This is about as lame an excuse as one can come up with to deny the Pre-Tribulation Rapture. So if you don't like one word which says it all, you can keep repeating "caught up together". Same difference.
Agree, quibbling over a word is silly.
The manner is the SAME as a Jewish Wedding.
A contract of Betrothal was made between the Bride’s Father and the Groom.
The Groom would prepare a home for his Bride.
The Bride would remain in her Father’s House, preparing for the Wedding.
The Prepared Bride Waits to be called.
The
Grooms Servant would precede the Groom, and Signal the Bride her Groom is coming.
The Prepared Vailed Bride would be escorted to the Grooms fathers house.
The Grooms father, would prepare a room in his house for the wedded couple.
The Grooms father, would prepare a feast supper.
The Grooms father, would receive the Guests (witnesses).
The Groom & his vailed Bride both at the Grooms fathers house....
Scripture gives the same Scenario...regardless of a single word.
A Brides Father.....Bride-the Converted; Father-God
The Contract........Brides-Father; Groom-Jesus
The Groom..........House Prepared-Earthly Kingdom-Abraham’s Promised land
The Bride............Converted-Waiting in her Father’s house, all of Earth
The Bride............Prepared-Converted-Vailed
The Servant of Groom...
Archangel...Calls Escorts Vailed Bride to House of Grooms’ Father.
The Vailed Bride.....................Goes to Groom’s Fathers House.
The Groom ..........Descends from His Fathers Kingdom to His Father’s House.
The Guests ..........Arriving.
The Father, the Groom, the Bride, Prepared Readied.
The Feast Supper...Prepared.
Father Halts proceeding....
WHY?
* OOPS....Some Guests, are NOT YET DRESSED to ARRIVE.
WHERE ARE THEY? On Earth deciding
IF they want to be a guest
OR NOT.
* OOPS....Some UNINVITED NOY appropriately DRESSED, HAVE Arrived.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM? Ejected to outer darkness.
* OOPS....Waiting on Guests...TO GET DRESSED
* OOPS....The Grooms prepared House, Kingdom, Throne...presently messy, via the ACTS of wicked men, evil spirits.
* OOPS....Waiting....
HOW LONG WAITING?
* Hours, Days, Months, Seasons, Years....
* The Coming of the Lord is one event.
* The Return of the Son of Man is another event.
1 Thes 4:
[
14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[
15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
[
16] For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[
17]
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to
meet the Lord in the air: and so shall
we ever be
with the Lord.
John 14:
[
1] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
[
2] In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
[
3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
[
4] And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
James 5:
[
7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.