FAILED RAPTURE PROPHECY BY SOUTH AFRICAN PASTOR SPARKS OUTRAGE AND DESPAIR AMONG FOLLOWERS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The failed rapture prophecy of South African pastor, Joshua Mhlakela, has left many of his followers devastated, with some lamenting that they lost jobs, homes, and personal belongings in preparation for the supposed event.
Mhlakela had predicted that the rapture would occur between Tuesday, September 23, and Wednesday, September 24, claiming Jesus Christ appeared to him in a vision and revealed the exact date. He tied the prophecy to the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), a Jewish festival that some Christians associate with the second coming of Christ.
“I’m a billion per cent sure that we are going to see the Lord… The date of the 23rd is irrefutable,” Mhlakela declared in an interview with a YouTube channel, CettwinzTV.
The prophecy went viral, with the hashtag #RaptureTok trending on TikTok. While some dismissed it as another doomsday claim, others took it seriously, resigning from jobs, selling off properties, and even donating personal belongings.
On the predicted day, videos showed groups of believers gathered in the woods, waiting to be taken up. Mhlakela also went live online, assuring his followers that the rapture was imminent. But when nothing happened, he later told them to “remain patient and hopeful.”
The fallout has been severe. Several of his followers took to social media expressing regret. One TikTok user said, “I left my job, I gave away my things… I feel foolish and lost. I don’t think I can be Christian anymore.” Another lamented giving away all her belongings, saying starting life afresh would now be extremely difficult.
Christian leaders have strongly criticised the prophecy. Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church described it as the “prideful ejaculations of a spiritual charlatan,” stressing that the Bible does not support setting dates for the rapture.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also condemned Mhlakela’s prediction. The National Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, warned against “heretical preachers” and called for sanctions, adding that religious freedom should not be used to mislead vulnerable people.
Similarly, Lagos CAN Chairman, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, dismissed the prophecy as “misleading and unbiblical,” insisting that no one knows the date or time of Christ’s return.
“This is just attention-seeking,” he said. “The Bible makes it clear that the rapture will come like a thief in the night, and anyone giving a date is deceiving people.”
The incident has reignited debates about false prophecies, the misuse of religious platforms, and the vulnerability of followers to misleading claims.
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