RaptureTok: Why TikTok Predicts the Rapture This September
If you scroll through TikTok this week, you might notice an unusual trend: countless videos of people warning that the end of the world is imminent. Influential conservative Christian TikTokers are confidently predicting that the “rapture” – a prophesied end-times event – will happen within days, specifically around September 23 or 24, 2025. Many of these users are sharing earnest advice on how to prepare, tearful pleas for others to repent, and even checklists for what to do if half the people suddenly vanish. The fervor has grown so intense that some believers have literally started quitting their jobs and selling their belongings, convinced they won’t need worldly possessions once this week’s supposed apocalypse arrives.
The pastor behind the viral prediction
At the center of this TikTok rapture fever is a South African pastor named Joshua Mhlakela. A few months ago, Mhlakela posted a prophecy on YouTube claiming that God would “rescue the Christians out of the world” on September 23-24, 2025. In that interview, he described a vision of Jesus saying “I am coming soon,” and warned that the rapture would strike with such power that the Earth itself would “shake” and be left unrecognisable. His prediction conveniently coincides with the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah (the Feast of Trumpets), which many evangelical Christians view as a symbolically fitting time for Christ’s return. Mhlakela’s message has since spread like wildfire on social media – his original YouTube video racked up more than 560,000 views by September 22 – and it seeded the viral phenomenon now dubbed “RaptureTok.”
Quick refresher: What even is the rapture?
The rapture is a concept in some Christian beliefs about the End Times. Followers of this theology think that one day, Jesus will return and true believers will suddenly rise up into the clouds to meet Him, disappearing from Earth in an instant.
Everyone else – non-believers or those who haven’t repented – would be left behind to face years of chaos and suffering. The idea doesn’t appear word-for-word in the Bible, but it has become popular among many evangelical groups, especially in the United States.
A 2022 Pew survey found that nearly half of American Christians believe we are living in the end times. Pop culture has also kept the idea alive, with books and movies like the Left Behind series bringing rapture scenarios to the mainstream.
How people on TikTok are reacting to the prediction
On TikTok, the hashtag #RaptureTok has been filled with both fervent believers and bemused skeptics. In one video shared by an account with 848,100 followers, called christwillreturn, a woman shares advice with her best friend, tearfully saying: “You need to repent. Now. I don’t want you to be left behind.”
In another video shared by an account called Christianquotes89, two men share advice on what non-believers should do when the rapture occurs, saying: “You’re probably wondering, where did the missing people go?… All of us who placed our faith in Jesus… have been taken… to the Father’s house in heaven. We will be coming back with Him in about seven years or so,” one explains, warning that those left on Earth now face a period worse than any since mankind was created.
The tone of these TikToks ranges from urgent and heartfelt to strangely instructional – as if preparing viewers for a disaster movie scenario happening in real life. Some users even fixate on practical questions, like whether their pets will be raptured too. The mix of sincerity and surrealism has other TikTokers dueting these videos in disbelief or humor, and the comment sections are filled with everything from “Amen, it’s coming” to “Y’all are crazy.” In short, the phenomenon has the internet equal parts fascinated and confused.
Taking it seriously: People quitting jobs and selling cars
What’s remarkable is how seriously a segment of people are taking this week’s prophecy – not just preaching about it, but acting on it in their daily lives. According to reports, at least one man decided to sell his five-year-old car because he’s certain he won’t need it anymore.
In a TikTok video, the man, Tilahun Desalegn, announced he got rid of his car since he’s “catching a flight to heaven” in late September. “She’s got to go. I won’t need her beyond September. I’m going home, to where my father in heaven is,” he said matter-of-factly. Desalegn did add that if the fateful days pass and nothing happens, he’ll post an apology video on September 25 admitting he was likely deceived.
In another viral clip, a young woman declared she had already given away all her “earthly possessions” – even transferring the deed of her house – because “none of this material stuff” will matter once she’s taken up in the rapture. “I just need to give this car away,” she added, before urging viewers that it’s “not too late for you to be a part of the Rapture.”
Some believers are reportedly preparing “post-rapture kits” to leave behind for unfortunate neighbors who miss the heavenly evacuation. Others have flat-out quit their jobs so they can spend what they think are their final days on Earth with family or in prayer. The level of commitment shows how real this prophecy feels to them.
However, some Christians push back…
Many Christians, including some on TikTok, are pushing back on the rapture mania. A number of commenters note that the Bible itself says “no one knows the day or the hour” of the end, cautioning that date-specific predictions run counter to core scripture.
Even popular Christian comedian Kevin Fredericks chimed in with a tongue-in-cheek Instagram reel questioning the logistics of a worldwide rapture schedule. “What time zone is it happening in?” Fredericks laughed, pointing out the absurdity of claiming a definite date. “There are 24 time zones on Earth, 38 if you include the ones that have half-hour times. No man knows how you all know,” he joked.
Skeptics also recall that this isn’t the first doomsday prophecy to go viral. The internet still remembers the Mayan calendar scare of 2012 and various end-of-days predictions over the years that came and went without incident. In fact, people have been predicting the rapture or the apocalypse pretty regularly for centuries – and so far, the world keeps on turning. Real-world events often fuel these frenzies; for instance, past wars and conflicts in the Middle East have led some to proclaim that biblical prophecies are unfolding. The current wave of rapture talk might be riding on a similar mix of current global turmoil and age-old prophecy fever.
Waiting for the big day
As the supposed rapture date arrives, TikTok is awash with anticipation, anxiety, and plenty of sarcasm. By the end of this week, we’ll know whether these bold predictions amount to a world-changing spiritual event or just another viral fad that fizzles out. Even some of the true believers acknowledge the possibility of being wrong – but for now, they’re all-in, watching the skies (and their For You pages) for any sign that the time has come. One thing is certain: if nothing extraordinary happens, TikTok will be filled with “Well, we’re still here” reaction videos soon enough. As one wry observer put it, time will tell… or it won’t, just like 2012 came and went.
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