You are right the word "Rapture" is not mentioned in the bible. The word "Caught Up" is. Scripture of this is quoted in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
With the tribualtion, I may not be 100% correct but this is what I understand the scripture to mean. The tribulation will last 7 years. How tribulation starts is when the the Anti-Christ comes into power through peace offerings to the nations. Now as long as the Holy Ghost is here on earth then the Anti-Christ can't come into full power. The scripture says that after 3 1/2 years that peace will stop and the Anti-Christ will then demand for a one world order and that all man should take the number (666) of the beast or they can not buy,sell,or trade. Therefore I think that for the first 3 1/2 years christians will go through the tribulations. But once the christians are "caught up" then the Holy Ghost will be also, therefore then the Anti-Christ can step in cause there will be so much chaos around the world over this event and he will have full power with the beast. I don't think that the Anti-Christ can come into such power as with the tribulation as long as the Holy Ghost and the children of God are still here on earth.
I hope that makes sense, I need to read more on these scriptures myself. As bad as the world may seem right now with sickness,disease and famine it will be so much worse in the end times"the tribulation". If the Anti-Christ could come into full power right now he would, that is what he wants and has been waiting for, full control. But he can't and I believe it is because of God and the Holy Ghost is still trying to win the lost. But when the last lost soul is converted and only God knows when and who then the trials and tribulations will start.



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