Every translation prior to the KJV translated the word apostasia as "the departed" another word for rapture and not the great apostasy or falling away as we see in modern tranlations.
Even without that understanding the context does not allow for your conclusion IMO. I do however apprecaite your prayers for me as I can use all the help I can get. I will also forgive your superior attitude... as far greater minds than ours have had reasonable differences of opinion on this very issue.
I take it you are pre-wrath? How do you account for Jesus telling us He would return as in the days of Noah, which translates to a business as ususal time? The mid tribulation period will be anything but a time of business as ususal and it certainly will not be a time when Jesus could return as a thief in the night. It will not be a surprise if the church were still here to see the anti-christ. Paul's teaching here in Thessalonians would then conflict with what Jesus taught. The rapture of the church is an imminent event. Nothing must occur before Jesus comes for His bride. It is a signless event.
I see the tribulation as a 7 year period not 3.5 or less based on my understanding of Daniel and the 70th week of Jacobs troubles that shows God will be focused on Israel and the Jews and not the church at that point.
Although no man can know the day or the hour of the rapture, I can certainly conclude that it does not occur prior to the 7 year tribulation. The truth is that most Christians want to believe in a pre-tribulation rapture because it gives them a warm fuzzy feeling. I myself could care less if the rapture occurs prior to, during or after the tribulation, simply because I know that I am in good hands and that life on this earth is very temporary. However, YHWH left us a nice BIG book full of all kinds of goodies for us to research and I enjoy doing so. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and a duty of kings to search it out. So here is a small sum of what the Lord left for us regarding the rapture.
1)
Matthew 24:10-12
"10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm TO THE END will be saved."
Mark 13:12
"12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Note: Yeshua states that those of us who endure UNTIL THE END will be saved. If the rapture occurs prior to tribulation and all the crazy stuff that will happen, why must we endure until the end? Shouldn't we be watching it all from the Godly TV screen in heaven?
2)
Daniel 12:13
"13 As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritence set aside for you."
Question: If the rapture happens prior to the tribulation, and the dead in Christ such as Daniel are resurrected, why is Daniel resurrected to receive his inheritance at the END of these days as Yeshua states in Daniel 12:13? If rapture happens prior to tribulation, and Daniel is resurrected along with everyone else, then Daniel must die shortly after the rapture so that he can be resurrected AGAIN at "the end of these days". That makes no sense because once raptured, we won't have to experience death.
3)
1 CHORINTHIANS 15:52
"52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the LAST trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed."
Note: Trumpets are used to usher in events in Revelation. According to this scripture, the rapture will occur at THE LAST trumpet sound! Clearly not prior to tribulation since all the other trumpets have been blown!
4)
REVELATION 16:14-16
"12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies toward the west without hindrance. 13 And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon,
the beast, and the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty. 15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” 16 And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon."
Note: Christ mentions 3 steps in this event.
1- Demonic spirits will lure kingdoms to do battle against the Lord
2- Yeshua comes as a thief in the night! (I Thessalonians 5, Matthew 24, Mark 13 etc)
3- Armageddon occurs.
Note: Yeshua said it himself. He will come as a thief in the night sometime between the gathering of the kingdoms to do battle against the Lord, and the massacre of Armageddon.