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 1, 2026

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The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him, to show to His servants what must soon take place. And He signified it, sending it through His angel to His servant John, who testified concerning the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, which he saw. Rev 1:1-2.

           You are vacationing on a lovely island. One day you are walking along the edge of a cliff, occasionally stopping to peer over the edge at the waves crashing against the rocks below. The combination of wind, waves and noise is exhilarating. Suddenly you stumble upon a very old man sitting on a flat spot near the top of the cliff with a great view of the coastline and the sea. He doesn’t seem to notice you. His gaze is fixed far out to sea.
           “What are you looking at, sir?” you ask, “Are you waiting for a ship to come in?”
           He doesn’t answer.
           You move closer, yet he still doesn’t seem aware of your presence. Although his eyes are open, you get the impression that he is not really there with you, his eyes are not focused on anything you can see.
           “What are you looking at, sir?” you ask again.
           Again, no response.
           You move closer and wave your hand in front of the man’s eyes.
           Still no response.
           You are torn between shaking the man, calling the police, and sitting down nearby to see what will happen next. You decide to sit down and wait awhile.
           After a few minutes, the old man takes a deep breath and his eyes focus. Then he looks around and sees you. You move your feet a bit in case you need to get up and run in a hurry, but he smiles in a friendly way and says, “I suppose you are wondering what is going on.”
           You nod tentatively.
           He smiles again and says, “You probably won’t believe this, but I just had an encounter with Jesus Himself! And you wouldn’t believe how awesome and great He has become since He ascended to heaven! Not only that, He told me all about the future and the end of the world. Would you like me to tell you about it?”
           Would you be interested? Or would you put him off as just another crank? I don’t know how I would respond if I ran into someone like John on the spur of the moment. I do know this: The book of Revelation has survived many detractors. Today it is a guaranteed classic. It can bring you into a closer walk with Jesus. I invite you to journey through this book with me.

           Lord, I’m starting a new year with a book that has raised more questions than answers in the past. Help me to find the key to a deeper relationship with You this year.