The Rapture: What Does The Bible Say About This?
What Does The Bible Say About The Rapture?
If your “For You” page on TikTok and Instagram is suddenly filled with people quitting their jobs, giving away their 401(k)s, or prepping “Rapture kits,” you’re not alone. Welcome to #RaptureTok, where a new wave of apocalyptic enthusiasm is sweeping social media, all thanks to a bold prediction from South African Pastor Joshua Mhlakela.
During a June 17 interview with CENTTWINZ TV, Pastor Mhlakela claimed that Jesus Christ himself appeared to him in a divine vision and personally revealed the date of the rapture: either Sept. 23 or 24, 2025. Not one to keep that kind of info to himself, the pastor passed the message along, and things escalated quickly.
That is, people are now selling their possessions, quitting their jobs, and liquidating their retirement funds. Some believers are taking it very seriously, while others are posting memes and comedic skits under #RaptureTok, adding some levity to what is otherwise a dramatic prophecy. A few users have even started assembling “rapture kits”—think survival bags for those left behind, just in case Jesus doesn’t scoop them up on the first try.
But before you start liquidating your assets and giving away your IKEA furniture, let’s take a moment to break down what the rapture actually is and when it will happen based on the Bible.
What is the rapture and when will it happen according to the Bible?
The Rapture is a Christian belief—especially popular among American evangelicals—that both living and deceased believers will suddenly be “caught up” into heaven to meet Jesus at His Second Coming. This event, according to some interpretations, occurs right before seven years of chaos and suffering known as the Great Tribulation, where the Antichrist rules the earth, per New Covenant Way. Simply put, believers are taken. Non-believers stay behind to face some serious biblical consequences. That’s the gist.
Though the word “rapture” doesn’t appear in the Bible, the concept is rooted in passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and highlighted in Matthew 24:36. The term itself was coined in the 19th century by theologian John Nelson Darby, according to Harvest Of Faith. Interestingly, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, in The King James version of the Bible, describes the rapture in detail but does not mention when the event will occur. It reads, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.”
The Bible (English Standard Version) also addresses the rapture in Matthew 24:36, where Jesus makes it clear that no advance notice will be given: “But concerning that day and hour? No one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
Some Christians are wary about the prediction.
While many believers are certain today (or tomorrow) will be the big day, not all Christians are buying into Pastor Mhlakela’s celestial calendar. In a video posted on Sept. 22, Christian influencer Tiff Diamond questioned how anyone could confidently predict such an event when the Bible clearly says otherwise. Citing Matthew 24:36, Diamond told fans, “Nobody knows. Only God knows. The angels in heaven don’t know, but you think we can predict that?”
She advised followers to stay “prayed up” and focus on getting right with God instead of trying to out-Google the Second Coming.
Comedian and content creator KevOnStage also chimed in with a humorous take, similar to Diamond’s.
“I was taught that no man knows the date nor the hour,” he said in a video shared Monday, pondering if the rapture would take place in a specific time zone first. “There’s 24 time zones… If the Bible says no man knows, then how y’all know?”
Meanwhile, Dr. Kynan Bridges, pastor of Grace & Peace Global Fellowship, called the prediction a distraction from what truly matters: one’s personal relationship with God.
“Many people who talk about the rapture don’t even know Jesus,” he said. “A lot of people are more concerned with the rapture than they are with Jesus himself.”
Bridges stressed the need for genuine faith over fear-based prophecy chases.
“The truth is, whenever Jesus comes back, some of y’all are gonna be meeting him for the first time—and that’s not a good look.”
So, whether you’re prepping your rapture bag, creating memes, or just watching the chaos unfold from a safe spiritual distance, maybe the best approach is to follow the timeless advice: Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. Because, timezone or not, the Bible seems pretty clear—no one’s getting a heads-up.
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What Does The Bible Say About The Rapture? was originally published on elev8.com
