This week, a South African pastor by the name of Joshua Mhlakela predicted that what many evangelical Christians call the rapture—the secret snatching away of God’s people at the second coming of Christ—would take place on September 24, 2025 [1]. This pastor claims that Jesus revealed this date to him in a divine vision, causing some of his followers to sell their worldly possessions in preparation for leaving earth [2].

Assisted by the Internet and social media, thousands of videos were posted offering advice to those believing they were about to secretly ascend to heaven [3]. But like all such predictions since our Lord returned to heaven two thousand years ago, this one failed, dashing the hopes of those who placed their confidence therein.

The secret rapture doctrine, which gained traction in modern times with such popular books as Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth [4] and the more recent Left Behind novel series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins [5], holds that Jesus can come at any moment, taking the Christians to heaven secretly and plunging the world into seven subsequent years of terrible tribulation, during which those “left behind” get a second chance for salvation. At the close of the seven-year tribulation Jesus returns visibly with the angels and raptured saints, the final judgment of the wicked occurs, and the eternal reign of Christ begins.

Few books have made a greater impact on both the Christian and the secular world than the LaHaye/Jenkins Left Behind series. (I was pastoring in New York City at the time this series was in its heyday. Huge stacks of each successive volume in this series would be seen at the local Barnes & Noble outlet, only to all be gone the next morning.) Listen to this from Wikipedia:

Multiple books in the series have been on the New York Times best-seller list. Starting in 2000, Books 7 and 8 reached number one on the list followed by book 10, which debuted at number one. Total sales for the series have surpassed 65 million copies. Seven titles in the adult series have reached #1 on the bestseller lists for the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly [6].

It should be noted that the above sales figure was as of 2016 [7]. It would be interesting to learn the extent to which that figure has grown in the years since.

Setting Dates for Jesus’ Second Coming

Those setting dates for Jesus to return invariably set themselves up, along with whoever might follow them, for embarrassment and spiritual disaster. The Great Disappointment of 1844 is perhaps the most notable example of this, even though God used this experience to draw attention to the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14 and its fulfillment in the eschatological cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. One would think the recurrence of such failed predictions across the ages would discourage people from dabbling in such speculation. But quite obviously that is not the case. Jesus warned against such predictions in His famed discourse on end-time events just before His crucifixion. Many of us know His words well:

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only (Matt. 24:36).

Throughout her prophetic ministry, Ellen White warned the Seventh-day Adventist movement against repeating the mistake of the Millerites in this regard:

Let all our brethren and sisters beware of anyone who would set a time for the Lord to fulfill His word in regard to His coming, or in regard to any other promise He has made of special significance [##8|Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 55.##].

Our position has been one of waiting and watching, with no time proclamation to intervene between the close of the prophetic periods in 1844 and the time of our Lord’s coming [##9|——Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p. 270.##].

Anything But Secret

The theory that Jesus’ second coming will involve the secret disappearance of God’s people—causing, among other things, automobiles and airplanes operated by Christians to veer off their courses because drivers and pilots have been taken to heaven—has snared the allegiance of millions of conservative Christians, even some in high places. Years ago the Republican Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Tom DeLay of Texas, had a wood carving on his office wall that read, “THIS COULD BE THE DAY,” a phrase often used to refer to the rapture [##10|Newsweek, Nov. 1, 1999, p. 70.##].

It was noted in the above-referenced Newsweek article just how seriously some appear to have taken this possibility:

At least one church, in North Hollywood, has taken steps to preserve its property should its officers disappear during the rapture. The church's insurance companies have agreed to delay premium payments for seven years, when the raptured officers return [##11|Newsweek, Nov. 1, 1999, p. 70.##].

Seventh-day Adventists have consistently opposed this doctrine on Biblical grounds, but it is dangerous for us to take such opposition for granted. We need to review for ourselves what the Bible teaches on this subject.

Those Bible verses which speak of our Lord’s second coming give little if any credence to the notion that this event is anything secret:

Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him, and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him (Rev. 1:7).

For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words (I Thess. 4:16-18).

Behold I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (I Cor. 15:51-55).

Many who believe in the rapture doctrine quote such Bible verses as the following, which speaks of Christ coming “as a thief in the night” (I Thess. 5:2). But in context this verse is not referring to secrecy, but to unexpectedness. Let’s look at this passage in its context:

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness (I Thess. 5:2-5).

So it isn’t the righteous who are surprised as if by a thief in the night, but the wicked. It is the wicked upon whom destruction comes suddenly, not the righteous. The apostle Peter is clearer still that the unexpectedness of Jesus’ return has nothing to do with secrecy, but will in fact be a very noisy, cataclysmic event:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (II Peter 3:10).

The Two Suppers

"But," someone asks, “what about Jesus' statement that two will be in the field, one taken and the other left?"

Let's look at these statements:

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come (Matt. 24:40-42).

But the Gospel of Luke gives a bit more detail about what happens at this event.

I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

And they answered and said unto Him, Where, Lord? And He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will be eagles be gathered together (Luke 17:34-37).

Turning back to Matthew 24, we find a similar statement:

For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together (Matt. 24:27-28).

Those left behind when Jesus comes, in other words, are not left alive. They are left dead, corpses for the birds of prey to devour. The book of Revelation says the same thing:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called, Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written that no man knew, but He Himself.

And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God.

And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the wine press of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God.

And He had on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev. 19:11-16).

Now we read a passage similar to those we found in Matthew and Luke:

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God:

That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse, and against His army.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh (verses 17-21).

Again, it is clear that tho left behind at Jesus’ coming are left dead, for the birds of prey to devour the corpses. They are not left alive, to endure years of tribulation and possibly have a second chance to be saved.

Revelation 19 speaks of two suppers—the marriage supper of the Lamb, at which the saved dine in eternal splendor with their Lord (Rev. 19:7-9), and the supper of the vultures (verses 17-18,21). Those present at the first supper eat the meal. Those present at the second supper are the meal.

Which one will we be at? Will we be at the table, or on the menu?

Conclusion: Why It Matters

What is especially dangerous about this rapture teaching is that it gives people the notion that they will have a second chance at salvation. A friend of mine spoke some years ago of a girl he knew whose best friend was an evangelical Christian. The girl said that if her Christian friend got raptured, she would immediately rush to the nearest Calvary Chapel and “get saved.” But not until, of course.

Many are thus saying that if they see all the Christians mysteriously vanish, they'll accept Christ. This "second chance" theology can easily convince people to postpone the readiness of their hearts and lives, fooling themselves that once they actually see the events of the last days, they will finally be convinced, and can safely join with the righteous. But let us consider the words of Scripture on this point:

As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded:

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (Luke 17:26-30).

Did the people in Noah's day get a second chance? Did the people in Lot's day?

When Jesus comes, there will be no second chance for anyone. Just before Jesus returns, probation will cease for the entire world. Christ’s ministry as our intercessor will come to an end, and He will declare:

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still (Rev. 22:11).

No wonder the apostle Paul writes elsewhere: "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:2).

REFERENCES

1. Theo Burman, “Rapture Theory Explained: Why Some People Think the World Will End Today,” Newsweek, Sept. 23, 2025 https://www.newsweek.com/rapture-theory-september-23-2134007

2. Ibid.

3. Yan Zhuang, “The Rapture Was Predicted to Happen Today. TikTok Has Some Advice,” New York Times, Sept. 23, 2025 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/us/rapture-tiktok-sept-23.html

4. The Late Great Planet Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Late_Great_Planet_Earth

5. Left Behind https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Behind

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 55.

9. ----Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p. 270.

10. Newsweek, Nov. 1, 1999, p. 70.

11. Ibid.