The most recent “rapture craze” is rooted in a prediction from a South African man named Joshua Mhlakela, whose dream in 2018 predicted that Jesus would return on Sept. 23 or 24, 2025. That prediction first gained traction on TikTok and then went viral. If history is any guide, Mhlakela’s prediction will not be the last.

There is a special interest in Russia’s war in Ukraine, along with the war in Gaza. Both of these wars interest Christians influenced by dispensationalist theology, especially as it is popularized by authors such as Lindsey and LaHaye, or those who listen to preachers who share their beliefs. They look at world events through this lens and begin to see patterns that suggest the end is near.

This is especially true when Israel is involved, because many Christians influenced by dispensationalism believe that the re-establishment of Israel and the return of Jews to Palestine, especially since the 1920s, is a sign that the end is near. The centering of the re-establishment of Israel has important political implications, including unquestioned support for Israeli actions by many evangelicals.