Why do people think the rapture is happening today?

Every handful of years, a headline or viral video emerges claiming that the Rapture is about to happen. Wars, earthquakes, and political turmoil are often pointed to as evidence. Supposed prophets study calendars or astronomical signs, convinced they can pinpoint the moment Christ will secretly take his people away. This year is no different.

On TikTok and YouTube, a South African preacher named Joshua Mhlakela has gained attention for a prophecy he says came to him in a dream. He claims that Jesus told him the rapture would occur on September 23–24, 2025, timed to coincide with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. His prediction has spread widely online, inspiring fearful preparation among some and satirical response from others. Many cynics like myself resonate with this folly, remembering a long line of failed forecasts, from Harold Camping’s infamous dates in 1994 and 2011 to countless other movements over the years.

But why do people listen to this kind of thing? The Bible itself warns against setting dates. Jesus clearly declared, “concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). We know that his return will come suddenly and unexpectedly, “like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). Yet despite these warnings, the idea of a secret rapture has captured popular imagination, particularly in the past two centuries.

This article will address three key issues: (1) what the Bible actually says about Christ’s return, (2) the origin of the rapture as a concept, and (3) how Christians should live in readiness for Christ’s return. By the end, it will hopefully be clear that the rapture, as commonly taught, is not a biblical concept but a modern invention, while the true hope of the church remains in the visible and glorious return of Jesus Christ. Up front, I want to make clear that I don’t criticize rapture theology out of some kind of elitism, but because of pastoral concern. I don’t think it benefits Christians personally, helps strengthen the church, or contributes to God's mission.

1. The Bible’s Teaching on Christ’s Return

The New Testament consistently describes Christ’s return as a single climactic event, visible to all. Many in dispensational premillennial circles fail to recognize that the system demands at least three advents of Christ: the incarnation, the rapture, and his return to reign. Although there are disputable prophetic passages in Scripture that may or may not inform our eschatology, we should interpret these passages in light of the clarity of others (sometimes referred to as the analogy of faith). The clear expectation of the New Testament authors is a single, visible return of Christ.

On visibility, Jesus said, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). There is no hint of secrecy. His coming is associated with the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the renewal of creation (1 Corinthians 15:51–52; Revelation 21:1), all events that are impossible to occur secretly. Some will point to Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 as evidence of a rapture, “The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Yet in context, this describes the resurrection and the final meeting of Christ with his people. The language of “meeting” in the air is consistent with the ancient custom of citizens going out to welcome a king entering their city. This is not an actual departure from the earth. It is about welcoming the rightful ruler to the land. These types of processions were typical when a ruler entered a city in the ancient world. Not to mention, the secrecy of a rapture makes little sense if it is accompanied by “a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Trumpets and the shouting of the messenger are clearly announcements of the entrance of the King.

Other passages also emphasize the unpredictability of the timing. Jesus’ parables of the wise and foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) and of the watchful servants (Luke 12:35–40) emphasize the importance of being ready. You don’t need readiness if you know when the return will happen—you can procrastinate. Readiness is about pursuing faith and righteousness through Christ while it is day, and not speculating on the last moment before the darkness (judgment) comes to start taking things seriously. That is, attempts to decode the exact timeline miss the point of New Testament teaching. The certainty of his coming is meant to inspire endurance in the present, not create last-minute anxiety over Christ’s inevitable return.

2. The Modern Origins of the Rapture

If the Bible does not teach a secret rapture before a period of tribulation, why do so many believe in it today? The answer lies in the rise of dispensationalism in the 19th century. Teachers such as John Nelson Darby promoted a system of dividing history into distinct “dispensations” and taught that the church would be removed before a future period of great tribulation. This idea spread through popular prophecy conferences, Christian radio, Bible notes (such as Rirey, Schofield, and MacArthur), and eventually made its way into Christian novels and films. Interestingly, it was this final category of pseudo-biblical pop-media that is credited as having the widest influence on Christian thinking in the 20th century, not the arguments from the Bible itself.

The term “rapture” does not precisely appear in the Bible. It originates from the Latin raptus, which translates the Greek word harpazō (caught up) in 1 Thessalonians 4. But while Paul used the word to describe the resurrection at Christ’s return, modern teachers built an entire system of escape theology around it. No doubt, this is an innovation, not sound biblical exegesis, and it denies the historical perspectives on the end times (on this note, some early church fathers such as Irenaeus toyed with what we today would call historical premillennialism, a millennial system that does not rely on a rapture at all, though recognizing a millennial reign of Christ on earth before the end comes. An actual rapture only appears clearly in contemporary dispensational eschatology.)

