The GREAT tribulation (the last "1260 days" when Satan will be "having great wrath because he knoweth he hath but A SHORT TIME") is not the ONLY portion in which "the Church WHICH IS HIS BODY" will not be present on the earth
The full and entire "the Church WHICH IS HIS BODY" will be on the Earth during the entirety of the Great Tribulation. Some will die, and those that remain alive at the second coming will be raptured. That's` the only scenario found in scripture.
The church is never removed from the Earth and taken to Heaven. In fact Christ, the saints, the angels, new Jerusalem and eventually even God the Father himself will leave heaven to be upon the Earth with the Church. Claiming the church is removed to heaven before the Great Tribulation goes against everything we scripturally know about the future.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 Thessalonians 2:2
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Do not be confused about the return of Christ or OUR gathering to Him (the rapture), that it can happen at any moment because it will NOT happen at any moment. Paul is speaking about the Church and when Christ comes for her.
The doctrine of the pre-trib rapture states that Christ can secretly return at "any moment" yet Paul is clear to rebuke that doctrine saying not to believe anyone who claims that.
"nor by letter as from us"
Paul mentions even a former letter of his, because of a confusing statement he made concerning Christs return, the very verses that today's pre-tribbers use errantly:
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that
the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Paul said it was misunderstood then, and it is still being misunderstood to this very day. Pauls second letter to the Thessalonians was meant to clear up any confusion which apparently was not successful.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Don't let anyone, even a fellow Christian deceive you otherwise! Christ's return SHALL NOT COME until the Apostasy happens FIRST. The Apostasy is when Christians stop worshipping Christ and start worshipping the antichrist. Christ will not return until that terrible thing happens, and not until the man of sin is revealed.
Paul speaks of a single return of Christ, not a two stage return. Again, Paul writes "Let no man deceive you by any means" so be sure that no man does.
Luke 21:36
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Not a literal escape as in leaving bodily...we can "escape" the delusion and deception by having the truth in us.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
To bear it means to endure it!
The escape is NOT to literally be taken away...but God makes a way for you to BEAR the burden of temptation and deal with it, thereby overcoming and escaping it.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
We only escape the "temptation" of that hour...we don't escape the earth or any such thing.
Did Christ run and hide when satan tempted him for 40 days? Was Christ raptured out or did Christ face satan and escape the temptations satan brought forth? He escaped unharmed by enduring and bearing the temptation period! So will we!
1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
We arent going to literally escape the tribulation or this trial but we are meant to endure it.
2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
That gathering is what is called the rapture, when Christ comes for the "church" and gathers them up. Paul is BESEECHING you to listen to him.
2 Thessalonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
He says NOT to be "shaken in mind" or confused, or troubled at all about it, that it is "at hand", not even letting a letter from Paul himself (the 1st letter to the Thess.) confuse you as to when the "rapture" happens.
To be "at hand" means at any time it could happen. Do not be confused that the rapture can happen anytime soon or at "any moment", because there are two things that have to happen first BEFORE the "rapture" happens. The first thing is the Apostasy, which is the tribulation period when the AC is worshipped by Christians and the whole world. The second thing that must happen is that the Ac must be revealed as having been that "man of sin" who we know is satan. The world must be made to understand that the AC had really been satan all along BEFORE the "rapture" happens.
Mark 13:24 But in those days, **after that tribulation**, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
Mark 13:25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
Mark 13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall **gather together his elect** from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
This is why Christ spoke of the "rapture" of the elect as happening "after that tribulation".