Bible and the gospel would be to convince as many people as possible that life exists elsewhere. What better way is there to do that than with flying saucers and “alien” visitations

From David Hocking HFT Connect

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE "JEWISH THREAT" TO AL-AQSA MOSQUE by Aaron Klein (Arutz Sheva News)
TEL AVIV - Perhaps the main motivating factor for the current so-called Palestinian wave of terror is the repeated Palestinian claim of a Jewish threat to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Many of the Palestinians who have carried out anti-Israel attacks first posted messages on social media regarding rumors of a pending Jewish takeover of the mosque and the associated compound, the Temple Mount.
The claims of a Jewish "threat" to the mosque were kicked into high gear by media outlets controlled by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.
Palestinian leaders have repeatedly alleged that Israel was drawing up plans to limit Muslim access to the Al Aqsa Mosque or even destroy the site.
This even though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has given numerous assurances there are no such plans and that the only times access was temporarily limited - Muslim men below the age of 40 were restricted on some days - was in direct response to Palestinian attacks against Jewish worshipers and police forces on the site.
The eye-opening documentary "The Road to Jenin" exposes the Palestinians' skill at inventing news, inflating body counts and lying on camera.
"We support those who are protecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque, those who suffer a great deal to protect Al-Aqsa," Abbas said. "We tell the Israeli government: Stay away from our holy places, the Islamic and Christian holy places. We want peace, and our hands will remain extended for peace, regardless of what is happening to us."
Abbas referenced "those who are protecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque." In actuality, what has been happening for weeks, as WND has reported, is that the radical Islamic Movement has been mobilizing Arab youth to smuggle fire bombs, pipe bombs, Molotov cocktails and stones onto the Temple Mount to attack Jews ascending the site.
The youth themselves have used the Al-Aqsa Mosque as a staging base to attack Jews, drawing Israeli police forces close to the sensitive mosque compound and thus fueling the cycle of rumors of Israeli incursions into the mosque.
The Israeli police have been careful not to enter the mosque itself, even though the Palestinian instigators base their militant operations inside the site.
Look whose access is really limited!
The Palestinian claim of Israeli plans to restrict Muslims from the Temple Mount is contrasted with the facts on the ground. Jews and Christians are actually barred from the mount during most hours of the day and are never allowed to pray at the site or carry holy objects.
Those rules, enforced by the Israeli police, are imposed by the real custodians of the Temple Mount, the Waqf, which is controlled jointly by the Palestinians and the Jordanians.
The Temple Mount was opened to the public until September 2000, when the Palestinians started their intifada, or "uprising," by throwing stones at Jewish worshipers after then-candidate for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the area.
After the onset of violence, the new Sharon government closed the Temple Mount to non-Muslims, using checkpoints to control all pedestrian traffic for fear of further clashes with the Palestinians.
The Temple Mount was reopened to non-Muslims in August 2003.
It since has been open to non-Muslims only during certain hours, and not on any Christian, Jewish or Muslim holidays or other days considered "sensitive" by the Waqf.
During "open" days, Jews and Christians are allowed to ascend the mount, usually through organized tours and only if they conform first to a strict set of guidelines, which include demands that they not pray or bring any "holy objects" to the site.
Visitors are banned from entering any of the mosques without direct Waqf permission. Rules are enforced by Waqf agents, who watch tours closely and alert nearby Israeli police to any breaking of their guidelines.
Destroy Al-Aqsa?
The Palestinian claim that Israel is trying to destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque is farcical, especially when it's being propagated by the same PA that has itself been caught on several occasions trying to destroy Jewish Temple-era antiquities on the mount. In 1997, the Waqf conducted a large dig on the Temple Mount during construction of a massive mosque at an area referred to as Solomon's Stables. The Wafq at the time disposed truckloads of dirt containing Jewish artifacts from the First and Second Temple periods.
After media reported on the disposals, Israeli authorities froze the construction permit given to the Wafq, and the dirt was transferred to Israeli archaeologists for analysis. The Israeli authorities found scores of Jewish Temple relics in the nearly disposed dirt, including coins with Hebrew writing referencing the Temple, part of a Hasmonean lamp, several other Second Temple lamps, Temple-period pottery with Jewish markings, a marble pillar shaft and other Temple-period artifacts.
