These are exciting times for believers in Christ who are interested in Bible prophecy. Oddly, many believers are ignoring prophecy, even ridiculing those who think it is relevant to current events.

Since prophecy accounts for 30% of the Bible, it ought to be a regular focus in teaching. Additionally, we reserve a few minutes Sunday morning to suggest news, or trends, that seem to be predicted by the many yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies in the Bible.

We are careful to use recognized, reliable sources for news. It helps not to be accused of sensationalism – sadly, something all too common among some who talk about the End Times.

We’re not saying the things we report are the fulfillment of prophecy – only that they are the things you’d expect from taking the Bible literally.

There is a fantastic prophecy that, during the Great Tribulation, a person called “the false prophet” will construct an “image” of the world leader known as the Beast or the antichrist that will seemingly or actually come to life. It reads like this:

Rev 13:14  And he deceives those who dwell on the earth – by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast…
Rev 13:15  He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

It sounds a great deal like Artificial Intelligence – AI. Thus you’d expect current events to be trending towards AI.

NewsTrust.org posted a story titled, Web Summit conference hears plans by Danish architecture firm BIG and Chinese tech company Terminus to build an AI-run city in Chongqing.

Excerpts:

From robots delivering coffee to office chairs rearranging themselves after a meeting, a smart city project in China aims to put artificial intelligence in charge, its creators told a conference this week.

The project, named Cloud Valley, plans to use sensors and wifi-connected devices to gather data on everything from weather and pollution to people’s eating habits to automatically meet residents’ needs.

“It’s almost coming back to this idea of living in a village where, when you show up, even though it’s the first time you’re there, the bar tender knows your favorite drink,” said BIG founding partner Bjarke Ingels.

“When our environment becomes sensing and sentient… we can really open up that kind of seamlessness because the AI can recognize people coming. So it can open the door, so they don’t have to look for their key cards.”

Cities around the world are racing to embrace technology in a bid to improve urban life by collecting data to address problems like traffic jams and crime.
More than 500 smart cities are being built across China, according to the government, to spur growth amidst a global economic downturn.

Launched in April, the Cloud Valley project envisions a city of about 13 million square feet – equal to some 200 football fields – where technology allows people to live more comfortably by anticipating their needs.

“As sunlight hits the houses, bedroom windows adjust their opacity to allow the natural light to wake sleepy residents,” Terminus said on its website, which also highlights tranquil green spaces like rooftop gardens.

“Once the light has filled the room, an AI virtual housekeeper named Titan [Thanos?] selects your breakfast, matches your outfit with the weather, and presents a full schedule of your day.”

The city, which includes offices, homes, public spaces and self-driving cars that move around under the ever watchful eye of AI, is due for completion in about three years, according to Terminus.

https://news.trust.org/item/20201203131328-4n7on/

A “sentient,” AI city. Hundreds of them. What could go wrong?

I’m simply pointing out that AI like this was predicted over 2000 years ago by John in the Revelation.

Then, too, we’re seeing the world’s leaders calling for The Great Reset – a move towards a global economy and, eventually, a global government. Also predicted by John.

Then, too, we’re seeing technology that allows us to conduct business using some sort of connection to our hand or forehead. Also predicted by John.

I read this quote: “The future of America depends on one thing – the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a humble nation to receive it, to repent of sin and live lives that love and honor God!”

The apostle Paul noted that the god of this age has blinded the eyes of nonbelievers. They need the light of the Gospel. That needs to be priority one with us.

The church’s mission never changes: Go, and as you are going, make disciples.

We believe the resurrection and rapture of the church is imminent. It could happen any moment; nothing needs to happen before it. It will definitely happen before the Tribulation.

Jesus will return in the clouds. He will raise the dead in Christ. He will transform the bodies of living believers to glorified, resurrection bodies.

We will all join Him in Heaven while the earth endures one final seven-year campaign of severe evangelism.

Are you ready for the rapture? If not, Get ready; Stay ready; Keep looking up.

Ready or not, Jesus is coming!