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 June 25, 2026
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The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound by the great river Euphrates.” Rev 9:13-14.
Our planet is known as the blue planet, due to its extensive reserves of water. Three fourths of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Unfortunately, 98% of this surface water is in the oceans, only two per cent is accessible as fresh water. To make matters worse, 90% of the fresh water supply is either in the poles or remains under the ground. So human beings have direct access to only a fraction of one percent (.26) of the earth’s water supply.1
The availability of fresh water supplies is one of the defining keys to a nation’s success. Most of the “developing nations” are located in the arid or semi-arid regions of the world, where water is scarce. Europe, on the other hand, contains half the running surface water in the entire world. So it is no surprise that Europe has played a dominant role in recent world affairs. As earth’s population increases, wars over scarce water supplies will increasingly be fought.
In the Bible lands fresh water has always been in short supply. In such a place, the abundance of fresh water in the Euphrates River was a guarantee of power and wealth for those who controlled it. In this passage the river symbolizes the great power and resources of the final opposition to God in this world. God’s people, in ancient times, were located in a land with only one major source of fresh water, the Sea of Galilee. They had to rely, therefore, on heaven to provide water when they needed it.
There are strong parallels between the sixth trumpet and two other scenes in the Book of Revelation. In Rev 7:1-4 there are four angels, a form of restraint, and the comment “I heard the number.” So the two-hundred million strong army of Rev 9:16-17 is in contrast with God’s end-time people, the 144,000. There is also a strong parallel to the sixth bowl, where you also have the river Euphrates, military language and a demonic hoard (Rev 16:13-16). So the sixth trumpet portrays the gathering of Satan’s end-time army for the Battle of Armageddon.
There are many scenes of war in the Book of Revelation. But the book is less interested in the affairs of nations than it is in the progress of the gospel on this earth. The war that truly matters to God is the battle going on in our minds every day. As we approach the End, even the smallest decisions of life have eternal consequences.
Lord, I feel the power of the battle that rages in me. I have no strength to defeat the overwhelming power of the Enemy. Help me today to trust completely in the power of the cross for victory.
1 Statistics based on the Trade and Environmental Database sponsored by American University: http://gurukul.ucc.american.edu/ted/ice/tigris.htm.