I think another clue that the flying away process might be slower and not the “twinkling of an eye” when our bodies are changed, is this passage below. It has me also wondering ... if the unsaved will witness us flying away into the clouds? Acts 1:8-11 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. I still have not heard any reason or presentation of any evidence that God will not give us prior notice before the Rapture event. As far as the "twinkling of an eye" phrase, it is referring to the changing of our bodies from corruptible to incorruptible and not the length of time it takes to meet our Bridegroom in the air. :rose: Yes, I believe the church will get a prior heads up warning ... Noah had heads up warning. Both Abraham and Lot had heads up warning before the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. I’m leaning it might be angels that tell us since they are administering spirits. Just not sure if its a 3, 5, 7 or 8 day heads up notice for the church. The number 3 means completeness, though to a lesser degree than 7. The 3 righteous patriarchs before the flood were Abel, Enoch and Noah. After the deluge there was the righteous "fathers" Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (later renamed Israel). The number 5 symbolizes God's grace, goodness and favor towards man. “Age of Grace” comes to a close at the time of the rapture. The number 7 means completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). The number 8 represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man's true 'born again' event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life. Hi 2ndcoming, You wrote: "God has a covenant with the church. When her time is up, God shall call her home by breaking the covenant with all the people." I'm not following you here. When God calls His church home, He is fulfilling the covenant, not breaking it. To break it would be to cut off the church. In Zech chapter 11, Zechariah breaks the staff, Beauty, nullifying the covenant that restrained the Gentiles from oppressing God's people. The connotation is not good. His covenant with the church is with His believers, not the unbelievers. The door is opened to all, but the covenant is for those who have accepted His Son’s sacrifice. Please understand, I am not saying you are wrong, I’m just not following you here. To your main point, "the church shall witness a war breaks out between Israel and the three shepherds", you could very well be correct. Perhaps the Lord will use our pets to warn us and instead of them barking or meowing they will speak “get ready ... its time to go”? :mdrmdr: Those that don’t have pets, perhaps the neighbor’s pet or a wild animal or a bird will give them heads up warning? The animal kingdom have such good hearing and will probably hear the trumpet/shofar in the distance way before us. The Lord used Balaam’s donkey to speak. Eve had conversations with the snake before the fall. I believe we will be hearing the animals and our pets talk in the next life. They are included in the praise and worship ceremony in heaven! Rev 5:11-13 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
