ESOCS Devotional 29 September 2026 – The Wise Shall Understand
MEMORY VERSE: “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (DANIEL 12:10 KJV).
TEXT: DANIEL 12: 1 – 13
“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 [a]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 Scriptures tell us that in the end times, only the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:8-10). To be wise is characterized by wisdom. It is marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment.
But what makes ‘the wise’ so privileged? What makes ‘the wise’ different from others? The book of Proverbs tells us that “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a chattering fool shall fall.” (Proverbs 10:8), Hear (‘hearken to’) counsel, and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.” (Proverbs 19:20). The Wise will receive commandments and instruction! They hearken to (hear and obey) counsel. This describes an important feature of The Wise: they are teachable.
Teachable-ness is something we acquire as we gain God’s wisdom and understanding. Gaining God’s wisdom and understanding are essential, foundational ingredients for acquiring a teachable heart. Gaining God’s wisdom is especially needed during the End Time Days, because only the wise (discerning) will understand (Daniel 12:9-10). I am not talking about education or general knowledge. Education and knowledge cannot impart wisdom, understanding, and discernment. It is only through the written Word of God that we gain God’s wisdom, understanding, and discernment (Hebrews 4:12).
The lifestyle of the wise is of holiness. Only the wise will be ready to go through the process of purification, live in holiness and be ready to face all kinds of trials that he may be able to stand and be separated from the world.
In the turmoil of the End Times, only the wise (the discerning) will have the understanding needed for being guided by the Holy Spirit. Why? Because the wise will have a teach-able heart! They will acquire the needed wisdom and guidance from the LORD God by being obedient to His Word.
Do you want to be wise? Good Step … get wisdom. Meaning, if you want to be wise you need to actually pursue wisdom. If we want to be wise, we have to actually seek to know God and understand the way of life that he calls us to. How do we do this? By learning, with both our mind and our heart. We engage our minds in the pursuit of wisdom by studying the faith, by reading the Bible. But we must also engage the heart. We know that following Jesus is not simply about knowing stuff, but about learning to live like him. Learning is good, but what we learn should ultimately influence our way of living.
The wise man seeks wisdom so that he can understand how to live well. The fool, on the other hand, “takes no delight in understanding, but rather in displaying what he thinks” (Prov. 18:12). Our goal, always, should be to think with the mind of Christ, and with the Church that he established. This is the only way we will be able to distinguish ourselves as wise and full of understanding of the truth of the Kingdom. As we celebrate the Holy Michael Anniversary, let us learn to engage our hearts in the pursuit of wisdom through discipleship, through following in the footsteps of the Master.
Challenges:
- How can we gain the needed understanding, so that we can be wise and teachable?
- How can we be guided by the ‘breath’ of the Holy Spirit, and avoid the rampant deception?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we pray for wisdom that we may be able to understand the mysteries of the kingdom in Jesus name.
FURTHER READING:
1 Kings 9: 15 – 28; 1 Corinthians 14: 22 – 40; Revelation 12: 5 – 11
ESOCS Devotional 29 September 2026
