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 January 13, 2026

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Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Yes, Amen. Rev 1:7.

           In verse 7 we find a combination of two texts from the Old Testament. The “coming with the clouds” reminds us of the Son of Man in Dan 7:13. That those who pierced him will mourn over him reminds us of Zech 12:10. The same two texts are also combined in Matt 24:30, so this verse may be an echo of Jesus’ earlier teaching.
           In Zechariah the ones who pierce and mourn are “the house of David” and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem.” In Revelation this changes to “all the tribes of the earth.” This is a common shift in the book of Revelation. The literal and local things of Israel in the Old Testament are applied in a spiritual and worldwide manner. The concept of “Israel” is expanded to include people of any race and place who are in relationship with Jesus.
           So the key to inclusion among the people of God is a relationship with Jesus. But how can you have a relationship with Jesus when you can’t see, hear or touch Him? That was abundantly illustrated by the most-watched movie of all time, Titanic. Titanic earned twice as much money from theater admissions as any other movie of all time. There was a rather trivial reason for the popularity of the film. Millions of teen-age girls in North America became smitten with the handsome young male lead, Leonardo DiCaprio. Many went back to see the movie several times, some claim to have seen it over forty times! They were developing a relationship with someone they couldn’t see, hear, or touch! Few of them had ever seen him in person.
           How could this be? The movie was not Leonardo himself. But it was a witness to the reality that is Leonardo. And millions of teen-age girls found that witness sufficient for a serious relationship. Whereas millions will testify to the existence of Leonardo DiCaprio and the influence he may have had in their lives, billions over the centuries have testified to the existence of Jesus, including the testimonies found in the sacred and inspired pages of Scripture.
           It is clear that you can have a living relationship with someone you cannot see, hear or touch. When it comes to Jesus, you develop that relationship by spending time with the witness about Him in His Word. You need to invest serious time in Bible study. You need to talk to other people who know Him, and hear their testimonies about His impact in their lives. You need to get involved in the mission that He left for His disciples (Matt 28:20) to accomplish. Those in relationship with Jesus will one day participate in the glorious victory portrayed in Revelation.

           Lord, I need the presence of Jesus to be real in my life today. May His Word become flesh in everything I do or say.