Living in a World with Artificial Intellegence
These days it seems impossible to avoid Artificial Intelligence (AI). Every time you use a computer and every time you call a company for information or help, you encounter some form of AI seeking to make life “easier.” The reality is not always what we perceive as “easier.”
I received a 1099-R form reporting some income. I could not find any record that it was deposited into our checking account, so I called the company. I had to deal with AI. I had to tell it my birthdate four times. After some “help” that was not so helpful, the AI started all over and I had to repeat everything. When I was asked how they could help me, I said, “I want to talk to a person.” Then we started all over again with another request for my birthdate and how they could help me. I said, “I need to talk to a person.” A few seconds later I was actually talking with a real person with GGI (God Given Intelligence). Within minutes he clarified the matter and I was able to find the deposit in our checking account. AI was not needed for this. It was not “easier.” It did not seem their AI actually had much “intelligence.”
It is not hard to find articles that discuss the “evils” of AI. Most of us innocently and safely use AI to look-up things on the Internet. What we find may or may not be really what we were hoping to learn, but it does not seem that AI is evil. It is evident that AI is doing things humans used to do—with various levels of success. Some warn that AI will end up taking over the world.
In our Immerse study of the Book of Proverbs, we found a proverbial gem in Proverbs 16:4:
“Its purpose,” can be translated, “His purpose.” Both are legitimate translations of the Hebrew and a few translations render it this way. The Lord made everything for His purpose. “His purpose” and “its purpose” are the exact same thing. This should not be surprising to us since we understand the Lord is the Sovereign Ruler of all things.
Of course, God did not make everything, but that is not what the proverb is saying. For an obvious example, He did not create anything evil. We might rearrange the words of the proverb to express this more clearly: “Everything the Lord made is for His purpose.”
The proverb includes the surprising words, “even the wicked.” It would be easy to think the world would be a better place if there were no wicked people. Wicked people seem to be among the worst things on Earth. God didn’t create any wicked people, but He created people who chose to sin. The Lord’s plan, which surpasses man’s thoughts, includes the wicked. He even uses the wicked for his purposes. He used Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar to punish Israel and Judah for refusing to worship Him. He used some jealous men to put Daniel into the lion’s den to prove Daniel’s innocence and God’s power. It is harder for us to see that God used Hitler for some useful purpose that still escapes us. We may someday find out how Hitler fit into God’s plan. God even uses the devil to accomplish His purposes. This will be most evident in the Last Days.
Since our God is all-powerful and sovereign, He is able to use everything that exists—even what He did not create and those who reject Him—for His purpose.
There is absolutely nothing in all creation that is outside the realm of the Lord’s purpose. The Lord will use all things—whether created by Him or not—for His glory. God even used the sin of man and its impact on the world to do something that was for His purpose and glory: He provided a perfect salvation.
The proverb we have been considering leaves one important matter unstated: what is God’s purpose? Obviously, He has many purposes that fit into many circumstances, needs, and situations. But there is one overriding cosmic purpose. It is found in Numbers 14:21:
Now, that is quite a purpose! It gives us something important to meditate on, and that meditation gives us great joy. It is impossible for us to grasp what it will be like when God’s cosmic purpose is fulfilled. One biblical hint that teases us is the description of the New Jerusalem where the tree of life on the banks of a river produces twelve different fruits every month. This does not fit with what we know about fruit-bearing trees. But “the tree of life” is different from the trees we know. In addition, what we know is obviously before the earth being filled with the glory of the Lord. What a day that will be!
Jay Swisher
I received a 1099-R form reporting some income. I could not find any record that it was deposited into our checking account, so I called the company. I had to deal with AI. I had to tell it my birthdate four times. After some “help” that was not so helpful, the AI started all over and I had to repeat everything. When I was asked how they could help me, I said, “I want to talk to a person.” Then we started all over again with another request for my birthdate and how they could help me. I said, “I need to talk to a person.” A few seconds later I was actually talking with a real person with GGI (God Given Intelligence). Within minutes he clarified the matter and I was able to find the deposit in our checking account. AI was not needed for this. It was not “easier.” It did not seem their AI actually had much “intelligence.”
It is not hard to find articles that discuss the “evils” of AI. Most of us innocently and safely use AI to look-up things on the Internet. What we find may or may not be really what we were hoping to learn, but it does not seem that AI is evil. It is evident that AI is doing things humans used to do—with various levels of success. Some warn that AI will end up taking over the world.
In our Immerse study of the Book of Proverbs, we found a proverbial gem in Proverbs 16:4:
The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
“Its purpose,” can be translated, “His purpose.” Both are legitimate translations of the Hebrew and a few translations render it this way. The Lord made everything for His purpose. “His purpose” and “its purpose” are the exact same thing. This should not be surprising to us since we understand the Lord is the Sovereign Ruler of all things.
Of course, God did not make everything, but that is not what the proverb is saying. For an obvious example, He did not create anything evil. We might rearrange the words of the proverb to express this more clearly: “Everything the Lord made is for His purpose.”
The proverb includes the surprising words, “even the wicked.” It would be easy to think the world would be a better place if there were no wicked people. Wicked people seem to be among the worst things on Earth. God didn’t create any wicked people, but He created people who chose to sin. The Lord’s plan, which surpasses man’s thoughts, includes the wicked. He even uses the wicked for his purposes. He used Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar to punish Israel and Judah for refusing to worship Him. He used some jealous men to put Daniel into the lion’s den to prove Daniel’s innocence and God’s power. It is harder for us to see that God used Hitler for some useful purpose that still escapes us. We may someday find out how Hitler fit into God’s plan. God even uses the devil to accomplish His purposes. This will be most evident in the Last Days.
Since our God is all-powerful and sovereign, He is able to use everything that exists—even what He did not create and those who reject Him—for His purpose.
There is absolutely nothing in all creation that is outside the realm of the Lord’s purpose. The Lord will use all things—whether created by Him or not—for His glory. God even used the sin of man and its impact on the world to do something that was for His purpose and glory: He provided a perfect salvation.
The proverb we have been considering leaves one important matter unstated: what is God’s purpose? Obviously, He has many purposes that fit into many circumstances, needs, and situations. But there is one overriding cosmic purpose. It is found in Numbers 14:21:
But truly, as I live… all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.
Now, that is quite a purpose! It gives us something important to meditate on, and that meditation gives us great joy. It is impossible for us to grasp what it will be like when God’s cosmic purpose is fulfilled. One biblical hint that teases us is the description of the New Jerusalem where the tree of life on the banks of a river produces twelve different fruits every month. This does not fit with what we know about fruit-bearing trees. But “the tree of life” is different from the trees we know. In addition, what we know is obviously before the earth being filled with the glory of the Lord. What a day that will be!
Jay Swisher
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