What was RaptureTok? What did Athens think of it?
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The rapture is coming this week. At least, that’s what some TikTokers predicted. They believed that on Sept. 23, believers would be “caught up” into heaven.
According to The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, the rapture is “the belief that at Christ’s second coming, believers will be ‘caught up’ to meet him in the air, with debates over timing in relation to the tribulation.” The term "rapture" does not appear in the Bible, but the concept is based on interpretations of passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.
Their predictions were incorrect, but that did not stop people from selling their prized possessions. Cars, furniture, and personal belongings were sold hastily in many Christian communities this week. User @kingdomwealth_christina even posted on Monday, telling users to “unlock [their] phones” in the event of a forthcoming rapture.
Talk of the rapture picked up recently on TikTok, where many users noted that South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela claimed to have a divine vision in which Jesus came to him and declared “he would come take [his] church” on Sept. 23. This date aligns with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Predictions of the Rapture are not new. Scholars and theologians have long emphasized that attempts to assign specific dates have repeatedly failed throughout history. From the Millerite movement in the 1840s to more recent predictions tied to the year 2000 or the Mayan calendar in 2012, such claims have consistently sparked widespread discussion and anxiety but have never come to pass.
On TikTok, however, the conversation has taken on a viral momentum. Videos tagged with #rapture had racked up millions of views, with some users sharing prayers, warnings, and advice while others joked about what they would do if it actually happened. For many, the trend had become less about theology and more about humor and curiosity about faith.
Cameron Wade, a junior at Ohio University, has seen a lot of videos online regarding the rapture. “It could be today or not today,” he said on Sept. 23. “The rapture is an imminent event that no one knows the day of. Essentially, every day has an equal chance of being the rapture as any other day. The Bible does say that we will know the times and seasons when the rapture/tribulation happens.” He also says that many events this month, such as the Feast of Trumpets or the UN meeting that took place yesterday regarding the statehood of Palestine, hold some potential significance.
Another student, who asked to remain anonymous, said on Sept. 23 that he does not believe the rapture would happen that day. “I am a Christian and I’ve seen the evidence; however, I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he said. “I think it’s pretty ridiculous what people are doing on TikTok, selling their possessions over something that is completely speculative.”