People online are claiming that a Bible prophecy foreshadowing the second coming of Jesus is coming true.
From nuclear war and alien invasions to the second coming of Jesus himself, it would appear that mankind simply cannot get enough of speculating about the end of the world.
The latest 'end times' claim to do the rounds online regards to our impending doom is the 'Star of Jacob' prophecy, with various religious accounts taking this to be a sign that the messiah is about to return - but how accurate are these viral claims?
What is the 'Star of Jacob'?
The Star of Jacob is mentioned in the Bible's Book of Numbers 24:17: and states: "A star is emerging from Jacob; a sceptre is rising from Israel, and it smashes the brow of Moab and the foundation of all the sons of Seth."
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Interpretations of this verse have varied over the years, however the line is currently being used by TikTokers to claim that we are approaching the final days of mankind.
In a viral video from user Jacob Rutkowski, the teenager emotionally claiming: "This star is not just your ordinary star. This star shows us that our King is coming very soon.
"I'm not meaning hundreds of years, I'm talking about soon. Very soon."
Various other accounts have shared videos showing what appears to be a round star in the sky, claiming that this star in particular hasn't been spotted in the sky for over 2000 years (although there's no way to prove whether or not this claim is true), whilst other users are pointing to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East as 'evidence' of this prophecy.
Is the Star of Jacob real?
Whether or not you're inclined to believe in the Star of Jacob prophecy is very much linked to what your religious beliefs are, the claim will very much resonate with - or terrify - practitioners of Christian and Jewish faiths, whereas atheists will find an explanation rooted in science.
The validity of the Star of Jacob theory is already being fiercely debated amongst users on the app. Some people have claimed the star in the clips is actually Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, pointing out that Sirius looks very similar to the one shown in the videos.
Meanwhile others stated this 'star' is actually an asteroid called 2024 PT5 (nicknamed a 'mini-moon'), which entered Earth's orbit on 29 September and will be visible in the night sky until 25 November.
Brenna Cooper