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 September 20, 2026

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“Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify your name, for You alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before You, because Your righteous acts have been brought into the open.” Rev 15:4.

           The basis for worship in this text is the public display of God’s mighty and righteous acts. At the end of history everyone will see that God has ended sin and oppression and has delivered His faithful people. God’s saving action will be so overwhelming that the redeemed will break out into the kind of spontaneous devotion best known in games of football around the world.
           In America the greatest act of worship occurs once a year at an event known as the Super Bowl. The event is so widely celebrated that it garners the full attention of the media for at least a week. While it is a sporting event, it has all the trappings of a grand religious festival.
           When it comes to the Super Bowl, the “worship committee” seeks the largest and best “church” in the country to hold the proceedings. Millions more gather in small groups all over the country to watch the ritual on television. This “worship service” is so popular that people actually pay to get in!
           The opening music is stellar and every single second of this “worship service” is planned like a Hollywood production. There are no cheap powerpoint tricks. There are no dead spots, no boring intervals. In fact, some people say that the special announcements which are scattered throughout the entire service are really the best part of the proceedings! Everything and everyone is watched carefully and absolutely nobody sleeps during the nearly four hour ordeal.
           A wonderful “communion service,” often made up of chips and dip, usually accompanies the affair, particularly when small groups watch in private homes. People have also been known to get quite excited during certain parts of the meeting and fitful seizures of clapping, shouting and high-fiving are considered very appropriate behavior by the worshipers. And long after the titanic struggle between good and evil has subsided, people from all over the country are witnessing about the experience to their family and friends.
           Although this is an age of widespread unbelief, no one seems surprised to learn that the majority of Americans set aside a whole four hours to celebrate the mighty achievements of two football teams. While God’s mighty acts have not yet been brought into public consciousness, the Bible helps us to know and celebrate what He has already done for us in Christ. So pass the chips and the dip and let the worship begin!¹

           Lord, how often I allow the visible achievements of those around me to overshadow the admiration I should have for You and for what You have done for me. I’m sorry for offering You a secondary place in my acts of worship.

¹ Based on an email from Jim Park, February 1, 2004.