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 May 31, 2026

View in the Daily Devotional Index

They will not hunger anymore, neither will they thirst anymore. The sun will not beat down on them, neither any heat, because the Lamb who is in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to the springs of living water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Rev 7:16-17.

           I will never forget the Valley of the Kings! I was visiting Egypt with a group of grad students. Since it rarely rains in Egypt, most parts of the country are lush and green within three to five miles of the Nile River, but beyond that is harsh desert. The soil is a fine powder and there is hardly a blade of weed!
           To get to the Valley of the Kings we crossed to the west side of the Nile in a boat and then traveled several miles by bus until we were outside the irrigation zone. It was about 50 degrees Celcius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the valley and dry as a bone. We visited the tomb of King Tut and several others that day.
           Since the tombs are manmade caves it was a relief to enter them for a while. But we soon discovered that visitors bring their own humidity into the tombs. The cooler temperatures inside are countered by the high humidity. So over several hours the combination of high heat outside and high humidity inside wore us down and we were tired and very thirsty.
           When we had gotten back onto our bus, we would have liked nothing better than to head straight back to our air-conditioned hotel. But it was not to be. The driver insisted on taking us to his favorite alabaster shop (no doubt for the kickbacks he would receive from every purchase we made). We entered into the shop grumpily.
           Suddenly, in a dark corner of the shop, I spotted a small refrigerator with a Sprite sign on it. The glass top revealed an old-fashioned soda dispenser with dozens of bottles inside! I quickly purchased one and drank it down in an instant. I purchased another, and then another, and then another. It seemed that I could not stop. Our group cleaned out the entire dispenser in a matter of minutes!
           Scholars have noticed that descriptions of heaven in the Book of Revelation are mostly negative. Rather than telling us what heaven will be like, it tells us what it won’tbe like. It won’tbe a place where we will be tired, hungry and thirsty. It won’t be a place like the Valley of the Kings, where oppressive heat bore down on us. There won’tbe any more tears there. The life of heaven means the absence of everything that harms or makes us miserable. And if there is no Sprite machine in the corner when we need it, there will be something even better!

           I pray, dear Lord, that You would keep my mind focused on the incredible future You have in store, and on the fact that my life can be different now in the light of that future.