Further, this innovation is not found in any of the writings of the early church fathers or the reformers. Instead, Christians throughout history expected to endure hardship, following Jesus’ teaching that “in the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Suffering is not something Christ’s followers are spared from, but part of sharing in Christ’s sufferings (Romans 8:17). By taking the church outside of the tribulation, dispensationalism creates a theology of avoidance rather than endurance. It’s escapism, a hope rooted in the want of the flesh, not in the biblical promise of perseverance. This extra-biblical fascination has fueled endless predictions, date-setting, and sensational claims, each one eventually proven false—all distractions from the hope of the Gospel and the direction of Scripture. And lest the Lord returns ironically, this one too will prove to be nothing more than internet propaganda.

3. A Life of Readiness for the Kingdom

If Christians are not meant to wait anxiously for the rapture, then how should they live? Scripture calls us to active faithfulness. Paul urges the church to “stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:13). Readiness is not about deciphering timetables or attending prophecy conferences, as argued by some. Readiness is about walking “in a manner worthy of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:12) in the present day. It’s living a life of holiness, love, and hope, built on Christ’s work on the cross and resurrection. Such faithfulness encompasses the inner strengthening of the Spirit, pursuing blamelessness in holiness, and maintaining oneself in the love of God through prayer, Scripture contemplation, and communal perseverance within the Church. Christians are called to reflect Christ’s example of grace and mercy in their relationships, building one another up in faith and demonstrating the unity of Christ’s body in a fractured world.

Jesus’ call to watchfulness likewise demands more than passive waiting. We’re called to a life of discipleship that shows itself in ordinary faithfulness. Watchfulness looks like raising children in the Lord, caring for neighbors, practicing justice and mercy, and faithfully gathering with the church to hear Christ proclaimed from Scripture. It means taking seriously the call to belong to Christ’s body, committing to the community of faith where mutual love and accountability take root. A disciple of Christ is characterized by a love for God and one's neighbor, extending even to enemies, and by perseverance in the face of hardship and rejection. To remain watchful is to stay prayerful and alert, standing firm against unseen threats, conducting business and relationships with integrity, and living by the Spirit rather than the flesh. These daily practices of obedience are a quiet rebellion against the world’s idols, a refusal to be lulled into complacency while awaiting the Lord’s return.

Conclusion: A Better Hope than the Rapture

So why do people think the rapture is happening today? Because modern traditions have created expectations beyond what the Bible actually teaches. The danger of rapture-thinking is that it turns the Christian’s attention away from the present reality of Christ and his Kingdom and toward speculation and fear. Paul consistently points to the second coming of Christ as the central event of Christian hope, urging the church to live carefully and expectantly in light of it. Peter also encourages us to grow in faith, resist sinful desires, and zealously pursue God’s purposes as we wait for Christ. Let Jesus form in you a life of faithfulness that assures that “your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The pseudo-spiritual nonsense that pops up every couple of years only results in fear and anxiety.

The true Christian hope is in the transformation of the world at the return of Christ (Revelation 21-22). On that day, he will raise the dead, transform the bodies of the saints into immortal and imperishable forms, and establish justice over all evil. This expectation is rooted in Christ’s own resurrection, which already defeated death and assures that the final victory is certain. The resurrection is for the consolation of God’s kingdom, but also God’s victory over death and suffering. Far from encouraging a retreat from creation—this is really what the Rapture is about; it’s anti-evangelistic—this hope fuels participation in God’s mission of renewal while awaiting the full unveiling of his eternal kingdom.

The promise, therefore, is far greater than any rapture prediction. When Christ returns, he will bring the new heaven and new earth, reconciling all creation to himself. Sin will be vanquished, righteousness will prevail, and God’s people will serve and worship him in perfect joy. This is the glory that Scripture calls believers to anticipate and prepare for—the public and triumphant arrival of King Jesus. That is the better hope, and the one worth clinging to in faith and perseverance.

Bible Verses About Christ’s Return

1. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36).

2. “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

3. “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27).

4. “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him” (Revelation 1:7).

5. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

6. “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52).

7. “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

8. “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Matthew 24:46).

9. “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).

10. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1).