Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on everyone’s tongue these days. It is the current miracle. Of course, many features attributed to AI are really a normal, mechanical computer reaction to a sensor, such as detecting someone moving toward a door, and the door opening automatically. Computer scientists have been working hard on improving the computer’s ability to think and reason. They have been so successful that some AI programs have hacked into other AI programs.
Recently, Jacob Coxon, a scientist involved in AI development at the Anthropic company, publicly resigned from his position and stated that if AI was not controlled, it would destroy mankind by 2030. This caused a firestorm of comments and claims in the media. Let me state that I do not believe that Artificial Intelligence will destroy mankind, simply because the Bible indicates otherwise.
I will admit that I sometimes wonder if our world, so dependent on energy and electronics, would be thrown back to medieval living conditions by a coronal mass ejection from the sun, or an electronic blast from a high-altitude nuclear weapon (ElectroMagnetic Pulse – EMP). Both of these can severely damage the electrical devices that we depend on so much, and cause mankind to fight with bows, arrows, spears and shields. The battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 39:1-3) which, in my opinion, parallels the Battle of Armageddon is fought with bows and arrows.
But there is an event prophesied in the Word of God that seems to discount the final battle being fought with ancient weapons. This is the wonderful account of the Two Witnesses who will prophesy for 1,260 days, or 3˝ years (Revelation 11:3). This short time period must be the final half of the seven years of Tribulation. The Two Witnesses are hated by the people left on the earth because they can turn water to blood, bring plagues on their enemies and defend themselves by fire from their mouths.
This short period of time cannot be the first half of the Tribulation because they are killed by the beast or the creature who ascends from the bottomless pit. This being is part of the Fifth Trumpet (Revelation 9:1-11) which is part of the last half of the Tribulation. Therefore, the Two Witnesses are killed very near the end of the Tribulation.
When they are killed, they are not given a decent burial but rather their dead bodies will be seen by “the people and kindreds and tongues and nations.” Scripture says that not only those in Jerusalem can see the dead bodies of the Two Witnesses, but apparently everybody on the earth.
The only way that I can conceive of this occurring is by satellite television. This would require electricity. This would require that the modern devices that we use today still be operative. This would eliminate the concept of an EMP destroying our modern capabilities.
But the final chapter of the Bible also tells us something else. Mankind has not been destroyed by AI, but will continue on its self-destructive pattern of rebellion against the Lord, the Creator of all things. Praise His name for His wonderful patience with us. May His name be praised forever!