The rapture of the church precedes the beginning of the
Day of the Lord.
The first epistle to the Thessalonians deals with the Rapture, Christ’s
coming for believers. The second epistle relates the return of Christ
to that phase where He returns to the earth in judgment and
where one of the accomplishments is in connection with the “man
of sin,” whom He “shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”
(2 Thessalonians 2:eight). These two aspects are clearly delineated. The
interval between these two phases is the Great Tribulation, which can
be further identified with the 70th week of Daniel 9 as a period of
seven years.
THE DAY OF THE LORD:
This is the phrase which occurs in 2 Thessalonians 2:2 (incorrectly
translated “the day of Christ” in the Authorized Version). It is an Old
Testament phrase with definite connotations. It occurs in the writings
of the Old Testament prophets where it relates to the future kingdom
promised in the Old Testament. The day of Christ is a New Testament
expression (1 Corinthians 1:eight); it relates here to the future of the
church. The day of the Lord is connected with the coming of Christ
as it relates to the setting up of the kingdom.
The day of Christ is connected with the coming of Christ for the church. Whatever else is
implied in these two statements, certainly this is basic.
The teaching in 1 Thessalonians is that the saints who have died
will have part in Christ’s coming for His living saints; in 2
Thessalonians it is that the saints who are alive will not have part in
the Great Tribulation. The return of Christ has a peculiar and precious
meaning for His saints.
J. Vernon Mcgee
http://thruthebible.ca/notes/1-2_Thessalonians.pdf