A Viral TikTok Doomsday Called «The Rapture» Had Believers on Edge… Until Nothing Happened

A viral doomsday prediction called «The Rapture» spread on TikTok for weeks, claiming that on September 23 and 24 Jesus Christ would return to Earth and take believers to Heaven.

This week, dozens of Christian creators on TikTok prepared for what they thought would be a biblical Rapture. It never came.

— NBC News (@nbcnews.com) 2025-09-25T02:00:11Z

But nothing happened, and many followers are now demanding an apology from the pastor at the center of the apocalyptic prophecy.

«On the 23rd and the 24th of September, 2025, I will come to take my church.»

According to NBC, the prediction appears to have originated on YouTube from a South African pastor named Joshua Mhlakela, who shared his theory over the summer.

Insisting he was «100% certain» after receiving the vision in a 2018 dream, the pastor described the event as one where people would «disappear in the blink of an eye,» adding that he had received the message from Jesus himself: «On the 23rd and the 24th of September, 2025, I will come to take my church.»

“RaptureTok”: The Apocalyptic Prophecy That Took Over TikTok

The phenomenon quickly became known as «RaptureTok,» with the hashtag #RaptureTok exploding on the platform and generating thousands of videos ranging from testimonies of the faithful to viral parodies and skeptical breakdowns.

Extreme Reactions Fueled by Fear

Beyond the memes and satire, some TikTok users took the prophecy deadly seriously. Convinced the end was near, they made drastic decisions: quitting their jobs, selling off possessions, or even neglecting exams and schoolwork.

Videos of believers selling their possessions quickly went viral, but when the supposed day of the «Rapture» arrived and nothing happened, the hashtag turned into consternation among believers and mockery from others.

The prophecy backfired with videos of anxious anticipation quickly gave way to ridicule, disbelief, and even calls for public apologies from the pastor who inspired the prediction.

The viral story of the supposed «Rapture» spread far beyond TikTok and its more than 360,000 posts under the hashtag «rapture,» drawing widespread attention and coverage from major media outlets, including NBC, AP News, The Guardian and The New York Times.

The Rapture is upon us, according to TikTokers, some of whom have latched on to a prediction that on Tuesday, September 23 — today — Jesus Christ will return to Earth and take true believers to Heaven. Predicting the Rapture is a longstanding practice.

— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) 2025-09-23T16:40:04.199261Z

This content was created with the help of AI.