https://whatsaiththescripture.com/Prophecy/Harpazo.html
Without debating the timing of the Rapture, the subjects of the Rapture, or the number of Raptures... the Scripture is unequivocal about the concept of the Rapture. “16 For the LORD Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [Greek, harpazo] together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD” (1Thessalonians 4:16-17). This reference to the Resurrection of the Just is found in conjunction with a definite Rapture event. In addition to this reference, the Apostle Paul mentions his experience of being “caught up [Greek, harpazo] into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2Corinthians 12:4), using the word “harpazo” twice (12:2, 4). Also, “harpazo” is translated “caught up” in the Revelation, when describing the Ascension of the LORD Jesus Christ back into Heaven after His Resurrection. “And she brought forth a Man Child, Who was to rule all nations with a Rod of Iron: and her Child was caught up [Greek, harpazo] unto God, and to His Throne” (Revelation 12:5).
Harpazo: A Word Study
In addition to the four times that “harpazo” is translated as “caught up” (in the King James Version), there are nine other verses in which the Greek word “harpazo” is found in the New Testament. The LORD Jesus used “harpazo” to describe the ministry of John the Baptist. Even while in prison, Jesus compared the ministry of John the Baptist as godly “violence”, and John as “violent” with his ministry of “force”. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force [Greek, harpazo]” (Matthew 11:12). Seizing something by force is part of the meaning of “harpazo”. It does mean that the LORD will forcibly take His people Home, whether they know, have been taught, understand, or even honestly-but-ignorantly disagree with the Rapture concept. “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).
In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23), the LORD described the Seed, which is the “Word of the Kingdom” (13:19), i.e., the Word of God, falling into four kinds of ground:
(1) the evangelized-but-lost world: “by the way side” (13:4), which are those who “heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it not” (13:19),
(2) those who confess to any kind of Christianity: “stony places” (13:5), which “dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended” (13:21),
(3) the even better taught, but still not saved professedly Evangelical Christians: “among thorns” (13:7), but the “thorns sprung up, and choked them” (13:7), and
(4) the True Saints: “good ground” (13:8), who “brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold” (13:8).
Describing the vast majority who “heareth the Word of the Kingdom, and understandeth it not” (13:19), Satan “catcheth away [Greek, harpazo] that which was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19). The events surrounding the Rapture are by stealth to the ungodly, i.e., the “Day of the LORD so cometh as a thief in the night” (1Thessalonians 5:2), but not to the Godly. “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief” (5:4).
“Harpazo” is used to describe the great multitudes of people who were ready to “come and take Him [Jesus] by force [Greek, harpazo], to make Him a king” (John 6:15). Though they had the base design of wanting to force Jesus to be their benefactor for selfish reasons, it does remind us that the LORD will take His own by force for His own pleasure. “Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). It is the pleasure of our King to rapture His people, that “where [King Jesus is], there ye may be also” (John 14:3).
The Good Shepherd teaches us that He cares for us as His sheep. “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Compare the LORD Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd to the Antichrist as an “hireling” (10:12). “But he that is an hireling [Antichrist], and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf [Satan] coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth [Greek, harpazo] them, and scattereth the sheep” (10:12). Again, Satan will catch those who “received not the love of the Truth” (2Thessalonians 2:10), and these will “be damned who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2:12).
Continuing with His analogy of Shepherd and sheep, Jesus assures us that no one is capable of seizing us by force out of His hand. “28 And I give unto them Eternal Life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck [Greek, harpazo] them out of My hand. 29 My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck [Greek, harpazo] them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). In this instance, it is with great relief that we are not snatched away— by Satan. “The Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
Philip the Evangelist was directed by the angel of the LORD to go to Gaza. He met an Ethiopian, who was a chief officer of Queen Candace, reading Isaiah 53. “6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:6-7). Expounding these Scriptures concerning Jesus the Messiah, the Ethiopian eunuch believed, and was baptized. “And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD caught away [Greek, harpazo] Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). In this instance, Philip was caught away to other earthly employments. About twenty years later, the Apostle Paul stayed over at Philip’s house in Caesarea (21:8). But, to be caught away by the LORD means to be repositioned for higher service— Earthly or Heavenly.
When Brother Paul was seized by the Romans in Jerusalem, he had an audience before the Sanhedrin of the Jews. There he attempted to make a defense of the LORD, as well as himself. “And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23:1). They demonstrated that they were in no mood to listen by ordering him to be struck on the mouth, i.e., “And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth” (23:2). Paul, then, acted as the LORD Jesus taught. “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). He divided the Sadducees from the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin by bringing up an issue on which the two disagreed, i.e., “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question” (23:6). The resulting division between the Pharisees and Sadducees, allowed him to be extracted by the chief captain of the Romans. “And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force [Greek, harpazo] from among them, and to bring him into the castle” (Acts 23:10). In the same way, the LORD will rapture us with a strong arm from our enemies. “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His Tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a Rock” (Psalm 27:5).
The Epistle of Jude offers us a final glimpse at this Greek word “harpazo”. “And others save with fear, pulling [Greek, harpazo] them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 23). An emergency rescue worker pulls people out of the fire, while attempting to keep himself from also being injured. Christians have the same ministry, but towards those who are spiritually lost. “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). This depicts to us a ministry that pulls sinners from the error of their sins. “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). But, it also recognizes the great danger of the rescuer to be harmed by the contagion of the sinner’s sin, as well as the “sin which doth so easily beset us” (Hebrews 12:1). “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1Corinthians 9:27). So, the LORD has a “mighty arm: strong is [His] hand, and high is [His] right hand” (Psalm 89:13) to pull [harpazo] us out of this world with the strength of Omnipotence.
Let's be specific - the normal usage of "rapture" is for a pre-Tribulation rapture and linked to the dispensationalist idea of two covenants in the new testament - a different one for the pharisee-jews and a different one for the jesus-movement-jews.
, in verse 17, Paul says that “…we who are alive, who are left,” shall be caught up. Remember that…those who are “left” get caught up to meet the Lord.
Jesus’ coming is being compared to the days of Noah and the days of Lot. After the flood, who was left? Noah and his family
There is a bodily assumption into heaven of all the faithful, both living and dead, at Jesus' second and final coming and judgement.
And yet the fact is that the promises made in the OT were fulfilled after the babylonian exile.
Daniel talks of the rebuilding of the temple happened. Daniel talks of the 4th kingdom - the empire of Roma to be shattered and taken over by the mountain that is Christianity spread all over the known world. Christianity is the new Israel - comprised of all the Jewish people who were Jesus-movement Jews - the majority in the 1st century, especially after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD
Jesus established His spiritual Kingdom 2000 years ago -- Luke 17:20-21And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come? he answered them, and said: The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
[21] Neither shall they say: Behold here, or behold there. For lo, the kingdom of God is within you>
Remember that the book of Revelation is a book with symbols like 1000 (10x10x10) as not literally meaning a millenium. Ditto for the 144,000 (12x12 x 10 x 10 x 10)
Finally, the final coming will not be a secret rapture. 1 Thes 4:13-17 is another favourite secret rapture verse: “the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.” There will be nothing secret about Jesus’ second coming.