A fresh interpretation of Revelation for the 21st century, exploring the connections between John's visions and the terrifying prospect of an Artificial Super Intelligence that emerges to deceive the world and oppose the rule of Christ.
'Revelation promises to do two things: fill our hearts with praise to God, and simultaneously prepare for God's inevitable cataclysmic intervention in this world to judge evil righteously at the return of Christ.'
Countless books have been written on the meaning of Revelation. This one draws on the work of great interpreters of the past but at the same time it breaks new ground by advancing reasons why we need to take very seriously the possibility that a supernatural power opposed to God is using technology - and in particular advanced AI - to drive a transhumanist vision of upgraded humans.
Already some scientists are envisioning the development of superintelligences that may become the gods of the future and rule over humans. Others raise the even more disturbing prospect that ASI (Artificial Super Intelligence) could eventually achieve world domination. These developments, argues Lennox, are likely to involve the deception of billions of people, inspired and engineered by the one
whom the New Testament calls 'the Antichrist'.
To find out how John Lennox reaches that conclusion read this fresh, wide-ranging and amazingly thought-provoking commentary on Jesus' last message to his followers.
Arvustused
"Secular historians have described the book of Revelation as the greatest anti-imperialist tract ever written. But Christians have seen other things. John Lennox is bi-lingual. As a mathematician he understands the language of God as expressed in the universe's maths and physics. As a biblical scholar he expounds the language of God, placing Revelation in the context of the whole of Scripture. This is a magnificent contribution on both fronts." -- Tim Costello, Director of Ethical Voice and Executive Director of Micah Australia "John Lennox skilfully weaves together the academic and the practical with the result that his commentary is both highly informative and eminently devotional. The reader is in for a very engaging study of Revelation designed to lead to the worship the Triune God as Creator and Redeemer and to heighten ones desire for the Son's return to establish his kingdom in righteousness." -- R. Bruce Compton, Professor of Biblical Languages and Literature, Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary "Panoramic, passionate and deeply personal, John Lennox's new book provides a compelling and detailed interpretation of the book of Revelation in the light of contemporary events." -- John Wyatt, co-editor of The Robot Will See You Now "I read everything John Lennox writes because of his amazing blend of rigorous scholarship with practical insights and applications for all of us." -- Rick Warren
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A fresh interpretation of Revelation for the 21st century, exploring the connections between John's visions and the terrifying prospect of an Artificial Super Intelligence that emerges to deceive the world and oppose the rule of Christ.
Part 1
REVELATION 1:1 - 3:22
1 Key concepts 63
2 Symbol, metaphor and code 77
3 The letters to the seven churches of Asia 94
4 The letter to Ephesus 102
5 The letter to Smyrna 114
6 The letter to Pergamum 120
7 The letter to Thyatira 127
8 The letter to Sardis 141
9 The letter to Philadelphia 145
10 The letter to Laodicea 151
11 The letters to the churches - a historical dimension? 158
Part 2
REVELATION 4:1 - 7:17
12 The throne of God 171
13 The scroll, the seals, the Lion and the Lamb 203
14 The opening of the seals 218
15 The sealing of 144,000 from Israel and the innumerable crowd before the
throne 235
Part 3
REVELATION 8:1 - 11:18
16 The opening of the seventh seal 251
17 The trumpets blow 261
18 A mighty angel descends from heaven to earth; Jerusalem
trodden down; the two witnesses 281
Part 4
REVELATION 11:19 - 15:4
19 War in heaven 307
20 The sea monster - Antichrist? 318
21 The earth monster the false prophet 337
22 The Lamb with 144,000 on Mount Zion 357
Part 5
REVELATION 15:5 - 19:10
23 The nature of God's glory and his wrath 385
24 The bowls of God's wrath 389
25 Who is Babylon and why must she be judged? 400
26 The wild monster 413
27 The ten horns - an international government? 418
28 Babylon judged yet mourned 432
29 The climax: praise for God's judgements 445
Part 6
REVELATION 19:11 - 22:21
30 The return of the Word of God 457
31 The millennial reign of Christ 467
32 The last rebellion 494
33 The new creation 506
Appendix 1 Kingdom 547
Appendix 2 Rapture 560
Notes 567
Index of Scripture references 597
Index of subjects 604
John C Lennox (Author) John C. Lennox MA PhD DPhil DSc is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at Green Templeton College. He has lectured on religion and science at many prestigious institutions around the world, and has publicly debated Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, among others. He is also the author of many books including Cosmic Chemistry, God and Stephen Hawking and Friend of God: The Inspiration of Abraham in an Age of Doubt.
Philip Law (In-House Editor) Philip Law is Publishing Director for SPCK and Lion Books. His previous books include The One Hour Bible (SPCK, 2018), A Time to Pray: 365 classic prayers to help you through the year (Lion, 2002) and The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer (SPCK/Crossroad, 1995/ 2009). He is also a contributor to the 6th edition of The Lion Handbook to the Bible (Lion, 2025).
