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 April 13, 2026

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“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because You created all things, and on account of Your will they came into existence and were created.” Rev 4:11.

           The three great philosophical questions of life are: Why are we here? Where did we come from? Where are we going? All three questions are in play in Rev 4 and 5, nowhere more so than in this text.
           Why are we here? To participate in continual, grateful, worshipful response to the God who made us.
           Where did we come from? We all began in the mind and heart of God, who put shape on his thoughts when He created us.
           Where are we going? We are going to live with him forever in a universe filled with love and peace.
           What a wonderful frame to live by! How much better is Revelation’s view of the world than one where the three great philosophical questions are answered with a shrug!
           Without the insights of God’s revelations, we would be tempted to believe that we all ultimately descended from single-cell creatures in primordial mud. “Like father, like son” is a frightening concept when combined with that kind of past. The “where we came from” and “why we are here” questions are both answered by evolutionary science with something like “whatever.” I’d rather know that I originated with a thought in the mind of a loving God who wants me to live with a sense of purpose and meaning.
           Without the insights of God’s revelations, the future looks dark indeed. Science warns us that a collision between earth and a comet or asteroid is extremely likely, given enough time. As recently as 1908 a meteorite only 50 meters across laid waste almost a thousand square miles in Siberia. Had the meteorite been the size of the asteroid that recently passed closer to earth than the moon, much of the Eurasian land mass would have been devastated. Other perils also threaten us, things like HIV, viral mutations, and weapons of mass destruction. And even if we survive these threats, the sun will one day produce a nova that will melt the planet and everything in it back to the core elements.
           Many take the Christian world view for granted. They aren’t conscious of the degree to which it provides stability and meaning to life. Without that world view eating and drinking, waking and sleeping tend to become empty routines, devoid of purpose.

           Lord, help me not to take You for granted. Open my eyes to the ultimate purpose of my existence. May I make a difference in someone’s life today.