why did people think the rapture was happening today

People thought the Rapture was happening on September 23-24, 2025, because a South African pastor named Joshua Mhlakela claimed to have received a divine revelation from Jesus stating the Rapture would occur on those dates. This prediction connects with the Jewish festival of Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets), which holds symbolic significance in some Christian eschatologies. The pastor said Jesus appeared to him in a vision and announced the return to take true believers to Heaven, a belief rooted in evangelical Christian doctrine. This prophecy gained viral popularity on social media platforms such as TikTok, where many evangelical Christians prepared for the event, while others expressed skepticism. The Rapture, according to evangelical belief, is when Jesus will return to take believers to Heaven before a time of tribulation on Earth. The association with the trumpet call mentioned in biblical passages like Thessalonians and Corinthians added to the appeal of this specific timing. Social media amplified the prediction, leading to a mix of serious preparation, excitement, and mockery. Despite these claims, mainstream theology and biblical texts emphasize that no one knows the exact day or hour of such events, and historical predictions have repeatedly failed to materialize. The prediction's rise was also influenced by a general environment of social anxiety and current events, and the pastor's vivid description of his vision gave the prophecy emotional power, which resonated with some believers. However, many experts and established theologians dismissed the prediction as lacking biblical or scientific evidence. In summary, the belief that the Rapture would happen on September 23-24, 2025, was primarily driven by a viral prophecy by Pastor Joshua Mhlakela, tied symbolically to Rosh Hashanah, and widely discussed and spread on social media, especially TikTok.