This is Right Out of the Book of Revelation!

It’s Yet Another Sign of the Times in Which We Live…

The world is already changing in profound ways due to the advance of artificial intelligence. In my opinion, the latest example foreshadows events from the Book of Revelation.

A few months ago, The Daily Mail reported the following in its article, "Church in Switzerland is Using an AI-powered Jesus Hologram to Take Confession":

"Thanks to technological advances, worshipers at a church in Switzerland can now speak directly to Jesus - or at least an AI version of him.

As part of an art project called 'Deus in Machina' (God in a Machine) St Peter's Church in Lucerne has installed an AI-powered Jesus hologram to take confessions.

Worshipers simply voice their concerns and questions to get a response from the digitally-rendered face of Jesus Christ."

Let’s point out that worshipers can already talk to Jesus. It’s called “prayer” (Philippians 4:6-7; 1 John 5:14-15; 1 Timothy 2:5).

The article provides more details:

"Visitors to this futuristic shrine sit in a confessional booth from which a screen showing the face of Jesus can be seen through the grate.

As the visitor asks their questions an AI interprets their words and formulates answers, animating the face so it moves in time with computer-generated speech.

AI Jesus is even equipped with the ability to speak 100 different languages to cater to Lucerne's many visiting tourists."

What could possibly go wrong? People would never seek out spiritual direction from an A.I. bot they believe resembles Jesus, would they?

Think again.

In fact, while news story after news story tells us A.I. will replace millions and millions of jobs, I don’t recall any of those stories saying pastoral staff would be among those replaced. But that’s exactly St. Peter’s Chapel envisions:

"One impressed worshiper told news outlet DW: 'I was surprised, it was so easy, and though it's a machine, it gave me so much advice.'

While the installation is only temporary, St Peter's Chapel says that similar chatbots could one day take on some of the responsibilities of church pastors."

Note that one person’s experience was, “It gave me so much advice.” Yes, it did. But was the advice correct? Was it biblically sound? Where is the advice coming from (we’ll address that in a moment).

The story goes on:

"However, he also adds that similar AI-powered chatbots could play a big role in the church of the future.

AI could be used as a form of on-call pastoral support, similar to the dozens of 'AI therapists' now available online.

Mr Schmid says: 'Accessibility is easy 24 hours a day so it has abilities that pastors don't.'"

The article quotes Marco Schmid, a theologist at St. Peter's Chapel. He foresees a big role for A.I. chatbots in the church. He wants them to replace on-call pastoral support.

And many of the people who might seek that support appear eager to engage:

"Another added: 'He was able to reaffirm me in my ways of going about things and he was able to help me with questions I had like how I can help other people to understand him better and come closer to him.'"

Think it’s an exaggeration to say people will seek out A.I. Jesus as their spiritual advisor? Clearly it’s not. People will line up in droves to have A.I. Jesus “reaffirm me.” Remember, the Bible says this about the last days:

"For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT)

While this has been happening throughout human history, the Bible indicates we’ll see an acceleration of this in the last days among those who claim to be Christians. And that’s exactly what we’re seeing.

The article also says this:

"At least two-thirds of people who spoke to AI Jesus came out of the confessional reporting having had a 'spiritual' experience."

I’m sure they did have a “spiritual” experience, but that doesn’t mean they encountered the Holy Spirit. So what did they encounter?

While we live in a flesh and blood world, the Bible says we're also engaged in a spiritual battle involving evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world as well as "evil spirits in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

That begs the question. Where does “A.I. Jesus theology” come from?

We don’t have to guess. The article tells us (emphasis mine):

"The AI has been trained on the New Testament and religious content online."

While the New Testament is authoritative, “religious content online” certainly is not. A.I. Jesus is trained on the beliefs of this world, so it’s ridiculous to believe it will regurgitate anything other than the erroneous beliefs of a dark and fallen world.

A.I. Jesus is not Jesus. Used in the way St. Peter's Chapel is using it, it’s nothing more than an idol.

Modern Day Idolatry

The first two commandments God gave the people of Israel were "You shall have no other god but me" (Exodus 20:3) and "You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You shall not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods" (Exodus 20:4-5).

Yet, the people of Israel quickly broke these commandments. They fashioned a golden calf and worshipped it (Exodus 32:8). They worshipped the idols of Canaan (Psalm 106:38), Baal (Numbers 25:1-3), Ashtoreth (1 Kings 11:5), and Chemosh and Molech (2 Kings 23:13). Time and again, the Israelites fell into idol worship. And they weren't the only ones.

Throughout history, people from all nations have worshipped objects made of wood and stone (Isaiah 44:6-20). They've also worshipped people - the pharaohs, the Caesars, kings, cult leaders, and others.

While this might sound silly to most of modern humanity, the truth is we do the same thing. While few people today outright worship rocks, they still look to create gods they can worship - whether it's money, fame, power, or something else. So the worship of A.I. Jesus or artificial intelligence shouldn’t surprise us.

In fact, the worship of A.I. and A.I.-powered bots is also nothing new.

Back in 2019, I wrote an article for Prophecy News Watch titled, "Antichrist Prototype? The Talking Buddhist AI Deity."

