Hi dan,
Well, if you're interested in reading a book that I think is fairly complete and concise as regards the timing of the rapture, I'd suggest you look at '
The Sign' by Robert Van Kampen. He does a fairly exhaustive discussion of the many references in the Scriptures regarding it. Some people have said that he's a quack, but then we must remember that most people thought that John the Baptist was some quack out in the wilderness in his day. Especially before Jesus came to verify his ministry. I'm not recommending his writings to supplant the Scriptures, but on this subject, he makes a lot of sense and he has, as I say, done a fairly exhaustive study on the subject of the timing of the rapture.
As I wrote previously, the '
Left Behind' series was very popular among the christian community. But I really don't believe the chronology is correct that Jesus is going to rapture a group of people from the earth, then allow some period of time for some world strife to continue in which others will come to know the Lord, and then, somehow at some time, come back to get them before God looses His wrath upon the unrighteous.
The Scriptures tell us that we are not destined for God's wrath. We are not children of God's wrath. But the days of great tribulation are not the same as the days of God's wrath. The great tribulation is brought on by wicked men against the whole world and especially against the children of God. They are days, as Jesus described, that will be like none other that has ever been experienced before upon the earth nor will ever be again. but, unlike some others, I don't find the assurance that they seem to have found that believers living in those days, won't go through those days. God speaks of the elect who apparently would fall, if God had not cut short those days. How can that be, if the elect aren't even there?
Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with my understanding and all the proofs that I find meaningful on the subject. If you're interested, look into the book.
https://www.amazon.com/Sign-Third-Revised-Robert-Kampen/dp/1581342322 Of course you may want to get a used copy as a new one is rather pricey. I found some used ones for under $5, but there is a shipping fee. I believe that it is worth noting, to address those who say the author's a quack, that it is published by a christian book publisher.
God bless,
In Christ, ted