The Hal Lindsay books and John Darby pre-trib rapture tradition is just as ludicrous as the amil position. Pre-mil does not mean all of them are on the pre-trib rapture theory that began from Darby in 1830's Britain.
Proof #1: Revelation 19:11-21 doesn't mention a resurrection.
The catching away is a resurrection of those "in Christ" (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Isn't it a little bit odd that in Rev. 19:11-21, which is the clearest picture of the second coming of Christ, there is no mention of a resurrection? The catching away will be the biggest event since the resurrection of Jesus where hundreds of millions of Christians will be resurrected and translated, yet there isn't any mention here. Don't you think it deserves at least one verse? The catching away isn't mentioned because it doesn't happen at the second coming.
Proof #2: Zechariah 14:1-15 doesn't mention a resurrection.
This is an Old Testament picture of Jesus returning to earth at the second coming. Again, no mention of a resurrection.
Proof #3: Two different pictures are painted.
In the Old Testament, there were two different pictures painted of the Messiah-one suffering (Isa. 53:2-10, Ps. 22:6-8, 11-18) and one reigning as King (Ps. 2:6-12, Zech. 14:9,16). As we look back on these scriptures, we see they predicted two separate comings of the Messiah-the 1st coming as a suffering Messiah and the 2nd coming (still future) as a reigning King.
In the New Testament, we have another picture added. Again, we have two pictures painted which don't look the same. These two different descriptions of Jesus' coming point to two separate events we call "the resurrection and catching away" and "the second coming."
Proof #4: The Known Day and the Unknown Day
Concerning the return of Jesus, the Bible presents a day we can't know and a day we can know. Matthew 25:13 says Jesus will return at an unknown time, while Revelation 12:6 says the Jews will have to wait 1,260 days for the Lord to return. The 1,260 days begins when the Antichrist stands in the Temple and declares himself to be God (Matt. 24:15-21, 2 Thess. 2:4) This event will take place at the mid-point of the seven year Tribulation (Dan 9:27). The Antichrist has authority to rule for 42 months, which is 1,260 days (Rev. 13:4) and will be destroyed by Jesus at His second coming (Rev. 19:20, 2 Thess. 2:8). The known and unknown days must happen at different times, meaning they are two separate events.
Proof #5: A door open in heaven (Revelation 4:1)
The door in heaven is opened to let John into heaven. I believe John's call into heaven is prophetic of the church being caught up (see proof #6). In Revelation 19:11, heaven is opened again, this time to let the armies which are already in heaven out. This is the Church, which has been raptured at a previous time, following Jesus out of heaven at the second coming. Also, I believe that the "trumpet call of God" in 1 Thes.4:16 is synonymous with "that voice that sounds like a trumpet, which says 'come up here' " in Rev.4:1
Proof #6: "Come up here." (Revelation 4:1)
A voice called for the apostle John to "Come up here," and immediately he was in heaven. This could be a prophetic reference to the catching away of the Church. The words "Come up here" are spoken to the two witnesses who are killed in the middle of the Tribulation, who are resurrected and ascend into heaven (Rev. 11:12). Therefore, the phrase "Come up here" could mean the church is caught up in Rev. 4:1. The word "church" is mentioned 22 times in Rev. 1-3, but is not mentioned again until Rev. 22:17 which is outside of the narrative.
Proof #7: The 24 elders have their crowns.
After John is called up into heaven, he sees the 24 elders with their crowns (Rev. 4:4-10). We know that Christians will receive their rewards (crowns) when we are caught up (2 Tim. 4:8, 1 Pet. 5:4). We will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14). The elders couldn't receive their crowns unless the resurrection and catching away has taken place.
Proof #8 Holy ones are already with Jesus in heaven (Zech. 14:5, Rev. 19:14)
The armies in heaven riding on white horses and clothed in fine linen, follow Jesus out of heaven at His second coming (Rev. 19:14, Zech. 14:5, Col. 3:4). These are not angels because Rev. 19:7-8 has the bride receiving her fine linen just before her descent with the Lord. Also, in Rev.17:14, those who return with him from heaven are identified as his "called, chosen and faithful followers" which would not be a proper designation for angels, but for the redeemed. In order to come out of heaven, we must go there first, indicating a previous resurrection and catching away.
Proof #9: Kept from the hour of testing (Rev. 3:10)
Revelation 3:10 says we will be kept out of the hour of testing which will come upon the whole earth (the Tribulation). Some have wrongly believed "keep" means to be kept through, or to be protected through the Tribulation. But the words in the text are Tereo "to guard" and Ek "out of", properly, to "guard out of". He will keep us "out of" the hour of testing. It is not just the testing, but the time period. The Church will be called home before that hour of testing.
Proof #10: Angels don't resurrect people when they gather them for judgment.
When the angels are sent forth to gather the elect at the second coming (Matt. 24:29-31), some have wrongly interpreted this as the catching away. There is one huge problem with this interpretation. If we are resurrected at this time, why would we need angels to gather us? In the resurrection, Jesus said that we will be like the angels, in our glorified bodies (Matt. 22:30), able to travel in the air at will. Obviously, these people who are gathered are not resurrected, therefore it can't be referring to the catching away. No one would claim the wicked are caught up at this time, yet Matthew 13:39-41, 49 says the angels will not only gather the elect, but also the wicked. This gathering is not a resurrection, but is reference to those in their mortal bodies who will have made it though to the end that seven years, they being the wheat and the tares.
Proof #11: Both the wicked and the righteous can't be taken first.
First Thessalonians 4:13-17 says the righteous are taken and the wicked are left behind. Matthew 13:30, 49 says the wicked are taken first and righteous are left behind. This points to two separate events, the resurrection and the second coming.
Proof #12: Jesus returns from the wedding.
When Jesus returns to earth at the second coming, He will return from a wedding (Luke 12:36). At the resurrection, Jesus, the Bridegroom is married to His bride, the Church. After the wedding, He will return to earth and we with him.
Proof #13: Jesus will receive us to Himself, not us to receive Him (John 14:2-3).
Jesus said He would prepare a place for the Church in heaven, then He would come again to receive us to Himself. Why would Jesus prepare a place for us in heaven and then not take us there? At the resurrection and catching away, He will come to receive us to Himself, "that where I am (heaven), there you may be also." If the catching away occurred at the same time as the second coming, we would go up to the clouds and then immediately come back to earth. That would contradict John 14:2-3.
Proof #14: The one who restrains is taken out of the way.
In 2 Thess. 2:6-7, Paul says "the one who restrains will be taken out of the way" before the Antichrist can be revealed. We believe this refers to the catching away because the Church indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is clearly the biggest obstacle to the Antichrist becoming a world ruler.
Proof #15: The separation of the sheep and goats (Matt. 25:31-46)
If the resurrection and catching away occurred at the second coming, why would the sheep and the goats need to be separated immediately after the second coming? A catching away at the second coming would have already separated the sheep and the goats. With a Pre-Tribulation resurrection and catching away, the people saved after the church has been removed will need to be separated after the second coming. Also, notice that in Rev.20:4, only a resurrection is mentioned, but there is no mention of living believers being changed and caught up.
Proof #16: Who will populate the Millennium? If the catching away occurs at the second coming and the wicked are cast into hades at that time, who will be left to populate the millennium? Only people in their natural (non-resurrected) bodies will be able to have children (Matt. 22:30). With a Pre-Tribulation catching away, the people saved after that who are alive at the second coming will populate the earth during the Millennium.