For nearly 2,000 years, Christians have read the Book of Revelation and wondered what the world it describes is going to look like.
A world where knowledge increases.
Where an image can somehow speak.
Where deception becomes extraordinarily convincing.
Where a system can determine who is allowed to buy and sell.
Where power can extend across peoples, nations, and languages.
A world in which humanity is capable, or rather, appears capable, of things previous generations could only imagine.
For most of history, these descriptions required a whole lot of imagination.
Christians would read these passages and believe them because they trusted Scripture, even when it was difficult to imagine how any of it could actually happen. An image that speaks? A system that could determine who could buy or sell? Deception so convincing that people could be led astray on a massive scale? Some of it must have sounded almost like science fiction.
But today, perhaps a little less.
More and more, we are watching technologies emerge that make things Scripture described thousands of years ago increasingly possible to imagine.
And artificial intelligence may be the most remarkable example yet. It can generate photographs of people who never existed, reproduce human voices, create convincing videos of events that never happened, and translate languages almost instantly.
It still surprises me when I upload a video and, only minutes later, I can watch myself speaking Hindi, Vietnamese, Spanish, or French at the click of a button.
AI can analyze enormous amounts of information within seconds and even interact with us in conversation.
And this is just the beginning.
So I want to ask a perhaps provocative question:
What if AI is not the Antichrist, the Beast, or the fulfillment of any particular biblical prophecy?
What if AI is something much simpler and potentially much more significant?
What if AI is helping build the infrastructure in which some of the events we have read about in Scripture could eventually take place?
The more I think about AI in relation to the end times, the more I wonder about some of its incredible parallels, because AI is vastly different from many of the technologies Christians have previously associated with the end times.
Let’s dive in.
We’ve Been Here Before
Whenever revolutionary technologies have appeared, people have tried to fit them into Revelation.
Radio suddenly allowed our voices to travel enormous distances.
Television allowed millions of people to witness the same event simultaneously.
Later, global satellite television made passages such as Revelation 11, where peoples and nations gaze upon the bodies of the two witnesses, so much easier to imagine.
And then came computers.
Barcodes became associated with 666 and the Mark of the Beast.
Later came RFID chips, biometric identification, digital currencies, the internet, smartphones, and global surveillance.
At different points, Christians became convinced that one technology or another was the thing!
And many of those predictions were wrong.
But there is something those generations recognized correctly:
Technology was creating capabilities previous generations simply did not possess.
Television wasn’t Revelation, but it demonstrated that billions of people could potentially witness something happening far away.
The internet wasn’t Revelation, but it demonstrated that humanity could build a worldwide communication network.
Digital banking is not the Mark of the Beast, but it demonstrates that enormous portions of economic life can operate electronically.
So the mistake was not noticing the technological developments.
The mistake was jumping too quickly from:
“This makes something possible”
to:
“This is the fulfillment of prophecy.”
That distinction is important.
Because now AI introduces something different.
A.I. Is Not Just Another Television
Think about what previous technologies actually did.
Radio extended the human voice.
Television extended human sight.
The telephone extended human communication.
The internet connected human information.
But humans still largely created the content, and the machine transmitted it.
AI is different because AI can generate.
It can create text, images, voices, and video.
It can translate languages, analyze information, write computer code, recognize faces, recommend decisions, and interact conversationally.
And more and more, AI systems are being used by researchers and engineers to help develop software, models, chips, algorithms, and future AI systems. So the tool itself is beginning to participate in the process of improving the next generation of tools.
Something historically unusual is happening.
If you think about it, humanity has spent thousands of years creating tools that amplify our muscles. But now we are creating tools that amplify, and increasingly reproduce functions associated with, our intelligence.
And many researchers are openly pursuing artificial intelligence whose capabilities could eventually exceed human performance across increasingly broad domains.
That raises questions no radio, television, or printing press ever raised.
And when we place some of those capabilities beside Scripture, many passages begin to sound remarkably contemporary.
1. “Knowledge Shall Increase”
Daniel says this extraordinary statement about the end times:
“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
— Daniel 12:4
Sure, there is legitimate debate over whether Daniel is describing a general explosion of human knowledge or an increasing understanding of his prophetic revelation.
So I would not build an argument for AI on this verse alone, but the parallel is really hard to ignore.
Think about what has happened to human knowledge.
For most of history, knowledge was limited and scarce.
You needed access to the right person, the right scroll, the right library, the right university, or the right expert.
