A South African pastor, Joshua Mhlakela, has sparked social media debate after his prediction of the rapture failed to materialise.
Our correspondent gathered that Mr Mhlakela, during an interview on Centtwinz TV podcast posted on YouTube on 22 July, claimed the rapture would occur on 23 to 24 September 2025.
In Christian teaching, particularly within Pentecostal and evangelical circles, the rapture refers to the event when believers in Christ are caught up to meet the Lord in the air before the final judgment and tribulations on earth.
Mr Mhlakela said he dreamt of Jesus, who told him the rapture would occur on those dates, coinciding with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration.
He said, “The Rapture is upon us, whether you are ready. I will come to take my church. There’s a storm brewing right now, and it’s dark. No human being on this Earth is ready for what is coming. I’m a billion per cent sure. I began to hear the sound of the trumpet literally in my ear.
“The date I have come with is the final one, and there’s no other date. When it comes to whether the gospel reached the world, or everybody before the rapture, I guess only God can know that. Only God can know how many billions of people have received the gospel. So, I’m comforting the people that the date has come up with others who have confirmed it is irreversible.”
In preparation for the rapture, some South Africans who believed in the prophecy submitted resignation letters, while others discussed selling their property and vehicles and even cashing out their retirement savings.
Much like Noah’s Ark
Mr Mhlakela’s rapture prediction came barely a month after a Ghanaian EboJesus embarked on an ark-building mission, claiming the world would end with three years of continuous rainfall.
In a viral video on his Instagram page, this newspaper reported that EboJesus announced the rain would begin on 25 December and flood the earth.
He claimed he received a divine revelation instructing him to build an ark in preparation for the catastrophe.
According to him, the ark was already about 80 per cent complete and would serve as the only refuge when disaster struck.
“Please, I am on my knees, don’t let this pass you, I said on the 25th of December, it’s going to rain heavily and we are going to stay in this boat for 3 years,” he said in the video.
Reactions
Meanwhile, Mr Mhlakela’s failed prediction of the rapture has stirred widespread reactions from netizens both within his country and abroad.
Some users demanded that the pastor issue a public apology for misleading people on his social media platforms. In contrast, others urged the podcast host to invite him to the show to apologise directly.
Below are some of the reactions.
Being South African is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am glad I was born here. We are the craziest country in the whole world. Yesterday, one of us made the entire world pray! People did not want to be left behind during the rapture, yet they enjoy sinning for fun
— TheHanist (@TheHanist)
So it was a South African pastor who sent the world into frenzy over the rapture scare
— Former Ghanaian (@dsm_Degeneres)
People actually gathered in South Africa waiting to be raptured because a “pastor” told the Jesus was coming yesterday. The level of stupidity in Africa is too high and unfortunately it’s not going away soon.
God go just dey laugh.
— ⫸ (@PeterObIsComing)
Feeling national pride today knowing that it was a fellow South African who caused this rapture panic. SOUTH AFRICA NUMBER ONE!
— Zoeloə (@zulu_brah)
lol stupid South Africans will come here and say “but he apologized , his one of us now “
That’s why we are taken for poes’s by border jumper.
Apology accepted when his deported
— Patriotic GU (@iGugulamacrip)
It’s a deep hole. Colloquially, folks refer to Darby, Scofield, Hagee, Evengelical Zionism… and a bunch of other stuff as Dispensationalism. This is incorrect nomenclature (there is the potential vast/strong theological differences between these groups), but i gave up fighting…
— Wandering Panda (@WanderMrPanda)
People actually gathered in South Africa waiting to be raptured because a “pastor” told the Jesus was coming yesterday. The level of stupidity in Africa is too high and unfortunately it’s not going away soon.
God go just dey laugh.
— ⫸ (@PeterObIsComing)
People quit their jobs and sold their belongings in preparation for the predictions of a self-proclaimed prophet from South African claiming a “rapture” on 9/23-9/24…
— is it friday (@onlynemiah)
Rapture didn’t show up. Now the apology tour begins. SA man says sorry for hyping Pastor Joshua Mhlakela’s failed September 23–24 prophecy.
— @NaijaBudgetBro (@NaijaBudgetBro)
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