Dear Marilyn,

I do agree with you that there will be two raptures. When John is first introduced to the 144,000 are the sealed for their protection during the first half of the 70th week. But when we see them again, shortly after the midpoint of the week, God has taken them to heaven as first fruits. John gives us NO idea of how they got there. I suppose it is possible they are martyred, but I don't it, because John gives us no hint of that. So my guess is they are raptured.

However, when Paul mentions trumpets, I believe he is speaking of only ONE.

1 Thes 4
¹⁶For 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:

 ¹⁷Then 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.

1 Cor. 15
⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

 ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

 ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed

Please note, in BOTH of these, the dead in Christ rise first, then we that are alive are changed and caught up. Both of these verses are speaking of the very same event: the one we call the rapture of the church. The word "last" as in "last trump" is undoubtedly speaking of the last and final blast of the trumpet at the feast of trumpets. It has for eons been called the "last trump."

Lyle