Apparently a Rapture Has Been Scheduled, and Some MAGA Folks Are Preparing for It
The only Rapture we definitely know about is Blondie's.
Published Sept. 22 2025, 2:58 p.m. ET
It's been a minute since we've prepared ourselves for a Rapture, and thanks to TikTok, we know exactly when it's reportedly happening. Before we get into the latest Biblical threat, it's important to dig into what a Rapture is. It's much more than a super fun song by Blondie, though that can emotionally take you somewhere if you love to dance.
Christians believe the Rapture will herald in the second coming of Christ. If you've seen the show The Leftovers, then you already have a good idea about what the Rapture is. Essentially, evangelical Christians think true believers, both living and dead, will be taken to the kingdom of heaven while those left behind on Earth will be forced to live a life separate from God, which is a form of eternal damnation. Apparently, some religious MAGA supporters claim to know when this is happening. Let's prepare ourselves.
What is the MAGA Rapture? Let's get into the meaning.
If you go to TikTok and search "Rapture" you'll be flooded (Biblical pun intended) with videos from actual MAGA supporters and non-MAGA folks discussing the Rapture. Because social media is the way it is, it's sometimes difficult to find a real video versus one that is satirical. We're gonna do our best here.
Evidently, some religious MAGA supporters believe the Rapture is coming in September 2025. There are several videos from people giving instructions on what to do in the days leading up to the supposed Rapture. One woman who described herself as a pre-tribber, which evidently refers to the pre-tribulation Rapture, suggested everyone unlock their phones before the big day. Evidently, this is for those who will be leaving letters or notes behind in their phones.
There are a ton of TikToks with suggestions like the passcode one, but where is this Rapture idea coming from? In June 2025, a South African pastor dropped a YouTube video claiming Jesus was returning Sept. 23 and 24. In his viral video, Pastor Joshua Mhlakela said the rapture is upon us, whether we're ready or not, and he knows this because God took him to see the future and then brought him back. For some reason, Pastor Mhlakela was focused on the fact that there would be no World Cup 2026.
The Rapture is a relatively new concept.
According to Dan McClellan, who holds a PhD in theology and religion from the University of Exeter, the Rapture is not expressly mentioned in the Bible and is kind of a new concept. If you're someone who is interested in theology, Dan's TikTok is an incredibly useful source for questions regarding religion and, at times, the misuse of religious ideas.
In February 2024, Dan dropped a TikTok about the Rapture and, more specifically, the invention of the Rapture. "This concept begins with John Nelson Darby around 1833," explains Dan. John was a Bible teacher and founder of the Exclusive Brethren, and he was trying to work out when the Second Coming was actually coming. In trying to do this, John turned to Thessalonians 4:17, which talks about Christ descending to resurrect the dead while also bringing some of the living to the clouds to meet Jesus.
Dan asserts that this was a misinterpretation of what Paul was saying in Thessalonians, which was repurposing a Roman tradition about meeting a general at the city limits when they return from war. People were not going to meet Jesus in Heaven, but rather in the clouds so they could descend back to Earth and follow him there.