Here's what would happen during the "Rapture" as people prepare for the "end of the world" today.
While many people have predicted when the world would cease to exist throughout history, none of those apocalyptic visions have ever materialized.
From Isaac Newton's letter detailing the end of times, to Pastor Ronald Weinland of the Church of God forecasting the world’s end in 2019, to the widespread panic surrounding the supposed Mayan prophecy of 2012, the world has continued to turn despite doomsday forecasts.
But once again, the concept of the "Rapture" is stirring anxiety, with some Evangelical Christians bracing for the ultimate end on September 23 and 24, 2025.
What is the rapture?
According to certain Christian beliefs, the Rapture is the moment when Jesus Christ will return to Earth to gather all true believers - both the living and the dead - who will ascend to heaven.
Believers will be transformed into eternal bodies and will meet Jesus in the air, leaving the world below to face divine judgment.
In the aftermath, non-believers are said to endure seven years of torment and chaos before the Second Coming of Christ.
A South African Pastor's Prophecy
The latest prediction comes from Joshua Mhlakela, a South African pastor, who claims that God revealed to him that the Rapture will happen on September 23 or 24, 2025 - dates that coincide with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish Feast of Trumpets.
Mhlakela's announcement, which was shared on YouTube and began circulating on TikTok, includes the idea that the world will be left "unrecognizable" after divine judgment.
He claims that those who are truly faithful will ascend, while the Earth will experience unimaginable destruction. Some interpretations suggest that natural phenomena like the sun going dark and the moon turning to blood might occur as part of the turmoil.
In an interview with the CENTTWINZ TV hosts, he said: “The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not...I saw Jesus sitting on his throne, and I could hear him very loud and clear saying, ‘I am coming soon.’”
Mhlakela also noted that after the Rapture, the 2026 World Cup would be canceled due to the chaos that would follow.
"He [Jesus] was telling me that by June 2026, the world is gearing up towards the World Cup," Mhlakela said, per ELLE magazine.
"But after the Rapture of September 2025, the chaos that will be in the world, the destruction and the devastation that will occur with the Rapture - there will be no World Cup 2026," he added.
The Rapture Frenzy on Social Media
The prediction has created a buzz online, particularly on TikTok, where users are sharing their final preparations under the hashtag #Rapture, which has garnered nearly 300,000 posts.
Many are documenting their last days, quitting jobs, selling homes, and even stockpiling survival kits in anticipation of the event.
One person shared that they sold their five-year-old car because they believed they wouldn't need it after September 23: "She’s got to go. I won’t need her beyond September. I’m going home, to where my father in heaven is."
Meanwhile, another filmed herself distributing Bibles, each marked with highlighted verses meant to help those left behind understand what has happened.
Some are even sending out dire warnings to their colleagues, like one KPMG employee in South Africa, who shared an email insisting that "Jesus will take the Christians who are ready" between September 23-24.
Over the years, many predictions have been made about when the Rapture would occur, yet none of them have come to pass.
When September 24 arrives, we’ll find out whether the event took place or if life continues on.