Like you, I believe that the rapture is a number based event rather than a date based one. With that in mind is there any indication in all the books of the Bible as to what that number might be? Could the 24 elders, representing the raptured church in the book of Revelation 4:4 , give us a clue as to the final number of believers? Or is there another meaning attached to this number of elders?
I haven’t found any clue as to what the full number of the Church might be. 24 is a multiple of 12, a number that denotes government. There were 12 tribes in Israel, 12 Apostles in the Church, etc. David organized the priesthood into 24 divisions to govern Temple operations under the direction of the High Priest. I think the 24 Elders represent the Church governing the world under the Lord’s direction.