Here’s an excerpt:

The Kodaiji Temple (a 400-year old Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan) made world headlines this month when they unveiled a sutra-chanting android named Mindar. Mindar is modeled on a Buddhist deity named Kannon.

Worshiped throughout Japan, Kannon is known as the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Tradition says Kannon takes different forms to help people. Now, the Temple proclaims Kannon has taken the form of an android.

In an effort to appeal to younger generations, Kodaiji Temple administrators teamed with Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, head of intelligent robotics at Osaka University. Ishiguro created Mindar, a robot with a human-like silicon face and hands, who is pre-programmed to recite The Heart Sutra - a revered Buddhist text.

Temple visitors can ask the robot questions, and using artificial intelligence, Mindar answers in Japanese while English and Chinese subtitles appear on the wall behind it. With built-in cameras, Mindar makes eye contact with questioners, creating the illusion it's alive and interacting with people.

So did Mindar mark the dawn of a new era? Were android Buddhist deities revolutionary? Not really. Just like A.I. Jesus, they're another form of idol worship. Mindar might move, make sounds, and react to visitors, but at the end of the day, it's a robot built with human hands. It's no different than a stone or wood idol a craftsman might carve.

As the Bible says:

"The blacksmith stands at his forge to make a sharp tool, pounding and shaping it with all his might. His work makes him hungry and weak. It makes him thirsty and faint. Then the wood-carver measures a block of wood and draws a pattern on it. He works with a chisel and plane and carves it into a human figure. He gives it human beauty and puts it in a little shrine. He cuts down cedars. He selects the cypress and the oak. He plants the pine in the forest to be nourished by the rain. Then he uses part of the wood to make a fire. With it he warms himself and bakes his bread.

Then - yes, it's true - he takes the rest of it and makes himself a god to worship! He makes an idol and bows down in front of it! He burns part of the tree to roast his meat and keep himself warm. He says, 'Ah, that fire feels good.' Then he takes what's left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. 'Rescue me!' he says. 'You are my god!' Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, 'Why, it's just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?' The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can't help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, 'Is this idol that I'm holding in my hand a lie?'" Isaiah 44:12-20 (NLT)

Mindar is just metal and plastic - no different than the metal and plastic in your smart phone. And A.I. Jesus is just metal and plastic – no different than the metal and plastic in the microwave oven that heats up your food. Yet, people are lining up to interact with both of these idols.

Just as God said, they take everyday objects - not wood and stone, but in this case, metal and plastic - and shape them into modern conveniences. Then, they take what's left over and make a god - a carved idol.

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Now, at this point, some people might say, “What are you talking about, Britt? No one’s going to worship an A.I. Jesus!”

Yet, they’re already doing it. In fact, demand for A.I. Jesus is high.

In the AP coverage of the story, we read this:

Kenneth Cukier, a journalist, author and expert with the U.S.-based nonprofit group called “AI and Faith,” said if “AI Jesus” helps people connect deeper to themselves and the world, it “has to be a good thing.”

Kenneth Cukier clearly believes A.I. Jesus is “a good thing” as long as it “helps people connect deeper to themselves and the world.” But the real Jesus says this:

"You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The road that leads to destruction is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).

And Marco Schmid tells us demand for A.I. Jesus is high:

For Schmid, the exhibit was a pilot project — and he doesn’t foresee a second coming of “AI Jesus” anytime soon.

“For us, it was also clear it was just a limited time that we will expose this Jesus,” he said, adding that any return would need to be done after deeper thought.

“We are discussing ... how we could revive him again,” he said, noting interest from parishes, schoolteachers, researchers and others as the project got media attention in Switzerland and beyond. “They all are interested and would like to have this ‘AI Jesus’. So we have now a little bit to reflect on how we want to continue.”

Notice he says, “this Jesus.” He doesn’t say, “Jesus,” and the reason should be clear. A.I. Jesus isn’t Jesus. It’s a false god. It’s an idol. Yet, interest in more A.I. Jesus isn’t just coming from schoolteachers and researchers, it’s coming from “parishes.” And that’s concerning.

A Forbidden Practice?

A.I. Jesus isn’t the only A.I.-powered chatbot supposedly representing a biblical figure. We’ve seen this before.

In 2023, The Jerusalem Post reported on the rise of such chatbots in its story, "Do You Want to Chat with Jesus or Moses? New Biblical AI App":

"A new app launched in July allows users to chat with biblical figures from both the Old and the New Testaments.

The app, which is named Chat with Jesus, is described by its website as a place where 'users can find comfort, guidance, and inspiration through their conversations.'

Among the characters available to chat with are Jesus and the Virgin Mary, the apostles, prophets such as Moses and Jonah, Hebrew kings such as David and Solomon, Adam and Eve, the Patriarchs, and more."

While I believe all of these people are alive in Christ, and Jesus Himself is most certainly not dead, how is communicating with these A.I. chatbots any different than “calling forth the spirts of the dead?”

