I understand this is how you, and others like you see this...and please understand...I'm not planting my flag on a hill and saying I believe you are definitely wrong. Indeed, you may be right in this matter. I do hold a different opinion, but am open to lean should the Spirit guide me.
My point is, when the instant that those souls receive their glorified bodies, and those translated from the ground do so as well in the air....is that not the same as Christ being surrounded and glorified by his Saints?
1 Thess 4 tells us that the dead will rise first, then we who are alive will also meet Christ in the air...where we will both receive our new bodies.
1 Cor 15 tells us of the moment when those alive shall be caught up into the air and given new bodies. This, to me, is the same event of 1 Thess 4. But neither of them give us leave to paint two separate events...one before, one after.
Is is more of a case of perspective, I would argue...as is the two verses you've posted. Is it correct to say Christ comes twice...once for the just, and then again to punish those left behind? We have verses speaking of Jesus gathering his elect, but then verses speaking of him coming in judgement. It sounds like two different comings, right? It depends what side of the fence you're sitting on. For Christians, Christ's return will be glorious, his angels will surround him, as will his Saints...it will be wondrous! For sinners, his return will be one of judgement. It will be wrathful...it will be terrifying. But it doesn't have to be separate events to be experienced separately.
Look...I'm not trying to tear away at your end times view. It's okay for you to see it this way, because, let's be honest...while it doesn't outright say two events...it doesn't say it won't be! I think I'm more trying to explain how it is that some people arrive at a position different to yours, and that doing so doesn't necessarily means we're dissing you, or scripture. I worry sometimes that conversations on End Times gets so heated. I know it's an important topic, and I love talking about it, but I do wish we could discuss our differences more agreeably! (Not talking about you here, just in general!)
Can make your head spin hey @naomi?, I cannot tell you how many times I changed my view on the Rapture...and Pre/Mid/Post Trib.! All things "end times" is what originally made me hungry for the things of God, and still does! But...since 1993, my conclusion is that if something is not core to the Christian belief in Christ and has nothing to do with salvation then, in the large scheme of things, I just figure, meh... On the other hand, it is good to know ALL truth in the bible and, if we understood this and agreed (universally within the Church), we (Christians) could warn our unsaved loved ones who do NOT know what is coming, and when that time comes, if they still have breath in them they could call upon the name of the Lord and be saved! Amen! So, we all need to pray to understand these things clearly IMO (:
Bless you!
-nancy