The rapture should not be confused with the appearing of Christ. Although the Lord comes out of heaven on both occasions, the rapture and the appearing of Christ are distinctly different. The rapture is when the Lord comes for His saints (John 14:2, 3.) At the appearing of Christ, He comes with His saints which were taken to glory at the rapture (Jude 14; Zech. 14:5.) The rapture could take place at any moment; the appearing of Christ will not happen until about seven years after the rapture.
The Lord comes secretly at the rapture, in a twinkling of an eye, whereas at His appearing He comes publicly and every eye shall see Him (1 Cor. 15:52 and Rev. 1:7.) In 1 Thess. 1:10, He comes to deliver the Church, but at His appearing He comes to deliver Israel as in Psa. 6:1-4. He comes in the air for His Church at the rapture because they are His heavenly people (1 Thess. 4:15-18.) At His appearing He comes back to the earth, the Mount of Olives, for Israel because they are His earthly people (Zech. 14:4, 5.)
At the rapture the Lord gathers His saints Himself, but He sends His angels to gather the elect of Israel at His appearing (1 Thess. 4:15-18; 2 Thess. 2:1 and Matt. 24:30, 31.) He takes the believers out of this world and leaves the wicked behind at the rapture (John 14:2, 3.) At His appearing the wicked are taken out of the world for judgment and the believers are left to enjoy blessing on the earth. The believers are those who have been converted through the gospel of the kingdom that will be preached during the tribulation (Matt. 13:41-43). At the rapture Christ comes to deliver His saints, or the Church, from the wrath to come, but at His appearing He comes to deliver the wrath. (1 Thess. 1:10 and Rev. 19:15)
Christ comes as the Bridegroom at the rapture to receive His bride, the Church, and at His appearing He comes as the Son of Man in judgment upon His rejecters (Matt. 25:6, 10 and 24:27, 28.) At the rapture He comes as the "morning star" which rises just prior to daybreak (Rev. 22:16.) At His appearing He comes as the "Sun of Righteousness," which is daybreak (Mal. 4:2.) At the rapture He comes without any signs because the Christian walks by faith and not by sight. However, at the appearing His coming will be surrounded by signs because the Jews seek a sign. In Scripture, the rapture is never referred to as a "thief in the night." The Lord's coming as a "thief in the night" is the appearing of Christ.
B. Anstey