An electromechanical suit of armor, enhanced human physicality, gamma radiation causing monstrous strength, altered DNA that bestows superpowers and a genetically engineered mercenary are just a few of the characteristics of the central figures in the new blockbuster film Avengers: Endgame.
Apparently, moviegoers were intrigued, as they shelled out $1.6 billion worldwide on the opening weekend.
Superheroes, supervillains and everything in between are big business in Hollywood, but what about the possibility of a supervillain in real life? asks pastor and author Mark Biltz, who wrote Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times: What the Bible Says and What the Future Holds.
An Oxford philosopher is wondering the same thing.
Nick Bostrom is the founding director of the Future of Humanity Institute and, according to The Next Web, his “latest research paper seems to indicate our species could be on a collision course with a technology-fueled supervillain.”
“Will a deranged lunatic soon have the capabilities to take the entire world hostage?” Bostrom writes in his paper, titled “The Vulnerable World Hypothesis.” “Can our nation’s leaders do anything to stop this inevitable tragedy? Will the caped crusader rescue his sidekick before the Joker’s sinister trap springs?”
In Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times, Biltz writes about this same concept, but in relation to the coming Antichrist.
“As technology becomes more and more a part of our everyday lives,” Biltz says, “we must consider theories about the Antichrist and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, Siri, Alexa, Watson, 5G and more, which are creeping into our lives on a daily basis and changing our perspective of how things could possibly play out even in the next few years.
“It is no longer difficult to imagine the Antichrist as some kind of hybrid human cyborg able to project himself all over the world at one time as a hologram that demands to be worshipped,” he added. “With all the advances in technology—the ability to produce avatars, holograms and computer software installed in our bodies so our thoughts and emotions, as well as our purchases and our movements, can be monitored—there is no doubt that we are at the culmination of one age and entering the threshold of another.”
The central theme of Decoding the Antichrist is the role of technology in our future, as Biltz takes an in-depth look at some of the deepest questions surrounding the Antichrist:
- What does the Bible say about the Antichrist, his tactics and his motivation?
- Will he be a Muslim, a Jew or a professed Christian—or something else?
- Will the Antichrist work through modern technology to seize control?
“I believe we are truly entering the final chapter on this world’s stage, and the curtain will soon be coming down or rolled away,” Biltz says. “I am not claiming to know how many pages are left in God’s script, but those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying know it is time to start packing your bags, spiritually speaking.”
Mark Biltz is founder of El Shaddai Ministries and a well-known and popular commentator on the feasts of the Lord. In fact, he has produced a series of DVDs on the feasts that have gone around the world. Biltz is also the author of Blood Moons and God’s Day Timer. His research and theories have led to guest appearances on both radio and television as well as being featured on the covers of magazines.
Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times was released last month by Charisma House, which has published books that challenge, encourage, teach and equip Christians, including 14 New York Times’ best-sellers.