You Are My Witnesses
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. 12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. (Isaiah 43:10-12, NIV)
I remember the fervor surrounding the start of the new millennium* as we welcomed the year 2000. At the time, I was working as a public-school teacher. I had the dual role of teaching technology and providing tech support for our small school district. In this capacity, I was responsible for the smooth operation of almost 200 computers.
Those of you who were around back then may remember there was a sizable concern about the fact that many computers were not designed to handle a four-digit year. Therefore, the media fueled a frenzy around the possibility that computer systems worldwide might crash at the stroke of midnight. There was speculation that the so-called Y2K problem could cause air traffic control systems to fail and that medical devices could malfunction. There was also concern that banking systems could have errors, and the electrical grid and water supply could be affected.
Newly married, my wife Jill and I attended a New Year’s party on the night of December 31, 1999. We ended up leaving early, not because of any computer system failures, but because Jill had symptoms of food poisoning. I rang in the new year caring for Jill, but to my knowledge, there were no significant computer system problems.
I share this historical reflection as I wonder about the current fixation in the media surrounding the impending doom and impact of Artificial Intelligence (or A.I.). I wonder if this situation will end up being like Y2K, where what was made out to be a crisis essentially resolved itself. I admit, with my technical background, I am fascinated by the rapid progress of so many new A.I. tools. I also acknowledge that I think about the potential impact on certain jobs and privacy, and I recognize that there are real potential risks.
Yet as I reflect on this portion of the book of Isaiah, I am moved by God’s message to the Israelites who are likely already in exile. I can picture God’s people wringing their hands and worrying about what is to come. Through the prophet’s words, I hear God reminding his people to rest any anxiety they have about their futures in him.
I love the phrase, “I have revealed and saved and proclaimed.” The Message renders this as, “I spoke, I saved, I told you what existed long before these upstart gods appeared on the scene.”
In certain circles, it seems that A.I. is being hailed as a sort of “upstart god” (note the lowercase “g”); promising control, insight, or certainty that it can’t truly offer.
Modern A.I. tools can do things previously unimagined. The tools demonstrate what appears to be a sort of intellect, a sort of understanding. They can process massive amounts of data, recognize patterns, draw inferences, and generate responses that can shape decisions, behaviors, and systems in ways we are still learning to understand. As more of life moves into digital spaces, the influence of these tools grows with it. Yet even with all their capabilities, they remain tools—pattern recognizers, not gods, without true wisdom, conscience or compassion.
But I believe the influence of A.I. calls for discernment, not fear.
The Israelites had a choice to make as their world rapidly changed. They felt powerless. But Isaiah exhorted them, while it may seem as though God had failed them, God had not been defeated. God alone is the Creator, Redeemer, and King over history. In 43:1 they are reminded, “do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Then, God declares, no matter what may happen, “You are witnesses…that I am God.”
The capabilities of A.I. tools may expand, but A.I. does not hold the future or define our identity. This is the difference between human-made “upstart gods” and the one true God who made us.
I invite you to pray with me:
Lord, there are many things in this world that could lead us to fear.
May we remember with the Israelites that even when we are uneasy with the unknown, You are our Creator, Redeemer, and King.
There will always be “upstart gods” that capture our attention and claim to be more.
Let us truly be your servants,
We want to be witnesses to the world that you are God.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Spirit, Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Shawn Stevenson
* Nerd fact: I learned much later that since there was no year zero, technically the new millennium started January 1st, 2001—but most of the world celebrated a year early!
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