A.I. is not a special portal to communicate with biblical heroes, but it certainly could be used as a special portal to communicate with the demonic realm. And this is a practice the Lord calls “detestable”:

"For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you. But you must be blameless before the Lord your God." Deuteronomy 18:10-13 (NLT)

Creating an animatronic version of a biblical figure which cites verses from the Bible for educational purposes is one thing. Creating representations of biblical figures and then “talking to them” and seeking them out for a “spiritual encounter” is another thing. I believe the latter clearly falls into the realm of the practices forbidden in Deuteronomy 18.

Idolatrous A.I. Worship

While the mainstream corporate media likes to point to these A.I. chatbots as “new,” none of this is new. It’s just repackaged idol worship and occult practices.

Even worshiping artificial intelligence isn’t new. In 2015, Anthony Levandowski, a former Google and Uber engineer, drafted the bylaws for a new church called "Way of the Future." Way of the Future worships "a Godhead based on artificial intelligence developed through computer hardware and software."

It's notable to point out The Daily Mail article on A.I. Jesus said, "similar AI-powered chatbots could play a big role in the church of the future" (emphasis mine). And they most likely will – a false church, committed to the idolatrous worship of A.I.

In 2017, Levandowski told Wired magazine:

"What is going to be created will effectively be a god. It's not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?"

Levandowski wants to worship a god created by human hands. Again, this is nothing new. It’s just repackaged idol worship.

Unfortunately, it appears likely this will be the dominant religion of the end times. As technology advances, it looks increasingly likely artificial intelligence will play a pivotal role in the rise of the Antichrist.

The Bible says the world will worship the Antichrist (Revelation 13:4). They'll see him as invincible in battle and the greatest of all men (Revelation 13:4). He'll slander the name of God, conquer God's holy people, and rule the entire world (Revelation 13:6-7). The false prophet will require everyone on earth to worship him (Revelation 13:12).

This same false prophet will perform miracles to deceive the nations, and he'll make a great statue of the Antichrist. The statue will speak and order everyone to worship it or die (Revelation 13:14-15).

This is Straight Out of the Book of Revelation

Does all this sound familiar?

Remember, according to The Daily Mail, "At least two-thirds of people who spoke to AI Jesus came out of the confessional reporting having had a 'spiritual' experience."

If people seek out A.I. chatbots as “all-knowing” spiritual advisors, is it really far-fetched to believe they’ll be willing to worship them? And what if the Antichrist is fully immersed in A.I., and appears in the world’s eyes to be “all-knowing” and “all-powerful,” and he demands the world worship him? In such a scenario, it’s not difficult to imagine the Antichrist using A.I. "to give life to this statue so that it could speak" as we read about in Revelation 13:15.

In other words, what we see with A.I. Jesus is straight out of the Book of Revelation. It’s a sign of the times in which we live.

We know the Antichrist will exalt himself over the God of Israel and any competing object of worship. He'll even enter the temple of God and claim he himself is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and perhaps, in the advancement of A.I., we’re witnessing one of the tools he’ll use to demand that worship.

While idol worship is nothing new, we do see an aspect of something new taking place. As I wrote back in 2019 in the Prophecy News Watch article “Antichrist Prototype? The Talking Buddhist AI Deity”:

So is there anything new about the worship of Mindar and other robot deities? Yes. For the first time I'm aware of, people are choosing to worship an animated image powered by artificial intelligence. This is notable because of the following verses from the Book of Revelation:

"And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die." Revelation 13:14-15 (NLT)

These bible verses describe the actions of the Antichrist and his false prophet in the end times. In the middle of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will enter the Jewish Temple and commit an act Jesus called "the abomination of desolation" (Matthew 24:15).

He'll demand to be worshiped. He'll also set up a statue of himself. The statue will be able to speak, and it will demand worship (Revelation 13:15). Mindar may well be an early prototype of the statue the Antichrist will use to defile the Jewish Temple. Using robotics and artificial intelligence, creating a lifelike statue that demands worship is now possible.

A Sign of the Times

So what does all this mean? It means time is running short. Previous generations couldn't do this. Their stone and wood idols couldn't speak. Ours is the first generation able to fashion idols that can. That means our generation is the first generation capable of fulfilling the Revelation 13 prophecies without the need for Satanic supernatural powers.

In and of itself, this isn't a big deal – although Jesus did warn about the appearance of false messiahs (Matthew 24:5). But when you combine these talking idols with all the signs we see in the world today, it's a clear indication the seven-year Tribulation is near and the rapture is even closer.

Here are just a few of the signs Jesus and the Hebrew prophets said to look for:

• Israel back in the land (Jeremiah 23:7-8; Isaiah 11:12; Ezekiel 39:28)

• Jerusalem back in Jewish hands (Luke 21:24-28)

• The global spread of the Gospel (Matthew 24:14)

• Increasing travel and knowledge (Daniel 12:4)

• The Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance (Ezekiel 38-39)

• The rise of globalism (Revelation 13:7)

• The Revival of the ancient Roman Empire (Daniel 2; Daniel 7; Revelation 17:10)

Now you can add the worship of talking idols to the list. Is all this a coincidence? No. Jesus said, "When you see all these things happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!" (Luke 21:28). It's time to look up. Jesus is coming.

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