We are certainly closer than we have ever been. For example, 2 Thessalonians says that the antichrist will go into the Temple and declare that he is God. The second Temple was destroyed in AD 70, but since 1987 the Temple Institute has been making preparations to rebuild the Temple and are ready to reinstate Temple rituals once the temple mount is in Israeli hands.
The idea of a rapture was absent through-out much of Christian history. It was popularized by Cyrus Scofield who learned of it from John Nelson Darby. There is a rumor that Darby came up with the idea after being told of a dream someone had concerning the last days. The idea of escaping the tribulation comforts believers.
I break with many other Southern Baptists because I believe that the rapture, if it is a Biblical concept, won't occur until the midway point of the tribulation.
Matthew 24:21-23 says:
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the [c]elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
That sure sounds like their will Christians on Earth during the Last Days. However, I want to contrsast the previous verses by something else Jesus said in Matthew 24:36-38.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
Not even Jesus knows when he will return. Marriages have been postponed these past few months due to social distancing restrictions. I believe the last days will be a little like being in a cult. Few people will recognize it as such until it is nearly too late.