Modern and symbolic—juxtaposes grace vs. artificial deception.

The Throne of Grace is not a place we abandon; it is the place we depart from.

Grace is not a hiding place from the world.
Grace is the launch point into it.

“Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
— Hebrews 4:16 (NASB 1995)

Notice what the verse assumes: movement: “…to help in time of need.”
Grace is given for help, not retreat.

The ship does not remain docked at the throne. It receives direction there—and then sails.

As I’ve mentioned before in a previous post, the ship can represent you, me, your family, or anyone.

Are you in need of help?

Have you sailed to the throne of grace?

Does the help that you need align with the will of God or the devil?

…if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
—2 Timothy 2:24-26

• The hull is human limitation.
• The sails are empowered by grace.
• The rudder is obedience.
• The course is intentional.

If you or I decide to ignore our limitations, the hull is compromised.
If you or I decide to insult the Spirit of grace, the sails are under judgment.
If you or I decide to disobey, the rudder is in sin.
If you or I decide to suppress the truth, the course is malintent.

What course are you on right now?

It feels strange that I was watching the World Trade Center collapse on a box TV at my great-grandparents’ house at the age of 13, and all of a sudden, watching an interactive AI system help me structure and cohere my writing at the age of 37.

That reality brings to mind this passage:

18 But pray that it may not happen in the winter. 19 For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. 20 Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; 22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
—Mark 13:18-22

It feels like days are being shortened. 

AI can amplify the exact dynamics Jesus warns about: crisis + confusion + persuasive deception + “signs and wonders.”

Jesus says false christs/prophets will show “signs and wonders” to lead astray (Mark 13:22).

AI can supercharge the appearance of wonder:

• Deepfakes: convincing “proof” of a figure speaking, appearing, or doing something.
• Synthetic “miracles”: staged videos, fake livestreams, fabricated “supernatural” events.
• Mass persuasion at scale: tailored messaging that feels personal, prophetic, and urgent.

So even if the “signs and wonders” in the final sense are genuinely supernatural, AI can still function as a counterfeit wonder factory that primes people to believe.

The warning is about location claims and “secret reveal” narratives (v.21). AI thrives at manufacturing and spreading:

• “Leaked footage”
• “Hidden messages decoded”
• “Here’s the real truth they don’t want you to know”
• “This is the one leader/teacher who can save you”

AI doesn’t need to invent a messiah; it can magnify messiah-making—turning influencers, leaders, or movements into “savior figures.”

The passage explicitly links tribulation with deception. In high stress, we seek certainty, and our discernment can get tired.

AI can exploit that by:

• flooding feeds with fear
• offering “answers” that sound confident
• mimicking spiritual authority
• creating communities that reinforce a false narrative

If Jesus says, “Do not believe them,” here’s what that can look like today:

1. Treat viral certainty as suspect.
   When a message spreads with emotional intensity—especially outrage or awe—it often bypasses discernment. Jesus’ warning reminds us that deception frequently wears the costume of conviction. Slow down before sharing or reacting.
2. Verify sources like your soul depends on it—because sometimes it does.
   Spiritual deception thrives on hearsay. Check multiple credible sources, look for original context, and resist the pull of “my friend sent it.” Truth withstands scrutiny; lies collapse under it.
3. Test the message, not the vibes.
   A message can feel powerful yet still be false. Ask whether it aligns with what Jesus has already revealed in Scripture. This is the heart of 1 John 4:1—“test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”
4. Remember how Jesus says He’ll be known.
   In Mark 13 and Matthew 24, Jesus warns against secret appearances and rumor-chasing. His return will not be a hidden or coded event but unmistakable, seen by all. Any claim that requires special knowledge or insider access contradicts His own description.

AI may not be the fulfillment, but it can be excellent scaffolding for the kind of deception Jesus says will intensify.

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, **2 **that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. **3 **Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, **4 **who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. **5 **Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? **6 **And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. **7 **For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. **8 **Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; **9 **that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, **10 **and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. **11 **For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, **12 **in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

We’ll look at how that passage ties in next.