The term comes from the Latin verb raptare, and the Greek word harpizo, both meaning "to be caught up" or "to be snatched up."  

The transporting of a person from one place to another especially to heaven.Jesus will "snatch us" out of harm's way. Nowhere is it stated that you have to be alive to get raptured. All that is stated in the Bible is all in Christ will be raptured, and will inherit the Kingdom, not to mention to have new bodies like Christ’s, those that are left on Earth after the rapture will remain in these present bodies and will continue to live on Earth for the next 1000 years, after which will be one last battle of Gog and Magog.

Qualifications for the Rapture are simple, one must be in Christ; be Christ’s be in the church or body of Christ without spot or wrinkle and without blemish. The Old Testament Saints were in Christ, but were being held captive by Lucifer in Paradise “Abraham’s Bosom” a department in Hell.

The first person in Paradise was Abel, the last John the Baptist.

I will list the 5 Raptures 1 has taken place, 1 is coming up, and 3 more are after the churches.

If you understand the purpose of the rapture you will see that this is kosher! J

First Rapture.

The going to Heaven of Christ and the Saints that were resurrected after His resurrection.

Matt.27: 52-53     And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53     And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

They came out AFTER His resurrection, so Christ was the “First fruit” and these saints were the second fruit. Now whether they got new glorified bodies is not stated, but they were taken to Heaven for they are represented by the 24 Elders. 1 of them had this to say to John:

Rev. 22:9   Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Eph. 4:7-11     But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 
8     Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 
9     (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 
10     He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 
11     And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

He led captivity captive  From

 Ps. 86:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

1 Thess. 4:15     For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 
16     For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 
17     Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 
18     Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Note: “not prevent” to be beforehand. The Old Testament saints are in heaven, and those that die in Christ today go to Heaven, and the teaching here is that at the time of the Rapture to come, those saints in Heaven will also come with Christ, and be reunited with

their bodies. For the only thing asleep in the passage is the body, for the soul and spirit do not sleep. Saints go to heaven at death, and sinners to hell.

Now you may still argue, but in the book of Revelation they (The Old Testament Saints are already seen in Heaven when John wrote the book, they are represented as the 24 elders.

Rev. 4: 4     And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

John was about to drop down and worship and listen to what the angel said.

Rev. 19:10     And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

And again

Rev. 22:8     And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 
9     Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

If you still refuse to believe, then add these with the second Rapture, that still makes 5 companies of saved that get Raptured. But they are in Heaven!

1 Old Testament Saint.

2 New Testament Saints.

3 The 144,000 Jews (The Remnant, The Elect, Man child)

4 The Tribulation Saints.

5 The 2 Witnesses.

Second Rapture.

Those that are Christ’s at His coming in the air.

1 Cor. 15: 23     But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

1. Thess. 4: 13-16    ¶ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 
14     For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 
15     For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 
16     For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

The reason the 144,000 Jews (Man child) and Tribulation Saints of Rev. 7 are not raptured are because they will not be saved at the time of the rapture in the air, they will turn to Jesus after the rapture, and so will be raptured during the tribulation period.

Third Rapture.

The 144,000 Jews (Man child) in the middle of the week.

Isa.66:7    Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.

Rev. 12:5     And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Notice “caught up”

Rev. 14:1-5     ¶ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 
2     And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 
3     And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 
4     These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 
5     And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Matt. 24: 21     For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 
22     And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

31     And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Fourth Rapture.

The Tribulation Saints.

Rev. 7:9-17    After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 
10     And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 
11     And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 
12     Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 
13     ¶ And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 
14     And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 
15     Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 
16     They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 
17     For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Rev. 15:2-4     And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 
3     And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 
4     Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Rev. 20:4-6     And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received hismark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 
5     But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 
6     Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Fifth Rapture.

The 2 witnesses Enoch and Elijah

Rev. 11:33     ¶ And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 
4     These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 
5     And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 
6     These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 
7     And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
8     And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 
9     And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 
10     And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 
11     And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 
12     And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.