Consider a few points (which I've made in past posts):
--how that (I believe) Paul is a "TYPE" of "the 144,000" (who will come to faith
FOLLOWING our Departure/Rapture IN THE AIR), [there are studies out there showing the numerous connections/parallels], but look what he said here and
PONDER HIS CONVERSION and early yrs as a believer (per Gal1, quoted below), which in
another passage said
"SUDDENLY there shown around him A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN":
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen;
immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17
Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me;
but I went into Arabia [how long was that?], and returned again unto Damascus.
18
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him
fifteen days.
19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22
And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only,
That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.
Remember, it is not as though... for example, if "our Rapture" took place TODAY... that
TOMORROW every single person left on the earth will ALL OF A SUDDEN have
COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN
EVERYTHING that the Christians/believers/Church-which-is-His-body has already been saying throughout its existence while here (until just the day previous, when they
exited/departed out of here)! and that all Bibles suddenly vanished along with us. No.
Keep in mind what I said about the believing remnant of Israel (that our Rapture will be a PRIMARY IMPETUS that turns them TO HIM)... and many of those, like Paul, know the OT scriptures well (they just, presently, MISS HIM in it!... but not THEN!)
Plus, I've pointed out how
Paul (in 2Th1 & 2) is covering the TWO distinct [/opposite] reactions/responses/"BELIEFS" ppl will come to embrace FOLLOWING our Rapture (that is, when they find themselves existing on the earth
FOLLOWING that point in time [whether they recognize it or not, for what it is])... where he uses the terms [
on either end of the book-ended passage]
"the Day of the Lord [time-period]" and "IN THAT DAY" (which phrases I've pointed out in past posts
always refer to the SAME TIME-PERIOD,
when they are used in the same CONTEXTS, as elsewhere in Scripture--and it holds true here as well--Note again that that time-period ARRIVES as the INITIAL "birth PANG [
SINGULAR; 1Th5:2-3]," but many MORE "BP
s [
PLURAL]" follow on from that INTIAL "birth PANG [SINGULAR]"... this is how "birth PANGS" work!)
Yeah, the passage [/context] I just referred to where Paul is telling of the TWO OPPOSITE "beliefs" ppl will come to (IN/DURING/WITHIN the trib years... FOLLOWING our "Rapture/Departure")... ditto the above paragraph I put (not to mention what I'd put in past posts, that Matt24 is not covering the Subject of our Rapture AT ALL, but what FOLLOWS it... and leads up to His "RETURN"
to the earth [Rev19])
That's all I'm going to put ATM, so as to not get too lengthy here (tho I could!
)