The words used in the passage could help you out:
harpázō
Thayer's Definition
- to seize, carry off by force
- to seize on, claim for one's self eagerly
- to snatch out or away
Strong's Definition
From a derivative of
G138; to seize (in various applications): - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Clouds=nephélē, the same word used for the cloud that led the Israelites in the wilderness. Strong's defines the word as "properly
cloudiness" which would be more like a fog.
(Ultra-Modern versions might say we meet him in a cloud chat room.)
Meet Him in the air=aḗr "From ἄημι aēmi (to
breathe unconsciously, that is,
respire; by analogy to
blow) Compare
G5594 : psýchō --forced respiration, to wax cold
Matthew 24:22-29
Unless those days had been cut short no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED... "31 And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
Here it says the tribulation precedes Jesus' return, but it said sky, not land.
As with most of scriptures, I think the gaps in information are intentional -- they lead us to find out more. God wants us continually seeking and finding, knocking and asking. Once we think we know everything, we give up and sit back in our easy chairs, acting like we know it all.
Another thing to consider -- were there other people in the Bible who were said to have been caught up?
Enoch was escorted to the galaxy realm, and shown how things looked out there.
Ezekiel 1:4 describes a rushing wind from a craft.
Ezekiel 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: So the spirit (word also means wind)
took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.
(Like a cloud)
The rapture might look different than a billion people floating up in the air at once.
A Youtube ministry posted a dream about the rapture, where they were confused that they saw a sleigh. They seemed to feel comforted by this more controlled mode of exit -- a vehicle of transport arriving to pick him up, instead of leaving him out on his own to fly to who-knows-where.
Just some things to think about. There is so little information on it, it's hard to know what to believe -- but God likes us to be ready for strange things, so prophecies help us out with events that would throw us for a loop.
God is good -- just not always doing what we expect He will.