Come to Order, Pt. 8
Study Guide, March 23, 2025
Pastor Clay Olsen
So, how would you like to have one of these guys helping you around your house? [Picture of Robot in home] These ‘domestic automations’…or ‘domestic assistants’ are becoming more and more popular.
But we now live in an AI world…a world that’s fast expanding in the practical use and possible uses of Artificial Intelligence, which encompasses the ability of machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It involves creating systems that can perceive, understand, and react to their environment.
This growth in the knowledge and the use of AI is fantastic, but it is not surprising. The Prophet Daniel foretold of this expansion of ‘knowledge’ as one of the things that would characterize the ‘End Times’. Notice: Dan 12:4- “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” NASU Actually, the primary interpretation of ‘knowledge will increase’ is a direct reference to the growing insights and understandings that God’s people will have about God’s revelation concerning prophecy and the prophetic times. But the application also implies the ever-expanding knowledge of mankind as well. However, in a spiritual sense, there is another Scriptural saying that also applies to so many people who worship the ‘creature’ more than the ‘Creator’… “…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Tim 3:7 NASU Doesn’t that describe much of people’s problem the world over?! They learn and learn about this world, but they remain so foolish about God’s world…especially about the Creator and Redeemer of the world.
But, again, the potential for benefit from the use of AI to mankind is enormous. But some people are also concerned about AI, because the potential for harm is also enormous. Yeah, it’s that ‘decision-making’ part in AI that has people a little ‘Sus’…(I threw that in there for my Grand-kids…) How do AI developers ensure that AI machines don’t make some decisions that, instead of ‘Oh great’, will be more like ‘Oh No!’ for mankind? That is a genuine concern.
Of course, much of that is being determined not by the ‘A’, but by the ‘I’…as in; Behind every ‘A’ there is an ‘I’. Behind every artificial machine there is an intelligent being. And this intelligent being has been programming the artificial machine in such a way that it should then function according to how it was programmed to function, and to fulfill what it was programmed to fulfill. But, again, the concern is, what if this ‘AI being’ somehow becomes more like a ‘sentient being’ or a ‘self-aware being’, a ‘conscious being’, and begins making decisions that are contrary to the programmer’s instructions or intentions? What if it rebels against its ‘programmer’?
Does this scenario sound kind of familiar? Gen 1:26- “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” NASU Human beings were created in God’s own image…not as an ‘AI’, an ‘Artificial Intelligence’, but as a ‘UI’, or as a ‘Unique Intelligence’. We are each created in the image of God, but in God’s miraculous abilities, He has created each of us as a ‘Unique Being’. You are one-of-a-kind, and you will always be one-of-a- kind. We will each be one-of-a-kind individuals for eternity…yet living out our eternities and our destinies according to what we did in relation to our Creator after our rebellion, or after we went ‘rogue’. And even though God didn’t create us as ‘robots’, it’s like ‘AI’s’ that have gone rogue, we each have rebelled against our Creator. We each have sinned and gone our own way. Now, if we have repented, turned back to God, and placed our faith and trust in the saving Person and works of our Creator and Redeemer, then we have been spiritually reunited with our God and will live out our eternity and destiny with our God in His new world forever and ever. But whoever does not repent will be separated from their Creator for eternity.
But did you see it? As a ‘UI’, as a Unique Intelligent being, we were created by our Supreme Intelligent Being, our God, and purposed with…could we say, divinely programmed with certain instructions and intentions…in essence, to worship and serve our God only! Remember, as the Apostle Paul pointed out, even God’s law is imprinted on man’s heart. Our need for God and God’s will for us, to know Him and to follow Him, is written in our hearts. And even our minds are ‘hard-wired’ to yearn for God. And although we are ‘unique’, just like without an ‘I’ behind an ‘A’, an ‘artificial being has no power or ability in itself to function or to thrive…so too, with us, we neither have any power of life in and of ourselves, nor the ability to function and thrive in and of ourselves in carrying out the purposes for which we were created.
But now that we have been redeemed, spiritually resurrected, and given a new nature that is untied to God’s nature, we can now carry out those purposes and plans that our Creator, our Designer, created us for and created us to do. But even as redeemed people, we still have to be on guard against the programming pressures of this world. Or, as Paul put it in Rom 12:2- “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” NASU The Greek word for ‘conformed’ means to be shaped, molded, fashioned, patterned…and in relation to our theme here, we could also say ‘programmed’. Remember, since we are indeed ‘created beings’, we are indeed always being conformed, shaped, influenced…even programmed by ‘something or someone’. You would have to have created yourself to not be subject to the law of conformity. Everyone is being conformed to something or someone. The question for every created person is – “So, are you being conformed more and more to your Creator, or are you being conformed more and more to your Culture?” Or, for each of us human ‘UI’s’…us ‘Unique Intelligent beings’ we could ask it this way: “Who or what is programming you?” You are either being conformed, shaped, influenced, and programmed by the Creator and Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, or, you are being conformed, shaped, influenced, and programmed by the unholy trinity of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. And even as believers, we have to be careful, so as to not be deceived by the programming influences of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Be wise…choose each day to worship and serve the Lord your God only.
