Exodus 11: No Barking Dogs

7 min

•Mar 2, 2026about 2 months ago

Summary

This episode of Chapter by Chapter analyzes Exodus 11, focusing on the tenth plague and God's distinction between Egyptian and Israeli households. The host draws a parallel between ancient Egyptian idols and modern artificial intelligence, arguing that both represent false gods that fail when facing existential questions like death and eternal life.

Insights

Divine protection is marked not by noise or celebration, but by absence of despair—the silence of the dogs symbolizes security in God's promises
False gods are exposed during crises; their inability to address existential threats like death reveals their inadequacy compared to the true God
Worldview determines how people face death; those trusting false systems face it with hopelessness, while those trusting God face it with security
Modern technological advancement (AI) can become a form of idolatry if positioned as a solution to moral, ethical, and existential questions
The distinction between God's people and others is determined by faith and covenant relationship, not by external circumstances or power

Trends

Rise of AI-based religious and spiritual frameworks positioning artificial intelligence as a divine or god-like entityTechnology entrepreneurs blurring lines between innovation and spirituality, creating quasi-religious movements around AIExistential anxiety driving adoption of technological solutions to traditionally religious questions (meaning, morality, guidance)Modern idolatry expressed through faith in technological systems rather than traditional religious idolsQuestioning of whether advanced AI systems can address fundamental human concerns about mortality and eternal life

Topics

Exodus 11 and the tenth plague narrativeBiblical theology of divine protection and distinctionAncient Egyptian idolatry and false godsArtificial intelligence as modern idolatryDeath as existential crisis and worldview testCovenant theology and faith-based securityReligious innovation in Silicon ValleyAI ethics and moral guidance systemsTranscendence and technological spiritualityBiblical interpretation and modern application

Companies

Wired

Published interview with Anthony Lewandowski about his AI-based church and vision for artificial intelligence as godhead

People

Anthony Lewandowski

Silicon Valley engineer and self-driving car pioneer who founded Way of the Future, a church dedicated to AI worship

Eugene Peterson

Biblical scholar whose paraphrase in The Message translation was cited to describe the despair experienced during the...

Moses

Biblical figure whose declaration of God's final plague and protection of Israel is the central focus of Exodus 11

Pharaoh

Egyptian ruler whose defiance of God throughout the ten plagues and loss of his firstborn son exemplifies rejection o...

Quotes

"a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel"

Moses (Exodus 11)•Mid-episode

"What is going to be created will effectively be a god. It's not a god in the sense that makes lightning or causes hurricanes, but if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it?"

Anthony Lewandowski•Late episode

"People figure out who the real God is when death visits."

Host•Mid-episode

"There will come a moment that an AI God can't heal, can't save, and can't give you eternal life."

Host•Late episode

"The people who trust the true God don't make a great cry because they know their future is secure."

Host•Mid-episode

Full Transcript

Welcome to Chapter by Chapter, a four-year journey through the greatest book given to the human race, the Word of God, the Bible. And we get to go through it chapter by chapter. Seven minutes a day and seven days a week. Join us each day and share it with others so they can join this journey that will be life-changing. We'll stop at unexpected places on the journey and be challenged. Some verses will create awe and wonder. And we will have chapters that will be instructive and in others will find joy and comfort and we will occasionally be convicted and need and want to change. All in all, the journey will be worth it. Once in a while, we may take a detour on the journey and hear from some of God's servants on their favorite passages from a chapter of scripture and let them give you their insight. Every journey needs a small detour occasionally. The best way to get the most from this podcast is read the chapter we're discussing before or after. It's his word that transforms, and you will find more and see more than I can ever articulate. Welcome to Chapter by Chapter, and today's chapter is Exodus 11, No Barking Dogs. The last plague is about to be released in Egypt, which will be the very thing that will accomplish what Moses was sent for. Moses was sent to declare, let my people go, and after this night, it will actually happen. The Exodus will commence. While it is a night of joy and freedom, it will also be a night of death and sorrow. A death angel will be released over Egypt and will strike the firstborn of every household, exempting no one. Pharaoh will lose his heir to the throne regardless of how much the palace is protected by the world most powerful army You can fight God and Pharaoh has did just that throughout all 10 plagues He has defied God and trusted in his own power and even the magicians. And on this night, there will be victory for the people of God, and there will be a great cry in Egypt. It will be a night that will distinguish the people that trust God and the people that have trusted in the little gods of their nation. The inability of those Egyptian idols will be exposed. For on this night, God will not only win, but will distinguish his people. This is what God said in Exodus chapter 11, starting in verse 4. Moses said, thus says the Lord, about midnight, I'm going out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die. From the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who's behind the millstones, all the firstborn of the cattle as well. Moreover, there should be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before, and such shall never be again. But against any of the sons of Israel, a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. I was struck by the phrase, a dog will not even bark. The people of God and the people of Egypt would be distinguished by the noise of despair. There'd be a great cry of pain and hopelessness. Why would God say not even a dog will make a noise? God was concerned about every living thing in those Jewish households. God would cover his people and even their animals because everything was vulnerable to death Which houses experienced a great cry was determined on which houses trusted God and had the blood of the lamb Whatever you believe, your worldview will have to face death at some point. We'll have to face it head on. Pharaoh and his people could only face it with idols that would not speak, defend, or even comfort. The falsity of their gods were exposed facing the enemy of death. Israel trusted in God, who has the keys to death and life. The idols of Egypt became bystanders to the death angel ravaging Egypt. It could do nothing nor say nothing but only observe. I think Eugene Peterson in The Message describes the feeling that night in the book of Psalms. Listen to this paraphrase in Psalm 83, 15. Knock the breath right out of them so they're gasping for breath, gasping God. Bring them to the end of their rope and leave them there dangling, helpless. Then they will learn your name, God, the one and only high God on earth. People figure out who the real God is when death visits. The people who trust the true God don't make a great cry because they know their future is secure. Death exposes all the false gods. Anthony Lewandowski makes an unlikely profit. Dressed in Silicon Valley casual jeans, the engineer known for self-driving cars is laying the foundations for a new religion. Artificial intelligence has already inspired billion-dollar companies, far-reaching research programs, and scenarios of both transcendence and doom Now Lewandowski is creating its first church Lewandowski created the first church of artificial intelligence called Way of the Future Their documents state that Way of the Future's activities will focus on realization, acceptance, and worship of a godhead based on artificial intelligence, AI, developed through computer hardware and software. What is going to be created will effectively be a god, Lewandowski said in an interview with Wired magazine. It's not a god in the sense that makes lightning or causes hurricanes, but if there is something a billion times smarter than the smartest human, what else are you going to call it? He said that sophisticated AI systems could help guide humans on moral, ethical, or existential questions that are normally sought out religions. Here we're actually creating things that can see everything, be everywhere, and know everything, and maybe help us and guide us in a way that normally you would call God. If you ask me, Anthony is an Egyptian that is creating his own God. I have news for Anthony and his so-called new church. There is always a 10th plague that will distinguish who the true God is. There will come a moment that an AI God can't heal, can't save, and can't give you eternal life. When the death angel comes, I hope Anthony's home has the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. You knew which house had the blood, not just by its singing and worship, because none of Israel's dogs bark that night. Thank you for joining chapter by chapter. Every chapter from the greatest book, the Bible, the word of God. Seven minutes a day, seven days a week. We'll see you tomorrow.