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All through scripture, we see patterns. During his ministry, Jesus visited the temple twice. As someone who didn't see the pre-trib rapture being possible, the above caused me to reconsider. I still believe Christians will suffer much persecution, and we've been been warned about it:

Luke 21:10 Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.

So perhaps those in Christ may indeed be called up before the actual day of the LORD, when he returns to make an end of those seeking total destruction of God's people, and by this, save those "left behind".

The Olivet Discourse is not the same as the Luke Discourse which was spoken in the Temple during the day, before the walk over to the Mount of Olivet. The Luke Discourse was heard by a large number of His followers, and the message was instrumental in them and their loved ones escaping Jerusalem when Titus and his father surrounded the city but waited nine months before decimating it.

Jesus is returning to the air/clouds to rapture the entire Chruch across the ages. As such, the persecutions of His Bride have been mounting up on the balance scale. When He returns to the Father's House with His bride, THEN the wrath, the judgment, the tribulum will be applied to those left behind. It will result in a number so large coming to Christ that no man could number them, but they show up in Heaven with their 'garments washed white in the blood of the lamb'.

The barley harvest could get the grain out of the stalks by merely waving the bundles in the air. The grains of wheat harvest needed to be crushed out of their stalks using a tribulum to trample over the bundles opened on a threshing floor.

To clarify, when saying it’s not a salvation issue, I mean in the context of whether one believes it to be true or not :)Anyways, I used to belong to a forum that had the word rapture in its title. Long time ago. It turned into a nasty place after a couple of months. My posting privileges were actually banned/suspended for the simple infraction of defending another poster from ensuing personal attacks, which I thought most unbecoming on a Christian board. I since haven’t really delved in to the subject but it’s something maybe I’ll look into again soon.