How is He coming as a thief in the midst of the Tribulation. It would be just the opposite. That’s like a San Jose merchant being surprised that a thief stole from his store during the anti-Trump demonstration. No surprise at all.
After the security agreement is signed insuring peace to Israel, one can count the years and days. No surprise there either.
The Day of the Lord (ie Daniel’s 70th Week) will be so cataclysmic that it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Lord is about to come. However, Daniel is so precise that we can know the exact day when the Tribulation ends.
I don’t see how a mid-Trib or pre-wrath rapture is a surprise to anyone.
A thief comes to take. In John 14 the LJC promised to return and take the believing church to where He had been preparing a home for us. He will take us from the hour which will try the whole earth.
Seems plain enough? Unless there is more than one "last day".
I urge you to read Rev 16:12-15 for the timing of the "thief in the night". It's plain enough, when read in it's context, San Jose merchants notwithstanding. It is perilous use cute analogies to explain away the plain, obvious reading of scripture, lest one be guilty of adding to or taking away from the words of prophecy.
Don't you find it odd that Matt 24 nor all of Revelation has no mention whatsoever of a pre-trib rapture? And every rapture passage that has timing cues has it at the end? (last trump, last day, immediately after, etc.)