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Social media was buzzing recently with #RaptureTok, claiming that the world would end on September 23, 2025. The trend started after Pastor Joshua Mhlakela said in an interview two weeks ago that the Rapture would happen within 14 days. Since then, TikTok was flooded with videos. Some mocked the claim, while others shared serious stories of people selling their possessions because they truly believed the world was ending.
The predicted date coincided with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, but nothing happened, confirming it was another hoax. Despite this, the prophecy captured widespread attention.
Pastor Mhlakela claimed in his interview on CENTTWINZ TV that he had a vision of the Rapture. He said he saw Jesus Christ on a throne, announcing His arrival. In the vision, Mhlakela also saw piles of dead bodies and “powerful beings” chasing people and feasting on them. He was confident the Rapture would occur, saying he was “a billion times sure.” The video stirred strong reactions online, with some people claiming to have sold property in preparation, though it’s unclear how much of this was real versus attention-seeking.
The Rapture itself is a belief among some Christians, but it’s often confused with the Second Coming. The term comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, where believers in Jesus are said to be taken to the clouds to meet Him. The Second Coming, described in Revelation 19 and Matthew 24, is when Jesus returns to judge the world and establish His kingdom.
Christian interpretations of the Rapture vary. Some think it happens before, during, or after the Tribulation, a period of chaos and suffering. Believers say Jesus will first resurrect the dead and then take current followers to the clouds to protect them from earthly pain. They believe those taken will receive eternal bodies resembling the glory of Jesus Christ.