Hello! I am Jon Paulien and I’m glad you came to this page to check out my work. I am a New Testament scholar and Professor of Religion at Loma Linda University. On this website you will find a collection of my articles, commentary on Revelation, and links to my blog, videos, and other resources. Make sure you check the articles link above regularly to see the latest postings. In my hand above is an exact replica of p52, the earliest extant New Testament manuscript fragment, containing portions of John, chapter 18. Centered above my head is a replica of ancient Greek pottery. At either end above are two sets of books from, and about, my favorite spiritual author, Ellen G. White. I hope you enjoy the site.

Daily Devotional For June 30, 2026

View in the Daily Devotional Index

And the rest of the human race, those who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands in order that they might not worship demons or idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood. Such idols are not able to see, hear, or walk. And the rest of the human race did not repent of their murders, their magic arts, their acts of fornication, or their thefts. Rev 9:20-21.

           Images are set up to honor people we admire or celebrate causes we would gladly sacrifice time, effort and money to uphold. We honor and celebrate what we admire. A friend’s brother has spent much of his life openly celebrating his admiration for drag racers and the magnificent machines that they create.¹ When he was growing up, Tom filled the bedroom he and his brother shared with pictures of dragsters. These pictures honored the likes of the “Melrose Missile,” “Jungle Jim Lieberman” and “One hand Willie Borsch.” These famous racers were depicted trailing clouds of smoke as they blazed down the quarter mile strip.
           When he grew up, Tom turned out to be an excellent mechanic and earned the means to erect a shrine to his favorite sport in Rapid City, South Dakota. Tom’s shop consists of a large metal building which houses a number of cars. It is immaculate with clean concrete floors and room enough for all the tools and memorabilia that he has collected over the years. Almost every square inch on the walls is decked out with pictures, models or some item from the sport of drag racing.
           The centerpiece of the shop is Tom’s own 850 horsepower Chevy Vega that does the quarter mile in the nine-second range. Fire up the beast and you will hear thunder that shakes the entire building. Friends have even nicknamed Tom’s garage “The Shrine,” not inappropriate given his obvious devotion to the sport.
           The images we erect are often literal; monuments, plaques, named cornerstones and “shrines” like Tom’s fascinating celebration of American drag racing. But far more often these images are hidden from view, buried deep in our hearts and minds. While many of these shrines, like Tom’s, are interesting but harmless, we can erect shrines in our hearts to great good or great evil. The German nation idolized Adolph Hitler to its own destruction. Youth often idolize celebrities who teach them self-defeating values. On the other hand “we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory.” (2 Cor 3:18). Idols not only reveal our innermost thoughts, they also help determine who we become.

           Lord, I don’t want to be like those in the sixth trumpet who refuse to give up their destructive idols. I choose to center my life’s focus on Jesus today.

¹ Email from Jim Park on October 28, 2002.