Wrapping up our series on the similarities between the times and society of Babel and the times and society today: we’ve talked about how language united them (and now we’re Google Translate-ing our way to a new world order), how people tried to make names for themselves (and now we’re all trying to go viral on social media), how people were discontent and wanted bigger and better things for themselves (and eBay exists), and how reality itself is blurry when people try to place themselves above God. It’s been an incredible series, and today we are excited to wrap things up with an important point:
Put down your phone. Turn off your screens. Breathe the air, go outside, feel the wind, judge the state of sun and the sky and the wildlife around, and believe in the God who made THAT.
We weren’t made for city life
One of the things we saw in Genesis 11 was God saying that technology was advancing: “they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar… [if they] have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” There is something about people gathering together that develops technology at a pace faster than God intended us to live.
Look at these two charts: in the first, we see the U.S. Census Bureau’s data on whether people were living in rural or urban surroundings every decade. Urban living didn’t take over the majority until 1920.
Now, look at this second chart of the complexity of technology over history: from the printing press to the telescope to the steam engine, the level of complex technology did not grow much. From the telegraph to the telephone, we added voice instead of clicks - which sounds like a lot, but from a data perspective, it’s not really much. But from building a car to landing a man on the moon? That’s considerably more complex. When did technology’s complexity explode? Right around 1920.
So what is God left to do? Stymy mankind again? Or should He just return and end all of this once and for all?
And while He decides, let’s look at ourselves today - what are we doing with our technology?
Reality is Blurrry
Joe talked about it last week: deepfakes are available today that can easily make it look like another person says or does something they clearly didn’t do.
Creating false headlines is not far away - the software is available to make it look and sound like President Biden said something he didn’t say, or Bill Gates said something behind closed doors but “we have retrieved this covert audio recording about what’s really in the vaccines” - the technology is terrifying.
As we said above: if you can see it on a screen, it’s healthy to exercise extreme caution. What’s trustworthy it outside of the rectangles we drool over: go outside and experience real reality.
(author's note: yes, there are 3 'r's in that title text. The point was to make you look twice, because, you know... reality is blurrry.)
Building “Better” Humans
Google “human plus” to see current developments - we’re expanding lung capacity, heart capacity, memory ability, and cashless scanners (some people have experimented with “bio-hacking” RFID chips from their credit/debit cards into their skin so they can pay at gas stations and grocery stores with their fingers).
What happened to being fearfully and wonderfully made? Have we body-shamed enough people into believing android-izing ourselves is the only way forward?
We’re Developing Terrifyingly-Adept Artificial Intelligence
“Like father, like son” is a common cliche today, but cliches exist for a reason: they get passed around because they’re generally true. God created Man in His own image, and we have taken it upon ourselves to create creations ourselves.
To see where we’re at with AI today, check out this video that Pastor Greg referenced (we created a shortlink to make it easier): lotwchurch.org/ai2022
The biggest problem is that we are flawed, inherently sinful, and born incomplete (with a "God-shaped hole” in our souls). What happens when something broken builds something imperfect? It magnifies.
So what do we do?
Listen to Jesus in John 14:1 - “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.”
Jesus comforted His disciples with 3 simple words: BELIEVE IN ME.
The same God who fashioned the world to work perfectly and be filled with perfect beings spoke these words in Matthew 6:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life e ? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
We can’t fix it all… but we can stay faithful. We can root ourselves in the Truth that begins in Genesis and ends in Revelations.
Watch the full sermon below and join us in a faithful future.