In the near future, the technological advance of human civilization will become so rapid our minds will simply be unable to comprehend the change taking place.
This point in time is known as “the singularity,” and many believe it will usher in a new era for the human race.
It’s often associated with the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) or artificial super-intelligence (ASI), either of which will trigger an exponential feedback loop of expanding human intelligence.
Throughout the world, many intellectuals and futurists have noted their belief in the nearness of the singularity. And, in fact, quite a few predict it will occur in our generation.
Jesus also foresaw the singularity, citing it as one of the foremost signs of the end of this age and the nearness of His return.
So what is the singularity? And why is it any different from other events in human history?
The singularity is a future point in time when societal, economic, and technological change will increase at such a rapid pace the unaided human mind will be unable to imagine its implications.
The singularity is built on the concept technological advancement is not linear, but rather exponential.
In other words, conventional wisdom (the linear view) says the next 100 years will bring the same amount of progress as the previous 100 years. However, those who predict the singularity (the exponential view) believe the next 100 years might possibly bring the equivalent of 20 or more 20th Centuries of progress.
Mere observation tends to support the exponential view of technological progress.
For instance, the 20th Century brought more technological progress than the 19th Century. And the 1990’s brought more technological progress than the 1980’s.
If it’s true technology has been (and is) advancing exponentially, what’s the big deal? Hasn’t change always been a part of the human condition?
But in the early part of exponential growth, it’s not easy to recognize what’s happening. In fact, it can “appear” as if nothing is happening at all.
Notice how, for centuries on end, it seems like nothing is happening. Then, all at once, everything happens.
What makes the technological singularity so radically transformative is how rapidly the change will take place.
The Industrial Revolution took place over the course of 200 to 250 years. During that period, humanity had adequate time to adjust to the widespread societal impact.
However, the changes brought on by advanced technologies as we approach the technological singularity will be so rapid that changes equivalent in impact to the entire Industrial Revolution might well be forced on humanity within a three to five year period.
This exponential increase in technology – which includes artificial intelligence, quantum computing, swarm technology, genetics, robotics, and molecular manufacturing – will completely upend the current world order.
So what does any of this have to do with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Why should you care about the singularity?
You should care because Jesus Himself pointed to the singularity as one of the foremost signs His return is close at hand.
This revelation has been hidden in plain view of Christians for almost 2,000 years. Only now, in our generation, can we fully begin to comprehend the meaning of His words. In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus to reveal the signs of His coming and the end of the age. Jesus then told them (emphasis mine):
“Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” Matthew 24:4-8 (NLT)
What does Jesus mean by the phrase “birth pains”? What do the spiritual, natural, societal, and political signs He described have in common with birth pains? Only this – birth pains (or labor contractions) are sharp pains which increase in both frequency and intensity in the moments leading up to birth. Jesus says this same pattern will precede His Second Coming.
If you were to plot labor contractions on a graph, the result would be an exponential curve which increases right up until the time the baby is born. What Jesus is saying is the signs He describes and the general nature of things in this world will increase in both frequency and intensity just prior to His arrival. He’s telling us the signs of His Coming will increase exponentially, and this is how we’ll know He’s near.
In other words, the exponential technological advancement we’re witnessing is a sign of the Second Coming.
Think about it. The rapid pace of technological change over the past century has been nothing short of staggering. Even over the course of just a decade, the leap forward is astonishing.
This phenomenon of human technological progress closely resembles the exponential curve of birth pains. Both the power and the pace of our technological advancement have progressed (and will continue to progress) at an exponential rate. As they do, the turmoil of this world will also increase exponentially.
Travel and Knowledge Will Increase
Twenty-six hundred years ago, God provided the prophet Daniel with a number of visions concerning the future. In one of these visions, God revealed several events set to take place just prior to the Second Coming. But an angel told Daniel to seal up his vision until the end times, “when travel and knowledge will increase”:
“But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.” Daniel 12:4 (NLT)
According to the Book of Daniel, two things will markedly increase just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:
1) Transportation
2) Knowledge
Not only will these signs increase, but they’ll do so exponentially. The labor pains analogy Jesus made applies to these signs as well, meaning both the availability and power of transportation and knowledge will increase.
Simple observation has shown this to be the case in the centuries since Jesus first spoke to His disciples.
After all, from the time of Daniel (6th Century B.C.) to around A.D. 1800, we didn’t see any noticeable increase in either. Then, something happened. The speed and frequency of travel started to pick up, and the pace of change continues to this day. And human knowledge? It took off as well, and it shows no sign of slowing down. The pace of change has been so rapid and consistent, people take it for granted. But if you take a moment to reflect on where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we’re going, it’s astounding.
Knowledge and transportation are widely available to both rich and poor now more than at any other time in human history. The power of knowledge and the speed of transportation have also increased markedly over the same time period. As they continue to increase in our time, humanity is fast approaching the event horizon known as the singularity. Jesus foresaw these events, and He clearly stated that these signs will herald His Second Coming.
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