Then came the printing press.
Then computers.
Then the internet.
And now AI.
We are quickly moving from simply storing knowledge to having machines capable of searching, synthesizing, translating, reorganizing, and generating information almost instantly, at the snap of a finger.
Questions that once required hours of research can sometimes be explored in seconds.
AI certainly does not possess all knowledge. It makes mistakes, and no created thing can ever approach the omniscience of God.
But humanity is constructing something that increasingly gives ordinary people, like you and me, access to enormous portions of accumulated human knowledge.
And that brings us back to one of the oldest stories in Scripture.
2. “You Will Be Like God”
Remember the serpent’s temptation in Eden?
It contained a fascinating promise:
“You will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
— Genesis 3:5
Look at the connection between knowledge and godlikeness.
Humanity’s first temptation was not merely doing something forbidden. It was crossing a boundary.
Reaching for something that belonged to God.
And perhaps the danger of AI is not simply that machines will know too much.
Perhaps the greater danger is that human beings will begin believing that we no longer need God because we know so much.
Satan is not omniscient.
Humanity will never become omniscient.
AI will never become omniscient.
Only God knows all things.
But throughout Scripture, we repeatedly find warnings about the great illusion of human self-sufficiency. And the more humanity can accomplish, the easier that illusion becomes.
Which takes us directly to Babel.
3. Babel May Be More Relevant Than We Realize
Genesis 11 describes humanity united around an extraordinary technological project.
They develop building techniques, They share a language. They organize. They build.
And one day they say:
“Let us make a name for ourselves.”
— Genesis 11:4
Then God says this:
“This is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.”
— Genesis 11:6
Babel establishes a biblical pattern:
Human knowledge + technological capability + global communication + human pride.
And here is another fascinating detail in this passage.
God responds to Babel by confusing humanity’s languages.
Today, AI is increasingly capable of crossing those linguistic boundaries.
Someone can speak in one language and have technology translate their words into another almost instantaneously.
There is a young man from Pakistan who does not speak a word of Armenian, yet he consistently sits in the front row during the Armenian sermons at our church because he uses AI technology to translate the message immediately into his native language.
The barriers of Babel are, technologically speaking, becoming smaller and smaller.
Again, that does not make translation evil. Translation technology itself can be used to spread Scripture and the Gospel in amazing ways!
Like I mentioned earlier, people from all around the world can watch my videos in their own language, comment in their language, and the systems automatically translate their comments into English so I can respond to them.
The issue at Babel was not the bricks.
It was what humanity decided to build with them.
4. The Revelation Image That Speaks
Now things become particularly interesting.
Revelation 13 describes an image of the beast.
Then John writes:
“It was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak…”
— Revelation 13:15
An image.
Given breath.
And the image speaks.
For most of human history, an image could look like someone, but it could not talk to you.
Today, we create artificial human faces that never existed. We create avatars that speak to us. We clone voices. We animate photographs and generate hyper realistic videos. We create digital representations capable of carrying on conversations.
Some AI systems can even retain information from previous interactions, creating the strange sense that the image somehow “knows” the person speaking to it.
Perhaps for the first time in history, we do not require that much imagination when we hear the phrase “an image that speaks.”
And there may be an even deeper echo here.
5. God Creates Humanity in His Image. Humanity Creates an Image. And Bows Before It.
Go all the way back to Genesis.
“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…”
— Genesis 2:7
God creates humanity, gives us breath, gives us life, and creates us in His image.
But now notice the strange reversal in Revelation.
Humanity makes an image of its own. Breath is given to that image, the image speaks, and then humanity worships what has been made.
Think about that progression. God creates humanity in His image, and humanity turns around and creates an image of its own. We give that image the appearance of life, and then we bow before the very thing we created.
In a sense, this is the ancient story of idolatry taken to an extraordinary conclusion. Human beings have always had a tendency to create things with our own hands and then give our allegiance to the things we created.
And perhaps that changes the question we should be asking about AI, doesn’t it?
The question is no longer, Will AI become intelligent?
The deeper question may be: What happens if we begin giving our creation something that belongs only to the Creator?
6. A World Where You Can No Longer Believe Your Eyes
Jesus warned:
“False christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray…”
— Matthew 24:24
Revelation repeatedly emphasizes deception.
The second beast:
“deceives those who dwell on earth.”
— Revelation 13:14
Paul also describes the coming of the lawless one in connection with:
“false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception.”
