because of prophecies in the OT and the New Testament, I am convinced the Rapture is imminent, even at the door. The three passages usually used to teach on the Tribulation period are Matthew 24, mark 13, and Luke 21. Luke wrote to Gentiles. It is interesting that Luke's account has none of the Great Tribulation in it, so I can see how some put the snatching away, the calling out of the Bride, the Removal of The Body of Christ hallmarked by God's Holy Spirit indwelling believers, they put it in the Tribulation but before the wrath of God is rained down upon the Earth. But this is a narrow view, based perhaps in the notion that The Church in America, the Laodicean church image of neither hot nor cold, that such an image is world-wide. It is not. The growth of The Church is rocketing in some places, while fear of the Lord is waning in America.
Though no one knows the moment/minute.hour of the calling away, the signs are well noted for the Tribulation. Faniel chapter nine and following delineate the signs to mark the seventieth week. we know that there has been a pause between Daniel's sixty-ninth week and the start of the seventieth week, and it has lasted almost 2000 years thus far. Prophecy in the Bible tells us the seventieth week starts with the signing of a seven year pact by Israel for 'peace and safety'. what causes Isarel to do this is the 64,000 dollar question. BUT, that event has got to be very close, based on prophecies being fulfilled as we write! So, the restrainer is taken out before the man of sin strides upon the scene.
There is also a vision from Elijah to a German Rabbi named Judah ben Samuel which appears to indicate the contract signing year is 2017.
You might note that Jesus told His disciples that when He goes He will send a comforter to them, the Holy Spirit. For some reason this indwelling was not going to happen while Jesus was physically with humanity on Earth. Before He returns to Earth, this indwelling presence of The Holy SPirit will be taken away, hence the Church, The Body of Christ will be taken way before Christ returns to set foot on the Earth.
If we are Raptured during the Tribulation, it's like saying to your new bride that you will take her for a snack after you watch her get mugged. Our Salvation is by His Grace, alone. Not by our faithfulness to the Gift nor by our works we might do. His Spirit seals the professor in Christ unto the day of redemption. The Bride is about to be redeemed, and that redemption is based SOLELY on the Power and Promise of God. Jesus will lose not one who confesses Him, and God's hand is cupped over the hand of Jesus, so there is nothing that can snatch the Saved from the promised salvation in The Grace of God in Christ. Salvation is based on God's Promise to those who faithe (the verb form) in Christ.
The catching away of the Bride from the coming Tribulation precludes The Church, the true Church, being here during WWIII, because the weaponry used in that war will be so insidious and to threaten those seal in Christ if that were allowed. God will Rapture His Church for His Son's sake ... it is His blood which has purchased us.
If you read EZE 36-39 you will get a picture of GOD’s destruction of GOG and MAGOG (the evil spirits on the earth today). That event takes place in Israel - in the Valley of Megiddo. On top of Mt. Carmel (adjacent to that valley) there is a TV station that America helped to build. That TV station will be filming the events of Eze 38-39, when whole armies will be wiped out in a flash.
Therefore, that event will take place BEFORE the catching away of the Believers .. because the Eze event is really to usher in the Final Harvest .. prior to the catching away. God wants to take as many as HE can to Heaven with HIM.
Those believers who are caught away will be returning with Jesus from Heaven - to usher in Armageddon (the final battle).
The end time events are easy to understand. They’re not just because God wanted something to do .. they have their purpose and they will happen.