A South African preacher who predicted the Rapture would take place on September 23–24 has gone silent online after his prophecy failed.

Pastor Joshua Mhlakela had claimed that Jesus appeared to him in a vision, saying he would return during the Jewish Feast of Trumpets.

When the dates passed without incident, Mhlakela livestreamed to followers, asking them to be patient and assuring them that “the Lord is on his way.”

“I wonder how God works this out, in terms of the minute and the second," he said.

The broadcast ended after midnight with Mhlakela urging viewers: “Please keep waiting with us, he is coming. September 23rd, 24th. One of these two days, he is coming.” The stream has since been deleted.

Other self-described prophets who supported his claims have since apologized.

Tilahun Desalegn, an Australian evangelist with 30,000 followers, admitted: “I will never publicly talk about the rapture again.”

Nigerian preacher Kingsalem Igwe also apologized, writing: “I only believed a man who claimed Jesus told him.”

Critics, meanwhile, pointed to Scripture.

One viewer wrote on Mhlakela’s livestream: “Do not be deceived! No man knows when Jesus will return.”

Pastor and author Vladimir Savchuk added: “If someone sets the date, they are directly contradicting Jesus’s word.”