A WINK, A BLINK & A TWINK!
HOW FAST DOES THE EYE BLINK?
People sometimes wonder just how fast the eye blinks. There are three portions of time to consider here: the WINK, the BLINK and the TWINK (no kidding-there was actually a study done).
A WINK is a controlled movement of the eyelid and so it’s length of time is determined entirely by the winker . . . but the quickest blink lasts for about a half second.
A BLINK is a natural and repeated action of the eyelid to cleanse and keep the eye moist. Scientists have shown that the average person blinks 15-20 times per minute. That’s about 1,200 blinks per hour and a whopping 28,800 blinks a day . . . 10,512,000 blinks a year! That very statistic made me blink!
The blink is also a sudden reflex action of the eyelid when the eye is in danger from an intruder such as dirt or a bug (or even a fist). A blink lasts somewhere between 300 and 400 milliseconds or less than a half second.
A TWINK (twinkle) is a reflected particle of light seen in the eye. Most of us have noticed a twinkle in someone’s eye . . . that reflected light we observed traveled at 186,000 miles per second (speed of light). That little ray of light entering the eye and then being reflected occurs in about a billionth of a second. A twinkle is pretty fast don’t you think!?
The Bible has something interesting to say about all three: the WINK, the BLINK, and even the TWINK (twinkle)!
THE WINK:
We all know that a wink can be a gesture of fun or affection.
But Scriptures also indicate that a wink of the eye can be a gesture of malice . . . as in two mean-spirited persons taking delight in wronging others and winking at one another. (Psalm 35:19 and Proverbs 10:10)
A wink can also be an indication of mockery. (Job 15:12)
THE BLINK:
This may come as a surprise, but studies show that liars are often exposed by their blinking. The best way to spot liars is to look them right in the eyes, according to scientists who say the number of times a person blinks will show if they are speaking the truth or a lie.
Liars blink less frequently than normal during the lie, and then speed up to around eight times faster than usual afterwards. The findings, reported in the Journal of Non-verbal Behavior, means that blink rates could soon be used by professionals, such as the police and security forces, to tell when someone is telling a falsehood. So if you are a liar, it is time to start telling the truth or go to blink control classes!
But the blink is also a remarkable defense mechanism to protect the eye. This too is suggested in Scripture — “Keep (guard) me as the apple (pupil) of the eye; hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.” (Psalm 17:8) David was asking the Lord to protect him with a covering just like the eyelid is a protective covering of the pupil of the eye! Until just recently I didn’t know that the “apple of the eye” is the Hebrew word “iyshown” and it is translated literally as “ball” or “pupil.”
That being the case, let this be a warning to all that want to do harm to God’s people — ” . . . he that touches you touches the apple (pupil) of His (God’s) eye.” (Zechariah 2:8) When the enemies of the Lord “touch” (lay hands upon or afflict) God’s people they are literally jabbing their finger into the eye of the Lord . . . and the Lord knows how to blink and protect His children! I wouldn’t want to be in the way of God’s protective “blink.”
The LORD said this of Jacob whose name was changed to Israel — “He found him in a desert land, and in the waste, howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept (guarded) him as the apple (pupil) of His eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10) The enemies of the nation of Israel should keep in mind what the LORD declared to Abraham — “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee . . . ” (Genesis 12:3) I would personally be careful not to jab my finger into the eye of the LORD!
THE TWINK or TWINKLE:
The twinkle is perhaps the most remarkable of the three words “wink”, “blink” and “twinkle.”
Remember that the light entering the eye and reflecting as a twinkle happens in about a billionth of a second. So what does this have to do with anything in the Bible?
1 Corinthians 15:51 and 52 informs us that the coming of Jesus to rapture His blood-bought followers out of here occurs pretty fast . . . as in the “twinkling” of an eye”! “Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In 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.”
Here are just a couple of quick observations about these two wonderful verses:
” . . . we shall not all sleep . . . “ This means that some people are not going to die! If you are a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and are alive when He comes . . . no more death! If that doesn’t make you excited, something is definitely wrong . . . maybe you haven’t really trusted Christ as your Savior yet!
” . . . we shall all be changed . . . “ This is not the sign outside a baby nursery! It refers to the transformation that will take place when our mortal bodies will be replaced by immortal bodies. Believers in Jesus are going to receive a brand new body which will be fashioned in the image of Christ . . . no longer subject to sickness, pain or death. That is worth saying “WOW!”
” . . . in a moment . . . ” This is a remarkable claim. The Greeks word for “moment” is the word “atomos” . . . the word from which we get the modern day word atom. The atom is the smallest particle known to men . . . as in one tenth of a billion of a meter! That means that you could line up 3.9 billion atoms in an inch. Related to time, “moment” or “atomos” refers to something so fast that it is immeasurable. So quick you can’t calculate it!
The rapture will occur so fast that you will suddenly be in the presence of Jesus . . . no time to look around at yourself floating up into the clouds . . . really quick!
” . . . in the twinkling of an eye . . . ” We already expressed how quick this is . . . faster than a speeding bullet . . . quicker than Superman . . . presto . . . believers will be in the presence of Jesus! Be ready!
” . . . at the last trump . . . ” Scripture tells us that an angel will blow a trumpet . . . and only those of us who are born-again will hear it . . . apparently that will happen very quickly as well!
” . . . the dead shall be raised incorruptible . . . ” According to 1 Thessalonians 4:13 — “For 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 . . . “ Loved ones who trusted Christ as Savior and have already died will rise just before those of us who are alive and remain . . . all of this in the flash of a“moment”!
” . . . we shall be changed . . . ” 1 Thessalonians 3:14 continues — “Then we who 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.” “Caught up” is the Greek word “harpazo” and it means to “catch away” or to “pluck off (like plucking an apple off a tree).” I tell folks that I am waiting to be “plucked”! Plucked off this troublesome old world and safely delivered into the presence of Jesus!
“In a moment” . . . “in the twinkling of an eye”! Dear friend . . . I hope you have this wonderful hope! If you are in doubt, may I encourage you to look over the two illustrated booklets below? I hope to see you “in the air”!