Sept. 23 became a bigger day than many people expected. The internet was wrapped in a phenomenon once again, but this was the first time it was exposed to this level of attention on social media.
This day gained exposure from South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela. During an appearance on the “I've Been Through The Most Podcast,” Mhlakela described a vision he had of God speaking to him.
“On Sept. 23 and 24, I will come to take my church,” Mhlakela said.
Mhlakela was referencing the Christian doctrine of the rapture. This theology, at the simplest level, is that before Jesus Christ returns to this Earth, all the people who believe in Christ will be raptured up to heaven, and all non-believers will be left behind here on Earth.
Despite being an entrenched part of complex theological arguments among Christians, the rapture has become commonplace in pop culture.
What is believed to be the first ever film about the rapture is a 13-minute piece released by a Venezuelan production company in 1941, titled “The Rapture.” However, this film did not create much public consciousness and mostly just exists as a historical landmark now.
The first rapture film to truly break into the public sphere was the 1972 film “A Thief in the Night.” It became incredibly influential during the 1970s, especially among the youth evangelical culture. Three sequels for the film were produced in 1978, 1981 and 1983. Another three sequels were planned but ultimately were not produced.
But it would be the 1990s that catapulted the rapture into a mainstream idea. On Dec. 31, 1995, author Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins would release the novel “Left Behind.”
The novel provides a unique, high-action interpretation of the rapture and its surrounding events. It came out to rave reviews from influential figures in American Evangelism, including Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell.
“In terms of its impact on Christianity, it's probably greater than that of any other book in modern times, outside the Bible,” Falwell said.
The novel would expand into a 16-book series with sequels and prequels. There would also be a 40 novel long series “Left Behind: The Kids” with the same plot as the original books but with teenagers as the protagonists.
There would also be many attempts at movies starting in 2000 with Left Behind: The Movie. This film would tackle two of the sequel novels with 2002's Left Behind II: Tribulation Force and 2005’s Left Behind III: World at War.
After the underwhelming performances of those films, film adaptations went on hiatus. Then, in 2014, another attempt would be made, but this time with Hollywood star Nicolas Cage. This movie flopped and received no sequels from the same production team. However, a sequel was made in 2023 with a different production crew.
The rapture has had an impact on pop culture; however, the history does not explain the most recent social media craze around the Sept. 23 prediction. Although there is no clear-cut explanation, it seems the algorithm was able to spread the idea outside of fringe corners of the internet. The hashtag #RaptureTok was able to become a huge thing for a brief period, and the rapture received its first mainstream social media look.
Many creators who were fretting about the rapture have now rescinded claims and completely wiped any traces off their pages. Nevertheless, the page @raptureclowneryarchive on TikTok has become a digital file of sorts for the fever.
While it had a brief period and many non-believers, RaptureTok did show something important. This moment showed the impact social media can have on mass panic, and how easily some people can be influenced by minimal evidence. RaptureTok is a case for improving media literacy as social media grows its ever-present place in our lives.
