This is interesting speculation but I won’t join in because I am one who does not believe in that interpretation of what has to be one of the more challenging passages in Scripture. I interpret it more along the lines of a worldwide recognition by the faithful of the return of the Lord, but not a removal of them prior to judgement. This implies that the faithful will escape the tribulation and that, frankly, has not been my experience in life, nor is it a very realistic expectation given what our Lord went through. We are not going to get that free ride out of trouble, but instead, as many other passages in the New Testament suggest, we need to be ready to face many hardships and difficulties.
The Rapture is basically an extension of the gospel of wealth philosophy that was fairly prominent in evangelical circles back around the 1980s. I wouldn’t count on being that lucky. Christian faith is not winning a lottery.
Bear with me please and consider the Lord’s judgement when he wiped out the Earth, but saved Noah and his family.
Consider Lot and his family, and how the Lord had to “remove” them before he could destroy Sodom & Gomorrah.
Jesus refers to these two exact events while describing the time of his coming (in the clouds for His Church). He always removes His people before Judgement.
Refer to Matthew 24:37-39 & Luke 17:28-30. You make some excellent points about persecution. We have that in this life. But there is a huge difference between worldy persecution and God’s Judgement, which the last 7 years of this age is. God cannot allow His Church to suffer Judgement with an unbelieving world.
The Church has the most marvelous destiny of any group of humanity to ever exist.