why do people think the rapture is september 23

People think the rapture is on September 23, 2025, because a South African pastor named Joshua Mhlakela claimed he had a vision and dream where Jesus told him the rapture would happen on that date. His prophecy has gone viral on social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The date aligns with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year also known as the Feast of Trumpets, which some Christians associate with end-times symbolism. This convergence of a vivid personal vision and the symbolic Jewish festival has contributed to the widespread speculation about September 23 as the prospective rapture date. However, mainstream Christian theology denies the validity of setting any specific date for the rapture. It emphasizes that no one knows the day or hour of Christ's return (Matthew 24:36), not even Jesus himself, just God the Father. The rapture concept itself is not directly mentioned in the Bible but is interpreted from certain passages. Many Christian scholars and theologians caution against date-setting, noting a long history of failed predictions. Social media has amplified the current prediction's spread, causing believers to prepare or worry, while others remain skeptical, seeing it as another in a long line of false rapture date claims. In summary, the September 23 date is driven primarily by a pastor's prophecy linked to the Jewish Feast of Trumpets and magnified by social media, not by verified scriptural or scientific evidence.