ESOCS Devotional 10 June 2026 – The Shining Keys
MEMORY VERSE: “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:3
TEXT: DANIEL 12:1–END
“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”
9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”
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The shining level is the desire of everyone in life. All detest darkness; even God went into action the moment creation was greeted with darkness (Genesis 1:1-3). Thus, there is this craving in the heart of man to dwell in the realm of light that automatically translates into shining. However, the shining ability is not a product of a mere wish but predicated on principles and unlocked by keys, which our text perfectly provides:
Wisdom: “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament…” to be wise is to live in obedience to the word of God. Wisdom leads you into living a life of obedience that would make you shine as stars in the firmament.- “… A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine…” (Eccl 8:1).
Jesus Himself understood this principle and used the key effectively. “And Jesus increased in wisdom…” (Luke 2:52). Increase your level of wisdom through complete obedience to the commandment of God; the world would know you and your name would become a household name everywhere.
Soul winning: Part of the verse says, “…and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.” Soul wining is the heartbeat of God. Fruitful evangelism is what God yearns for. Unfortunately, Christians and even the church at large have left her core mandate and are chasing shadows. We pursue church growth that is not commensurate with membership worthy of heaven. We go after titles, positions, miracles, fame, and structure while we pay lip service to evangelism. We are involved in serious competition among ourselves, allowing souls to perish. Sad enough, Jesus died for these same souls.
My dear elder, chairman, whatever your title is – Does it not worry you that the bride of Christ (the church) is gradually sinking in sin? Does it not pain you that in the congregation you pastor, the percentage of souls that will make heaven is very low? If you must shine on earth and in heaven, go for soul wining today. The sure proof of wisdom is soul wining – “…he that winneth a soul is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). To show that you are wise, win souls.
Reflections
- Preach to people today and lead them to Christ; learn to make evangelism your priority.
Prayer
- Lord, I bless you for the admonition and desire to make me shine, forgive my poor attitude to soul wining, and renew my passion for souls.
Further Reading: Exodus 10:12-end; 1 Kings 22:1-28; John 6:16-29; Revelation 7:1-8
ESOCS Devotional 10 June 2026