— 2 Thessalonians 2:9–10
Just look around us.
AI is creating an unprecedented environment for deception. There was once a simple sentence that carried enormous weight: “I saw it with my own eyes.”
But increasingly, even that may not be enough. We can now watch people say things they never said, hear voices speak words they never spoke, and see photographs and videos of events that never happened.
AI did not invent deception, but it gives deception something it has never possessed at this scale: speed, realism, personalization, and reach.
And that makes Jesus’ repeated warning feel extraordinarily relevant:
“See that no one leads you astray.”
— Matthew 24:4
7. “No One Can Buy or Sell”
Then we come to perhaps one of the clearest infrastructure passages:
“No one can buy or sell unless he has the mark…”
— Revelation 13:17
Christians have talked about this passage for generations.
Barcodes, microchips, RFID, biometrics, digital currencies.
Christians have connected all of them to the Mark of the Beast at one time or another.
Scripture never tells us the technological mechanism behind the mark and Revelation makes it clear that the mark is ultimately connected to worship and allegiance, not merely commerce.
Still, think about what would be necessary for such a system to function. If particular individuals can be prevented from buying or selling, the system must somehow be capable of identifying them and enforcing that restriction. Humanity has already developed many of the capabilities that could make something like this possible: facial recognition, biometric identification, digital identity, massive databases, automated financial systems, and algorithmic monitoring.
None of those things is the Mark of the Beast. Neither is AI.
But combine artificial intelligence, identity systems, digital finance, surveillance, and centralized data, and suddenly a system described nearly two thousand years ago doesn’t sound nearly as impossible as it once did.
A system that knows who you are.
A system that knows whether you belong.
A system capable of deciding whether you participate.
Or you don’t.
8. Across Every Language and Nation
Revelation describes authority extending over:
“every tribe and people and language and nation.”
— Revelation 13:7
AI crosses boundaries astonishingly well. Language, geography, information networks, and even cultural barriers. One message can increasingly be generated in one place, translated almost instantly, personalized for different audiences, and distributed around the world.
This does not fulfill Revelation 13, but it certainly gives us something previous generations never had:
One message.
Every language.
Every nation.
Almost instantly.
9. “Always Learning and Never Able to Arrive at a Knowledge of the Truth”
Then Paul gives us a line that can sound almost haunting in an age overflowing with information:
“Always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”
— 2 Timothy 3:7
Think about the irony.
Humanity may increasingly have access to more information than any civilization in history and still be confused about truth.
We can possess information without wisdom.
Data without discernment.
Knowledge without truth.
And this may become one of the great spiritual dangers of the AI age.
Perhaps the problem will not be that we know too little.
Perhaps the problem will be that we know almost everything except the One we were created to know.
10. What About Superintelligence?
There is a lot of discussion today about artificial intelligence possibly exceeding human capability across increasingly broad domains.
Timelines are uncertain, and the outcome is not guaranteed, but the question itself is fascinating.
Humanity is attempting to create intelligence that may eventually outperform its creators in more and more categories.
There is an image I remember of Danny DeVito painting a giant mural of himself.
In the image, this tiny Danny DeVito is suspended by ropes while painting a gigantic version of himself. As he works his way across the mural, he gets closer and closer to the giant painted hand.
And that hand is positioned as if it is about to flick him away.
The irony is incredible.
The creator is painting the very hand that may eventually flick away its creator.
Now, obviously, that is just an illustration, but I think it captures something interesting about the present moment.
Today AI is already assisting humans with coding, research, scientific discovery, engineering, and the development of future technological systems.
Previous technologies extended us, but now AI is beginning to participate with us.
Radio did not decide what radio should become next.
Television did not help engineers design the next television.
A hammer never studied the carpenter.
But AI is showing us the possibility of a feedback loop between human intelligence and machine-assisted intelligence.
What happens if that loop accelerates?
We do not know.
Which brings us to an important point.
But Technology Is Not the Point
If we are going to have this conversation honestly, we also have to acknowledge what AI does not explain.
Revelation is ultimately not about technology. The Beast is not merely a computer system. The Mark is not simply a technological identifier. Governments are involved. People are persecuted and killed.
And above everything else, Revelation is concerned with something technology alone cannot explain:
worship.
The fundamental divide in Revelation is not between those who embrace technology and those who reject it. It is between competing allegiances.
The Beast has his mark. But immediately afterward, John sees another group:
“Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.”
— Revelation 14:1
Notice the contrast.
The Beast has a mark.