In fact, it is only when you add ‘Worship’ to ‘Intelligence’ that you then produce ‘Wisdom’. Our God intended us to worship Him only and to obey His instructions, His will, His program for our lives. And when we do, we then add the joys of godly wisdom to our intelligence. For without godly wisdom an unconverted person remains an ‘intelligent fool’, as well as already sentenced to separation from God. Actually, the highest evidence of intelligence is the worship of God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Any ‘intelligence’ that neglects or rejects the worship of God and placing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is a sin-damaged intelligence…and worse…a condemned sin-damaged intelligence.
But, again, in connection with us ‘UI’s’ in relation to ‘AI’s’, a question that people really should be asking about ‘AI’ is: “But really, what is the end game of AI in relation to humanity?” “What is the final outcome of Artificial Intelligence in relation to the people of this world?” Wait a minute…You mean, there really is a way for us to know that? Oh yes…and how like our God, in His benevolence and His revelation, to clearly reveal that to us as well in His revelation of the End Times.
And to better understand that we need to better understand this. One of the important, and really helpful principles for us Disciples is learning that the Bible is God’s gift of ‘Progressive Revelation’ to us. Remember we recently pointed out how in the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed and in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed. Even as the book of Hebrews begins, it reveals this ‘progression of revelation’: Heb 1:1-3- “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” NIV
There is an entire series of studies in just those three verses. But did you also notice the answer to that question of – “Are we living in the ‘last days’?” We sure are! The ‘Last Days’ began with the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. When God came to Earth in the First Advent, He put the whole world on notice to get ready for His Second Advent! How can people ignore the visitation of God in becoming the Incarnate God and Man and just go on with their lives as though that never happened? And how can people just ignore what was spoken to the world by the Son of God when He came? Oh, it’s not that God has not revealed Himself to this world…it’s that this world has ignored, neglected, and rejected God’s revelation of Himself and of His words, all because they worship the ‘creature’ more than the ‘Creator’!
So, again, throughout the revelation of the Bible there is more and more revelation of God’s works in our salvation and in our sanctification and even in the culmination of the things of this Earth and the things to come in the New Earth. And, remarkably so, we even see the culmination of AI, that is, on this present Earth. For in the New Earth, we can only imagine what God’s redeemed children are going to be able to create and to achieve in arts and engineering and music and construction and technology in and throughout the New Earth and New Heavens. They will make any discoveries of AI on this Old Earth seem like ‘child’s play’.
But, again, the end game of AI on this Old Earth reveals exactly what the Old Enemy of God and Man has always wanted from humanity in the first place. For in the ‘End Times’ of these ‘Last Days’ something happens that changes human life on Earth from anything people have ever known. Let’s look: Rev 13:14-15- “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” NASU
What’s this? These are the final days, the last period of time, the period of the Great Tribulation on Earth. And under the power and pressure of the Antichrist, the world will have reached the stage where there is one world government, one world religion, and with all of it operating within a one world economic system. We think, but with all of the different religions, how can there be a one world religion? Note, it becomes a one world religion out of great deception, and out of great tribulation, and especially out of great force. As for the deception, well, the deception has been going on ever since the Fall of Man into Sin. And as for tribulation, the end times of this present Earth are marked by catastrophic events, which result in the loss of life of over a third of people, over a third of destruction of the seas, and of great pestilence and disease throughout the world. Covid was just a weak preview of what it will be like in the Great Tribulation. Oh, the world will be ripe for the Great Counterfeiter, the Devil himself, to present himself as God in the flesh…it will be the ‘counterfeit incarnation’…of whom we know is the Antichrist. First, he offers his powers and his leadership for people’s problems. But soon he makes it very clear that it’s not just his leadership that he is offering, rather there becomes something from everyone that he is now demanding! Which brings us to this ‘abomination of desolation’ as both Daniel and Jesus warned the world about. The Antichrist then appoints his prophet, this second beast of Revelation, or the False Prophet, which, by the way, makes up the third person of the false trinity…Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet…but the Antichrist instructs this False Prophet to have an ‘image’ made and set up in the reconstructed tribulation Temple. And what this image is, is that it is an ‘artificial image of the Antichrist’. But then, this ‘Artificial image’ is animated with ‘intelligence’ so that it becomes an ‘Artificial Intelligence’…an ‘AI’ agent for the Antichrist’. And it is then that this demonic AI gives this ultimatum to the world, and reveals what Satan has always wanted, for all people to ‘worship him’. And if they don’t, they will be killed.
Which also means, that from that point on, any worshippers of the Lord Jesus Christ will also become either martyrs or fugitives until the Lord Jesus comes to enforce His Kingdom over all the world. And until our Lord does, all other human activity and all artificial intelligent activity will be subjugated to being done in submission to the order of this Supreme Artificially Intelligent Image demanding worship of the Beast or death.
So again, what is the end game of AI on this old Earth? The end game is that one day one particular AI will call for all people of Earth to give their worship to it, as representing the Antichrist, or they will be killed.
And this points out the reality that everything in life, even this amazing development of AI, is not just about what it can do, but about…in ‘whose hands’ will it be done? And even with us, with us ‘UI’s’, in whatever you are doing, whatever you are planning to do, or whatever you are hoping to do…in ‘whose hands’ are you going to do it? Are you yielding yourself to the loving the hands of your Creator…the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to lead and guide you in the plans your God has for you? Or will you allow yourself to be squeezed into it’s mold by the hands of the Culture…which is under the power of the world, the flesh, and the devil? Choose each day ‘whom’ you will serve. After all, you are a ‘Unique Intelligence’…so let your ‘Unique God and Savior’ guide you by His hands and His heart every day!