The Rapture itself

The Rapture is most vividly described in the apostle Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians in the New Testament. Here it says:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Notice first in this text that "fallen asleep" in Christ means people that have passed-on earlier in time and are in peace at their place of rest. It implicates that no one really dies. You are taken from your body and brought to the appropriate place. Notice also that this means that there are two categories here. Those that have fallen asleep in Christ, and those that have not fallen asleep in Christ. In other parts of the Bible, especially the story about the poor man Lazarus, those who do not fall asleep in Christ will not end up in a place of rest. See Luke 16:19-26.

Then we move to verse 15-16. Here it says that those have passed-on will rise first, and after that, those that are alive and remain alive will receive their new bodies. Then we see more events within the Rapture event itself. Let's make a list of that:

Rapture event - split up in chronological events:

1. God will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel.
2. God will descend from heaven with the Trumpet of God.
3. Those who are asleep in Christ will be resurrected, and go to meet the Lord in the air
4. Those who are alive and remain, will go to meet the Lord in the air

Notice that God will descend from heaven but not to set foot on the ground of Earth, He remains in the clouds. If God sets foot on Earth we are at Armageddon. And that is not what is going on in this text.

Check questions:

Is the text to be taken literal or not?

For sure there is no indication at all here, and even the text preceding these verses that this text is a parable or fictional. This is literal. 

Is the text unambiguous, can we draw a single conclusion?

Apart from "asleep" which does not really mean like that you are sleeping in the literal sense, it means that after passing-on you are not dead, the whole text means what it means.

Is the text referring to the Rapture?

This text portraits the Christian hope. That is when Jesus returns the saints will be saved from His Wrath. The return of Jesus marks the end of time period. And in words this is exactly what the Rapture is, what the text says in verse 17: "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air".

Is the text referring to a related event of the Rapture?

Yes, the return of Christ is the event that stands close the Rapture event itself. Note that at the return of Christ and after the Rapture He will execute His judgement (His Wrath) upon this world. Because everyone that does not possess the Holy Ghost is unholy and therefore wicked. And that is exactly what is left after the Rapture.

Are there (relative) time references?

There are no hard time references. Only a major event: "The return of Christ", which indicates the end of time period. 

Are there references to other events?

No other event references found. 

Further Study

If we are to pinpoint the rapture event, we need to know what is understood by the end time period. We have some things to persue here. Jesus speaks of the last generation in Matthew 24:34. Then there is the book of Revelation which time span is not clear yet - but it surely describes the Great Tribulation which is 3,5 years. And then there is of course the last week of Daniel. 

So by the reference of the return of Christ we may come close to pinpoint the rapture if we:

1. Understand what the signs of the end time are
2. maybe can find out when the end time starts
3. understand what the time frame is of the end time

NKJ - 1 Tessalonians 4:15-