By Monte Monk
Scripture Reference: Genesis 3:5 (KJV)
Technology is advancing at a pace the world has never seen before. Artificial intelligence now promises to decode human thought, interpret emotion, and even predict decisions before they’re made. In the modern age of digital innovation, humanity is once again reaching for something it has no right to grasp, the very power of God.
The Ancient Promise Repackaged
In the Garden of Eden, Satan’s temptation to Eve was not just about fruit, it was about power. He offered divine equality:
“Ye shall be as gods.”
This was the first lie, the root of rebellion against God. Today, that same promise echoes in a different form. Instead of a serpent whispering in a garden, we have machines whispering in our ear, promising knowledge, wisdom, and control.
AI developers speak of “god-like intelligence,” systems that can read minds, anticipate actions, and mimic consciousness. What they fail to see or refuse to admit is that this pursuit mirrors the ancient desire to become divine without God. Every new breakthrough in brain-computer interfaces, digital identity, and surveillance technology brings mankind closer to that forbidden tree.
The New Tree of Knowledge
Artificial Intelligence is not inherently evil. Like fire or electricity, it’s a tool that can serve or destroy depending on who wields it. But when technology begins to assume the role of Creator, when man seeks omniscience through machines—we cross a line that Scripture warns about.
In Genesis, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil represented mankind’s decision to define morality apart from God. AI, in many ways, is becoming that same tree. It offers power and understanding but without divine wisdom. We are programming machines to define what is “good” and “evil” based on human bias, not God’s truth. The result is moral confusion, digital idolatry, and a culture that worships intelligence over righteousness.
AI, Digital ID, and the Mark of the Beast
The Book of Revelation describes a world system where “no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark” (Revelation 13:17). For decades, that prophecy seemed impossible. But today, with the rise of global digital ID systems and biometric tracking, the pieces are falling into place.
When AI learns to read thoughts, verify identity, and control access to commerce, we begin to see how this prophecy could unfold. Humanity’s obsession with convenience and control could easily become the chain that binds it. The same technology designed to connect us may ultimately enslave us.
The Illusion of Omniscience
Only God is truly omniscient—He alone “knoweth the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21). Yet mankind is building systems that mimic this divine ability. The illusion of omniscience is seductive: a world where every thought is known, every action predicted, every secret exposed. But the more we depend on machines to know us, the less we remember who we are—spiritual beings created in God’s image, not data to be processed.
A Call to Discernment
The rise of AI is not just a technological revolution; it’s a spiritual one. The serpent’s voice is speaking again through code, through algorithms, through the promise of digital godhood. As believers, we must not eat of this new tree. We must guard our hearts, renew our minds with God’s Word, and remember that wisdom without truth is deception.
The Bible’s warning is timeless: humanity’s quest to be “as gods” always leads to ruin. The question is will we learn from Eden, or repeat it?
