My view on the Rapture ---
The Rapture of the Church is a very difficult subject to pin point straight on -----many Christians don't believe in such a process was ever in Scripture as the word Rapture is not in the Scriptures ---Many Christians believe that some Scripture talks about a Rapture of the Church ----Many argue about when this Rapture happens --some say before the tribulation ---some say The middle of the tribulation and some say the end of the tribulation ----So there is a lot to deal with when it comes to figuring out if there is or is not a Rapture of the Church and when it happens ----
I truly believe that the catching up of the Church is in the Scriptures and that they seems to say it will happen Pre-tribulation ---- We can't just pick 1 or 2 Scriptures and make a doctrine out of it ----when considering Scripture Context is everything and Scripture will always answer Scripture ----
There were 2 previous catching up or Raptures of God's people -----Enoch was one ----Hebrews 11 is all about the Faith of God;s People in the Old Testament -----and Enoch is mentioned in that Book ----
Hebrews 11 ESV
Faith
11 Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. 2 God was pleased with the people who lived a long time ago because they had faith like this.
3 Faith helps us understand that God created the whole world by his command. This means that the things we see were made by something that cannot be seen.
5
Enoch was carried away from this earth, so he never died. The Scriptures tell us that before he was carried off, he was a man who pleased God. Later, no one knew where he was, because
God had taken Enoch to be with him. This all happened because he had faith.
6 Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.
Elijah is the other -----2 Kings 2 talks about Elijah ---ESV
--
The Lord Takes Elijah Into Heaven
11 Elijah and Elisha were walking and talking together.
Suddenly, some horses and a chariot came and separated Elijah from Elisha. The horses and the chariot were like fire. Then Elijah was carried up into heaven in a whirlwind.
12 Elisha saw it, and shouted, “My father! My father! The chariot of Israel and his horses![
b]”
Elisha never saw Elijah again. Elisha grabbed his own clothes and tore them in two to show his sadness.
13 Elijah’s coat had fallen to the ground, so Elisha picked it up. He went back and stood at the edge of the Jordan River. 14 He hit the water and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Just as Elisha hit the water, the water separated to the right and to the left! Then Elisha crossed the river.
So we see both these people were caught up alive or Raptured ---and we also see with Elijah that he shed his cloak so he shed His clothes as he was Changed from the Physical to the Spiritual ----
Some Scholars say there was 3 Raptures as they count Jesus ---who ascended into heaven
Acts 1 NIV
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
So the catching away of the God's faithful is definitely in Scripture -----
I say -----Now as to the when for the Church -----well if one really thinks things through and researches Scripture we might see the When ----1 Thessalonians 4 CEB first talks about how we should live to please God ----the second part says ----
Believers who have died
13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about people who have died[
d] so that you won’t mourn like others who don’t have any hope.
14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose, so we also believe that God will bring with him those who have died in Jesus.
15 What we are saying is a message from the Lord:
we who are alive and still around at the Lord’s coming definitely won’t go ahead of those who have died.
16 This is because the Lord himself will come down from heaven with the signal of a shout by the head angel and a blast on God’s trumpet.
First, those who are dead in Christ will rise.
17 Then,
we who are living and still around will be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet with the Lord in the air. That way we will always be with the Lord. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
I say -----So we see that the Dead Saints will be resurrected first and then all Believers will be taken up together to meet Jesus in the air ---so when do we think this happens ------
In - 1 Thessalonians 5 CEB ----this is about the coming of Jesus -----see verse 9
The Lord’s coming
5 We don’t need to write to you about the timing and dates, brothers and sisters. 2 You know very well that the day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. 3 When they are saying, “There is peace and security,” at that time sudden destruction will attack them, like labor pains start with a pregnant woman, and they definitely won’t escape. 4 But you aren’t in darkness, brothers and sisters, so the day won’t catch you by surprise like a thief. 5 All of you are children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to night or darkness. 6 So then, let’s not sleep like the others, but let’s stay awake and stay sober. 7 People who sleep sleep at night, and people who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 Since we belong to the day, let’s stay sober, wearing faithfulness and love as a piece of armor that protects our body[
a] and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
9 God didn’t intend for us to suffer his wrath but rather to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10 Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him. 11 So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.
And in Revelations 3 Jesus talks to the Church
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
So i say ---this says to me that the Catching Up or the Rapture happens Pre--Tribulation ----it would make no sense for Jesus to say in Revelations 3:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5 that He is promising to keep believers free from wrath and then leave believers here on earth to go through the Tribulation which is 7 years ----
The Tribulation is for unbelievers and after the First part of the Tribulation which is 3 and one half years Jesus comes back to separate the Sheep and the Goats not to Rapture the church ----and then He comes back at the end of the last 3 and one half years to battle Satan and so there would be no time for the rapture of the Church at that time