It's an all out sneak attack that happens suddenly and unexpectedly @Stew. No one sees it coming (except for those who are watching and praying) Amen. Here, let God speak to you my friend:
"8Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:
9But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.
10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
11Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know." Isaiah 47:8-11
That is just a snippet from Isaiah 47. You should read the whole chapter though. It's only 15 verses. But as you can see in the above passage of scripture the attack comes suddenly, unknowingly, and in 1 day. The whole world is caught off guard. Just like the world was caught off guard when 9/11 happened and when Pearl Harbor happened.
If you read Revelation 18 you will see that the world mourns when Babylon is destroyed suddenly. The world will be in total unbelief because they never thought that her destruction could happen.
"And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more." Revelation 18:8-11
The merchants are seen off the coasts of Babylon weeping over her destruction. Babylon (America) is surrounded by 2 oceans and a gulf. Most of her trade is done by sea and the shipmasters will be looking from the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Gulf of Mexico as they see the smoke of Babylon's burning rising into the sky. They will weep and mourn over her.
"The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate." Revelation 18:15-19
