Matthew 4:17

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The Israelites left Egypt in haste because they were “driven out” by Pharaoh after experiencing the plagues, meaning they were forced to leave quickly and without much preparation, following God’s command to flee from the Egyptian slavery; this urgency is emphasized in the Bible as a sign of God’s power and the Israelites’ immediate need to escape oppression. 

The haste of their departure is also seen as a symbol of leaving behind a life of bondage and entering into freedom with God. God hastened their departure because, when the appointed time for redemption comes, the Almighty does not hold matters back for even “the twinkling of an eye.” The idiomatic term “twinkling of an eye,” i.e., the blink of an eye, is written in the Bible for a reason.

1 Corinthians 15:52

⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

When the Chief Shepherd Jesus appears in the mid-air and when the trumpet is blown all those who accepted Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior and are looking forward to meet Him will be instantly caught into the mid-air to meet with Christ.

How many times does a born again believer should repent? Is it once in a lifetime or everyday? The answer is everyday. Even though a Christian believer is saved by the grace of God through Christ, it does not mean that a Christian does not commit sin anymore. He or she will sin on a regular basis. But the Holy Spirit who lives in us will convict us of that sin. So, the Christian has to pray to the Father and ask for forgiveness and repent of his sins through His Son Jesus Christ.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!