The Waqf was widely accused of attempting to hide evidence of the existence of the Jewish Temples.
And in 2007, WND reported from the site when Islamic authorities using heavy machinery to dig on the Temple Mount were caught red-handed again destroying Temple-era antiquities and what some believed could have been a section of an outer wall of the Second Jewish Temple.
Temples 'never existed'?
Most Palestinian leaders routinely deny well-documented Jewish ties to the Temple Mount.
Speaking to WND in a 2007 interview, Waqf official and chief Palestinian Justice Taysir Tamimi claimed the Jewish Temples "never existed."
"About these so-called two Temples, they never existed, certainly not at the Haram Al- Sharif (Temple Mount)," said Tamimi, who is considered the second most important Palestinian cleric after Muhammad Hussein, the grand mufti of Jerusalem.
"Israel started since 1967 making archaeological digs to show Jewish signs to prove the relationship between Judaism and the city, and they found nothing. There is no Jewish connection to Israel before the Jews invaded in the 1880s," said Tamimi. The Palestinian cleric denied the validity of dozens of digs verified by experts worldwide revealing Jewish artifacts from the First and Second Temples, tunnels that snake under the Temple Mount and more than 100 ritual immersion pools believed to have been used by Jewish priests to cleanse themselves before services. The cleansing process is detailed in the Torah.
Asked about the Western Wall, Tamimi said the structure was a tying post for Muhammad's horse and that it is part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, even though the wall predates the mosque by more than 1,000 years.
"The Western wall is the western wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It's where Prophet Muhammad tied his animal which took him from Mecca to Jerusalem to receive the revelations of Allah."
The Palestinian media also regularly state the Jewish Temples never existed.
Judaism's holiest site
The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism. Muslims now claim it is their third holiest site, although their stake changed several times throughout history.
The First Temple was built by King Solomon in the 10th century B.C. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The Second Temple was rebuilt in 515 B.C. after Jerusalem was freed from Babylonian captivity. That temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in A.D. 70. Each temple stood for about four centuries.
According to the Talmud, the world was created from the foundation stone of the Temple Mount. It's believed to be the biblical Mount Moriah, where Abraham fulfilled God's test of his
The Temple Mount has remained a focal point for Jewish services for thousands of years. Prayers for a return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple have been uttered by Jews since the Second Temple was destroyed, according to Jewish tradition.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque was constructed in about A.D. 709 to serve as a shrine near another shrine, the Dome of the Rock, which was built by an Islamic caliph. Al-Aqsa was meant to mark what Muslims came to believe was the place at which Muhammad, the founder of Islam, ascended to heaven to receive revelations from Allah.
Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Quran. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible 656 times.
Islamic tradition states Muhammad took a journey in a single night on a horse from "a sacred mosque" - believed to be in Mecca in southern Saudi Arabia - to "the farthest mosque." From a rock there, according to the tradition, he ascended to heaven. The farthest mosque became associated with Jerusalem about 120 years ago.
According to research by Israeli author Shmuel Berkovits, Islam historically disregarded Jerusalem as being holy. Berkovits points out in his book "How Dreadful Is This Place!" that Muhammad was said to loathe Jerusalem and what it stood for. He wrote that Muhammad made a point of eliminating pagan sites of worship and sanctifying only one place - the Kaaba in Mecca - to signify there is only one deity.
As late as the 14th century, Islamic scholar Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya, whose writings influenced the Wahhabi movement in Arabia, ruled that sacred Islamic sites are to be found only in the Arabian Peninsula and that "in Jerusalem, there is not a place one calls sacred, and the same holds true for the tombs of Hebron."
A guide to the Temple Mount by the Supreme Muslim Council in Jerusalem published in 1925 listed it as Jewish and as the site of Solomon's Temple. The Temple Institute acquired a copy of the official 1925 "Guide Book to Al-Haram Al-Sharif," which states on page 4: "Its identity with the site of Solomon's Temple is beyond dispute. This, too, is the spot, according to universal belief, on which David 'built there an altar unto the Lord.'
David Hocking HFT Connect