The rapture is predicted by South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela to happen either on September 23 or September 24, 2025. He claims to have received a divine revelation that Jesus will come to take believers to heaven on these days, coinciding with the Jewish festival of Rosh Hashanah. However, this prediction is widely debated and not supported by all Christian traditions, with many theologians emphasizing that the exact date of the rapture or Christ's return is unknown and cannot be predicted.
This recent prediction sparked a viral trend on social media, especially on TikTok (#RaptureTok), where people discuss, prepare for, or mock the event. Past predictions of the rapture have also failed, and mainstream Christian groups caution against setting specific dates, noting biblical passages about the unknowable timing of such events.
