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 August 15, 2026

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And everyone who lives on the earth will worship him (the beast), everyone whose name was not written in the book of life of the Lamb slaughtered from the foundation of the world. Rev 13:8.

           I received quite a shock in Singapore recently. A meeting of all the Adventist churches in the city was planned for Sabbath at a large public venue. To make sure that the members did not forget, the mission leaders sent out text messages on Sabbath morning to remind everyone of the times and the particulars. I thought they were talking about emails, but it was explained to me that these messages pop up in the windows of mobile phones and that nearly all the members in the city had such phones (I don’t)!
           This novel way of reminding members of a major meeting caused me to pay attention to a report about text messaging in the Philippines.¹ It seems that the Manila area of the Philippines is the text-message capital of the world. Everyone there seems to have a cell phone, they are more ubiquitous than flies on the Fourth of July. Even the poorest of people have cell phones and they are constantly using them.
           But because of limited resources, most of them cannot use the phone for talking, that is way too expensive. So they end up text-messaging one another. . . . constantly. It is very common to see people waiting or walking anywhere, feverishly punching in their messages with some elaborate code and sending them off to all their buddies.
           Text-messaging has even affected the Catholic church in the Philippines. It seems that instead of going to the priest in church to confess their sins, many Filipinos had found a new and more time-effective way to confess their sins. They text-messaged their sins to the priest! The priest then sent the absolution back with the appropriate penance. While it was convenient, the church was horrified and issued a stern edict to stop the practice.
           While we might chuckle a little bit at this convenience-store type of religion I wonder how many of us are “text-message Christians?” Do we try to squeeze faith into our lives in order to meet the minimum daily requirement or do we fit our lives around faith and seek God afresh everyday with a personal devotion that is earnest and heartfelt?
           I am so glad that God is not a text-message God. He invested Himself in the person of Jesus. He didn’t just punch in a few letters and hit the send button. He gave of His time and sacrificed Himself in person. And that sacrifice impacted all the way back to “the foundation of the world.” Such a God is worthy of more than just a casual response.

           Lord, I see more clearly the depth of the investment You have made in me. I respond to You with a whole heart today.

¹ In an email from Jim Park, October 26, 2003.