Many of you in this community have asked me to comment about The Giant, a planned 10-story movable statue proposed by an entrepreneur and architecture studio in Ireland.

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Before I share my opinion, let me first describe this project. So far, these statues do not yet exist. They are in the early stages of development and are being designed by an architectural studio in Berlin, with engineering assistance from a separate international advisory firm. The company behind the project is called The Giant Company and is led by a man named Paddy Dunning.

 

According to a press release by The Giant Company, this piece of public art is designed to be “one of the most exciting visitor attraction concepts of the 21st century” and was inspired by the 18th century novel Gulliver’s Travels. That book is about a traveler who has a shipwreck and lands on an island where six-inch high people live, making him a giant. Among other things, he helps the people solve problems and resolve conflicts with their primary enemy.

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Moving, talking statues worldwide

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The Giant Company is hoping to install this art project in 21 cities around the globe. Here’s how they describe it:

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The Giant’s arms and head can move to a diversity of positions and its patented skin, a matrix of millions of programmable LED pixels gives it the ability to instantly take the form of any man or woman, boy or girl from historical figures such as Albert Einstein or Amelia Earhart to stars of today from Lionel Messi to Beyoncé. Every hour The Giant will transform itself into an exemplary man or woman and will also have the ability to speak or sing to the crowds that gather below.

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Visitors who consent to have their own bodies scanned inside the attraction’s exhibition space can have their photos uploaded onto the statue “resulting in the world’s most spectacular selfie.” The company expects each Giant to draw 500,000 visitors a year and generate millions of dollars in local revenue.

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But the Giant seems to be more than a photo opportunity or an attraction to boost the local economy:

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More than a visual wonder, visitors to the attraction will explore several fully immersive exhibits that feature state-of-the-art technologies including augmented and virtual reality, robotics and artificial intelligence. The exhibits are designed to be surprising, entertaining, educational and engaging for all age groups.

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That’s ambitious. Here’s how Paddy Dunning explains his vision for The Giant:

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“We are now seeking 21 sites in 21 cities by the end of 2021. The Giant will be one of the world’s most ambitious cultural and commercial projects bringing together art, amusement and wonder to create a contemporary and highly profitable business. We envision The Giant as an adjunct to new urban redevelopment projects, stadiums, arenas, shopping centers, museums and other locations; it’s going to be an awe-inspiring addition to the cities where we locate it…”

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Dunning and his team are now seeking partner cities that want to install these statues. He claims he has already had interest from investors in Europe, Australia, Abu Dhabi and cities in the United States.

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Only a landmark, but…

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Now that I’ve described the project, what’s my opinion of it?

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It’s a strange idea. I can certainly see one of these becoming a popular landmark. I can envision tourists buying tickets to visit its viewing terrace and roof garden, paying to advertise on the enormous body, and even paying to display their own body scans on it using the LED technology. I can see The Giant being used to display messages for birthdays or wedding proposals. I can definitely imagine it drawing a crowd.

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None of those concepts are too controversial, other than the oddness of placing a 10-story statue in the middle of a city. I imagine it might annoy local businesses or homeowners who view it as an eyesore.

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I’m not here to comment on the aesthetics of the idea.

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But I do see some particularly interesting possibilities related to the end times. Here are a few of them:

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The Giant’s LED pixels allow it to instantly take the form of any person. The creators describe this innocently, sharing examples like historical figures (Albert Einstein) or celebrities like Beyonce. “Each hour the Giant will transform into each country’s national heroes and celebrities,” explain the marketing materials.

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The men and women appearing on the statue can speak or sing. This is not just a piece of visual art, but an immersive one. That means it doesn’t just project an image. It projects audio.

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The Giant is designed to be a prominent gathering place. Its purpose is to be a literal attraction. A 10-story human figure in the middle of a city—especially a figure that moves and “speaks”—will definitely draw crowds.

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It is computerized, networked and backed by artificial intelligence. The state-of-the-art technology is designed to entertain and educate all age groups. But anything based on technology is hackable.

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Each of these realities makes me imagine a future scenario that perfectly aligns with Bible prophecy, specifically related to the Antichrist.

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A potential tool of the Antichrist

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Imagine a future in which these moving, speaking statues have been installed in cities all over the world. Imagine the Antichrist hacking into them and taking over these high-profile Giants, then using the LED skin to “take the form” of his own image. He then uses them to broadcast his own message to hundreds of thousands—or even millions—of unsuspecting people.

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Could this be how he first comes to power?

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Consider some of what Scripture says about the Antichrist:

1. His appearance will get attention. Daniel 7:20 says his “appearance was greater than his fellows.” A 10-story, moving statue in the likeness of the Antichrist certainly applies here.

2. He will magnify himself. Daniel 11:36 says he will “magnify himself above every god.” Magnify literally means to make something appear larger than it is. Again, Daniel wouldn’t have understood this at the time, but it’s easy to see this referring to a human being projected onto a worldwide network of giant, moving statues.

3. He will speak. Daniel 11:36 also says the Antichrist will “speak blasphemies against the God of gods.” That certainly can happen with these art installations.

4. He will have worldwide authority. Revelation 13:7 says “authority was given him over every tribe, tongue and nation.” These statues provide a simple way for him to communicate in multiple languages and in multiple places at once.

5. He will bring temporary peace. Could the Antichrist use these talking Giants to safely negotiate a peace treaty (Daniel 9:27) from an undisclosed location? Remember, the developers’ idea came from Gulliver’s Travels, in which the giant Gulliver helps resolve conflicts.

6. He will deceive with “signs and wonders.” According to 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, the arrival of the Antichrist will be accompanied by powerful delusions. Could the augmented reality or artificial intelligence of these Giants make that possible?

7. He will “resurrect.” Revelation 13:3-4 says it will appear as if the Antichrist has been mortally wounded but then miraculously healed, leading to his worship. This would be easy to fake with the LED technology of the Giant.

8. He will be worshiped globally. Revelation 13:13-14 says “He performs great signs…and he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast…” They won’t have to make an image. The graven image will already exist. The international community will only have to worship the Antichrist, who appears via giant displays worldwide.

 

This story is worth following. No, I’m not saying I believe Paddy Dunning is the Antichrist. I doubt he has evil plans for this idea. What I’m suggesting is that this idea, if it gains popularity and if these end up being built and installed, could easily be used by the Antichrist. In fact, the idea even aligns with Bible prophecy about how the Antichrist comes to power.

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In other words, don’t minimize The Giant.

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The Bible may have been written two thousand years ago, but it’s more up-to-date than today’s newspaper.