South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela predicted that Jesus will return on September 23 or 24— it’s been trending across social media under #RaptureTok.
Kim Haines-Eitzen, a professor of ancient Mediterranean religions at Cornell University, specializes in early Christianity and explores apocalyptic imagery and themes as they appear in early Christian texts. She can speak to the long history of end-times predictions, their roots in ancient Judaism, and why such beliefs tend to resurface during periods of social upheaval.
Haines-Eitzen says: “Such predictions are far from new, but social media has whipped up a frenzy.
“Ideas about the Rapture are best understood within the larger framework of apocalypticism, an ancient Jewish worldview that predates Christianity. Apocalyptic ideology, including the notion of an imminent judgment day, often emerges during times of suffering or in the wake of traumatic events.
“Many early Christians believed the end would come during their lifetimes. Their writings are now used by contemporary Christians who share Mhlakela’s view that the Rapture is imminent—perhaps even today. Apocalyptic fervor has resurfaced throughout history, especially during political and social crises such as the medieval Crusades, often with specific dates attached to a final judgment day, the Rapture, or the Second Coming of Christ.”
