Failed date-setter Mark Biltz—who is addicted to bible prophecy even though he refuses that he was wrong on his date-setting—has come out with another bible prophecy book that will lead God’s people astray.
His new book is called, Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times: What the Bible Says and What the Future Holds. (Incidentally, he should try exegeting Scripture for once, rather than “decoding” it).
His main claim is that the Antichrist will be some hybrid of AI (artificial intelligence). He says, “[W]e now live in an era when, for the first time, we have the possibility of an artificial intelligence Antichrist, a human computer hybrid that will demand to be worshipped.”
Rather than address the real biblical issues—i.e. that the Bible actually speaks on!—such as the church will face the Antichrist and its implications for such an event, his pretribulationism prevents him from doing the obvious, latching on instead to sensational notions such as his new end-time speculation.
Ironically, in the first paragraph of his Amazon synopsis, he says: “If you’re not careful, you can get caught up in the debate and spend so much time arguing with other Christians over the details that you don’t accomplish anything for the kingdom!” Perhaps he needs to take his own advice.
Just to give you a few initial reasons why Biltz’s main claim of an “artificial intelligence hybrid Antichrist” is without support.
1. The Bible does not indicate this. Biltz has to strain and read way-too much into Scripture to come to such a conclusion. This is classic reading some notion of today’s news or technology back into Scripture. Biltz has a history of doing this (e.g. blood moons).
2. The Bible teaches that the Antichrist is not going to have artificial intelligence but Satanic intelligence: “The coming of the lawless one [Antichrist] is apparent in the working [energeian] of Satan, who uses all power [dynamei], signs, lying wonders” (2 Thess 2:9).
2 Thessalonians 2:9 indicates that the Antichrist will be in possession by Satan himself. Paul’s description states that it will be Satan from where Antichrist will receive his needed power. If AI was a significant factor to the composition of the Antichrist then why is Paul completely silent on such a notion in one of the most descriptive passages on the Antichrist?
What motivates Antichrist is not something artificial but supernatural. Antichrist can use AI to accomplish his means, but that is a completely different thing to claim that the part or whole of his composition will be AI. The book of Revelation also consistently depicts Antichrist (the beast) being governed and directed by Satan (see esp. Rev 13).
3. Antichrist (not AI) being human is punished in hell: “And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur” (Rev 19:20). His source of supernatural power, Satan, will also be thrown in hell (Rev 20:10).
In short, the consequence of Mark Biltz’s flawed theory takes the focus away from the true enemy of God’s people, Satan, and shifts to something man-made. This is what Satan would want, taking the focus off him and his deceptive plans.
“For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:12)
