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 December 28, 2025

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The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let everyone who wishes take the water of life without cost. Rev 22:17.

           Isn’t it amazing how many people wait until their deathbed to apologize to either a family member or a friend? It seems that when people are bed-ridden, or in a weakened state, or near death, they start to contemplate their life and the impact that they might have had on people. A hospital chaplain witnessed such death-bed confessions many times.
           Why do people wait until the end? Why do they wait until it is too late to undo the harmed feelings that have partially destroyed someone else’s life? Why didn’t they make their amends when it would have done some good instead of waiting until they knew others would have pity on them? Is this not cowardice? Is this not fear? Is not this human pride?
           People do not like to risk being made a fool. The fear of appearing to be foolish, or wrong, is so strong in most of us that we spend our lives pretending that everything is OK. We are afraid to admit we were wrong, afraid to appear foolish to others, especially our own families!
           But who was the biggest fool that ever lived, according to human standards? Who was totally humiliated in order to re-establish a relationship with you and me? Christ, of course. He never once feared making a fool of Himself. Even when others jeered, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself!”
           He became the biggest fool that ever lived so that the real fools might come to love Him as He loved us. He put relationship before his own pride. Tempted to come down from the foolish cross, He still reached out to us, not caring if people called Him foolish.¹
           The Book of Revelation, as we have seen, is full of strange stories and even stranger creatures. It would be easy to get the impression that war, famine, pestilence and judgment are the primary themes of the book. But our text for today reminds us that the primary theme of the book is the “revelation of Jesus Christ.”
           Revelation reveals that salvation in Christ came at infinite cost (Rev 5:6; 12:11; 13:8), yet it is absolutely free to us. But the foolishness of the human heart rebels against receiving anything that it hasn’t been earned. We humans fear the foolishness of admitting we are wrong, that we need what Christ offers (Rev 3:17). But in His sacrifice we see that it is foolish pride that causes us to postpone the day of our salvation.

           Lord, I accept the water of life that You offer so freely. My pride suggests that I do something special today to earn the gift. Help me to trust in Your loving and graceful provision.

¹ Based on an email from Dan Millen, September 22, 2004.