The “rapture” is based largely on 1 Thess. 4:16-17. This was only Paul’s attempt to explain Jesus’ words in Matt. 24:30-31:
“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."
It is a symbolic metaphor for when people ENCOUNTER Christ, they are “raptured” into union with Him. When Jesus met Peter, he dropped his nets, and followed Him, essentially being “raptured”. “Two will be in the field–one will be taken and one will be left”. It’s the same concept. No magic about it at all.