Hi Wendy!

 

      I read your question and thoughts regarding a time gap between the rapture and the tribulation.  I hope this may lead you in the right direction:  According to Daniel 9:27, the tribulation begins with the signing of the "covenant with many" (the "many" in the traditional text means "Jewish leadership").  While the rapture, or catching away of the saints, is our blessed hope, it does not kick-off the tribulation; it is the removal of the Lord Jesus's bride before the time of the Tribualtion and Great Tribulation.  If you go through and read Daniel 9-12 you can see that the beginnig tribulation indicators are based on political (and spiritual of course) factors.  In order to understand the rapture and the tribulation we have to know about the Hebrew customs (look at a Jewish wedding for example!), their calendar, prophetic books like the Song of Solomon, Ruth, Exodus, and the Jewish feast days. 

 

      If you have a real interest in learning more about this and eschatology I recommend the website Voice of Evangelism (by Perry Stone) and look into his wonderful DVDs on the Jewish feast days and the Jewish wedding.  He also has a great piece on Rosh Hashana and its meaning.  J.R. Church and Gary Stearman are the other eschatologists that I would refer you to (www.prophecyinthenews.com) as they have very interesting and easy to understand research programs and articles on end-times study.

 

      Oh, I hope this helps you.  The only wisom I have is from the Holy Spirit and what I have gleaned from the Word...and ijust wanted to point you in the right direction.  God bless you as you continue learning!  I personally believe there will be a lag-time between the rapture and the onset of the tribulation but that both will occur on or around the fall feasts in Israel. 

 

Take Care,

Dawn