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By definition, "End Times" is specifically referring to the seven year period of Daniel 9:27 known as the 70th week of Daniel. Daniel's prophecies were expressly directed at the Jews as a Nation, and Jerusalem as their Holy City. In the 27th verse he presents an overview of the beginning, middle and end of the final week, or last seven years that precedes The Second Coming of Christ. By Definition The Rapture is the 'catching away' of the true believer in Jesus, as described in IThes.4:16,17, thereby fulfilling His promise that the Church was not appointed to wrath (IThes5:9), and completing the age of the Church. The Rapture is significant to "End Times" because, the Rapture must occur before the identity of the individual, who confirms the pact, leading to peace for the Jewish Nation, can be revealed. This action (the confirming) also initiates a seven year long series of events that ends with the Second Coming of Christ. Matthew, Chapter 24, has Jesus foretelling of the signs that would precede His second coming [not the rapture], and issues a warning concerning those future events. He instructs us to know that the end of Daniel's 70th week is "even at the door" when we see these signs happening. However, before it can end, at the second coming of Christ, it must begin. Daniel clarifies the beginning of the seven year period when he says: (speaking of a future ruler from v.26). "...then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week..." (9:27). Here Daniel is referring to a 'pact' that a particular individual will make with the Jews and their adversaries, that bring them peace. It is the confirmation of this 'pact' that begins the seven year period, not the Rapture. To grasp the significance of that event, we turn our attention to Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians to realize that the Rapture of the Church must precede the confirmation of the pact and the identification of the individual responsible for it. "...And now you know what with-holdeth that he might be revealed in his time . For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy him with the brightness of His coming...". (IIThes.2:6,7,8) Paul is referring to the particular individual who is responsible for establishing the pact, that brings the Jews peace, as the lawless one, son of Perdition, Man of Sin. He is reminding the Church at Thessalonica that there is a 'Restraining Force' withholding the identity of this singular person. '...only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way...'. (v.7) They (the Church) are the 'HE' that is the restraining force and until they are Raptured this individual cannot be revealed. By linking Daniel's and Paul's prophecies together we can understand that the significance of the Rapture to end time is the fact that the Rapture is the first event that must happen before the pact and the individual behind it can be revealed beginning Daniel's 70th week. The fact is, the true believers will not see peace come to the Jews. They will only see the events leading to an eventual peace, but peace can't come until after the Rapture happens. And then, with the agreement on peace, the seven year clock begins to tick. It is important to note that even though Paul is describing him as a man of sin' and 'son of Perdition', initially this individual comes onto the scene with an offer instrumental in making peace for the Jews. John describes him in Revelation, Chapter 6, as riding in on a white horse, carrying an unloaded bow, and wearing a crown of authority given to him in honor. It isn't until he breaks his covenant and turns on the Jews three and a half years later that he shows his true nature as the of son of Perdition (The Antichrist -- meaning Substitute, or false deliverer). That's when the Jews find out that they've been deceived, and why Jesus issues such a strong warning in Matt.24:8-51 concerning what this substitute deliverer has in store for them between the time he shows himself to be false, and the end, when Jesus returns in Revelation 19. Also the Rapture has significance to these times because of the state into which the world has 'evolved'. It is time that this generation becomes aware of the significance that scripture has placed on the Rapture. We addressed what tradition has done to veil a clear and direct message, from several sources, that the Rapture is a coming event with a set time for its' occurrence. Then, we cited the pertinent scriptures, and placed them in the order that demonstrates: who will be raptured; in what order; how it will happen and why it will occur. The Rapture is so clearly identified by God, that it becomes obvious that the confusion surrounding it is a deliberate attempt to hide it from those for whom it is intended. That's the result of tradition! God made it clear and easy to understand, confirming that He's not the author of confusion. "...you make void the Word of God by your traditions..." (Matt.15:6) You owe it to yourself, believer and nonbeliever alike, to be skeptical, and go find out for yourself. This is too important to overlook! The only way you can ever have Pistis (faith, the kind that God meant) is to take up His challenge yourself, and draw your own conclusions. Two thousand years of accumulated Tradition has so confused the truth concerning Jesus Christ, that the knowledge and understanding of his promise of resurrection and rapture from ITh.4:16,17, has been hidden away. Is that the adversary at work or what! 
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