The Lamb has a name.
Ultimately, Revelation is asking a much deeper question than what technology we use:
Who do you belong to?
And strangely enough, that may bring us to the most important connection between AI and Revelation of all.
What Happens When We Begin Giving AI What Belongs to God?
I am not saying people are going to build a giant AI robot and literally get on their knees and worship it.
Worship can be far more subtle than that.
What happens when something goes wrong in my life and my first instinct is no longer to pray—but to ask AI?
What happens when I get into an argument with my spouse and instead of first turning to God, Scripture, trusted Christian community, or wise counsel, I immediately ask a machine to tell me who is right?
What happens when I stop wrestling with decisions before God because I can simply ask AI what I should do?
What happens when I no longer think because it thinks for me?
When I no longer discern because it recommends for me?
When I no longer search because it answers for me?
When I no longer create because it creates for me?
When I increasingly trust its judgment because it appears to know more than I do?
That is where this becomes deeply personal.
AI can be incredibly useful.
I use it. Many of you probably use it too. In fact, I even used AI to help clean up this article and make my thoughts more presentable for you.
The issue is not simply whether we use AI.
The issue is what place we allow it to occupy in our lives.
So the question is:
What are we giving to it?
Because dependence, ultimate trust, obedience, identity, and allegiance begin to enter territory Scripture reserves for God.
God created humanity in His image.
Humanity creates an image of its own.
And then humanity faces the same ancient question:
Will we use what we have created—or will we eventually bow before it?
So How Should Christians Live Inside This Infrastructure?
This is where I believe Daniel gives us one of the best models in Scripture.
Daniel lived in Babylon.
He did not run away from Babylonian society.
He was educated within Babylon.
He learned:
“the literature and language of the Chaldeans.”
— Daniel 1:4
Daniel understood Babylon’s culture. He was educated in its literature and language, served in its government, and eventually became incredibly influential within the system.
He did not isolate himself from the world around him. But he understood that there was a line Babylon could never cross. Babylon could change his location, educate him, give him a new name, and place him in a position of influence.
But Babylon could not have his worship.
When the system demanded something that belonged only to God, Daniel knew where his allegiance was.
Perhaps that is how Christians should approach AI as well. Learn it. Understand it. Use it for good. Use it to translate Scripture, spread the gospel, teach, help people, solve problems, and tear down barriers that once seemed impossible to cross.
Use the tool. But never let the tool become your master.
Paul wrote:
“I will not be dominated by anything.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:12
And:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”
— Romans 12:2
That second verse feels especially important in an algorithmic age, because perhaps we need to start asking ourselves:
Who—or what—is forming my mind?
The Question Is Not Whether AI Is Evil
Technology has always amplified human intention.
AI can help translate Scripture, spread the gospel, educate people, advance research, solve problems, and connect people across languages and nations.
But the same technology can also be used to manipulate, surveil, impersonate, deceive, and control.
Remember, the bricks were not the problem at Babel. The problem was what humanity tried to build with them, a world centered on itself rather than God.
Perhaps AI is another extraordinarily powerful pile of bricks.
So Christians do not need to panic, nor do we need to force every technological advancement into Bible prophecy. Perhaps generations from now will look back on some of our speculation the same way we look back on predictions surrounding barcodes, radio, and television.
We should be humble enough to admit that.
And yet something remarkable is happening. Language barriers are shrinking. Artificial images can speak. Machines can create convincing realities. Identity can be established digitally. Economic systems can be administered electronically. Enormous amounts of information can be gathered, analyzed, and acted upon almost instantly.
None of this proves that we are living in the final generation, but it should certainly make us pay attention.
Because maybe the most important question is not whether AI is building the infrastructure of the end times.
The more important question is:
If one day we find ourselves living inside that infrastructure, will we recognize it for what it is?
And even more importantly:
Will we know how to remain faithful to Jesus within it?
Revelation gives us a remarkably simple answer:
“Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
— Revelation 14:12
Maybe that is where our attention should remain. Not on fear or sensationalism, but on discernment, truth, endurance, obedience, and above everything else—
allegiance to Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus,
Give us wisdom for the world we are entering. Help us neither to fear technology nor to place our trust in it. Give us discernment to recognize truth from deception, wisdom to use the tools before us for good, and courage to stand firm when following You comes at a cost. Guard our minds, our hearts, and our worship. Whatever the future holds, let us remain faithful to You.
May no creation ever take the place of our Creator.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.