It’s September 24, and our clothes haven't fallen to the floor in a heap as we rose into the sky – or descended to Hell, depending on what camp you fall into. Which can only mean one thing: the Rapture didn’t happen.

If you've spent any time on TikTok the past few days, you'll know that, for certain Evangelical Christians, this week was meant to mark the end of the world. Specifically, September 23 or 24 — dates flagged in a now-viral prophecy from South African preacher Joshua Mhlakela, who claimed Jesus visited him with breaking news that the Rapture was imminent.

Whether you were relieved or terrified at the prospect of the world's end, the facts remain that you're here, scrolling this article. So what now?

What actually is the Rapture?

The Rapture is the Evangelical Christian belief that Jesus will return to Earth, round up the spiritually worthy, and whisk them away to Heaven. Anyone who has sinned (which is likely all of us) will be left behind and tormented with seven years of judgement.

Why did people think it was coming?

A South African preacher named Joshua Mhlakela posted a YouTube sermon earlier this year, claiming he received a direct message from Jesus Christ himself. In this vision, Jesus allegedly revealed that the Rapture would take place on September 23 or 24, 2025 — unfortunately for those of us in Australia, this would make the end of the world just days before we got to bask in the joys of Daylight savings. Mhlakela also mentioned there would be no 2026 World Cup, which honestly felt like the most divisive part of the prophecy.

Several people took Mhlakela's word for it, and proceeded to spread his message on the internet – in particular, TikTok. What followed were videos documenting everything from how to ascend to heaven (don't hold onto anything, according to one TikToker), to selling their cars in an effort to rid themselves of their worldly possessions. A wide spectrum of reactions.

So… what does it mean if the Rapture didn’t happen?

A few things could be true: You made it, and heaven has materialised as you reading this article. Or, you didn't, and this is actually the seven-year judgement period – which, if you've read the news lately, feels plausible.

Has the Rapture been predicted before?

In short, yes. You might remember 2012, when a mis-reading of the Mayan calendar sent some spiralling, with fears the world would end on December 21st. And a decade earlier, 1999 was laced with Y2K panic, when it was widely believed that the switch to 2000 would kill us all.

In other worlds, i f history tells us anything, it’s that humans are pretty bad at predicting our own extinction.