God’s Word for You

Daniel 12:3 Shine like stars

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Friday, January 30, 2026

3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.

Those who are wise are those who have believed in God. Luther translated this participle as Die Lehrer, “the teachers.” The stem is hifil (causative), and the doctor was certainly thinking of those who “make others wise,” and therefore pastors and teachers. This is an acceptable translation. I have taken the more traditional approach in this case, first of all because “be wise” or “to understand” is a more common translation of the hifil stem (Proverbs 1:3, 21:16; Jeremiah 9:24), and second of all because in the second part of the verse, teachers (“those who lead many to righteousness”) are singled out with a seemingly more glorious brightness than those of the first part of the verse. Therefore it seems as if (a) believers = will shine, (b) teachers and preachers = will shine like stars, to be a fitting pair.

Many of them were those who looked forward to the coming of Christ since the first promise of the Gospel in the Garden of Eden. Some were those who acknowledged him when he arrived in the world, such as the shepherds of Bethlehem, the wise men from the east with their three famous gifts, Zechariah and Anna in the temple, and of course his overwhelmed virgin mother Mary and her fiancé Joseph of Nazareth. Then there were those who were listening to John’s preaching by the river, being baptized and staying to hear the word of God, and then they saw Jesus, heard him pointed out by the Baptizer, and began to watch for him and to follow him. Some of them witnessed miracles he did. Some heard his preaching. Some shared the news with others. And five hundred or so saw him after he rose from the dead.

Many more have heard the Gospel since his resurrection and have come to faith in him. The Angel says that all of these “will shine like the brightness of the sky.” Such brightness wipes away the dark of night, leaves no need for lamps or candles, and lights the way for everyone. This is the shining of all who believe in him.

But there is another shining brightness, the brightness of those “who lead many to righteousness.” Theirs is another light, shining like the stars in the sky. Both kinds of shining brightness are joyous, special, spectacular, and delightful. Both kinds of shining brightness reflect the light of God in heaven. This bright shininess will be hated forever by those in hell, that is, assuming that this or that condemned sinner even understands what it is, if they can even see it or comprehend it. As we have seen in other parts of Scripture (such as Luke 16), those who are in hell still do not understand God’s plan of salvation; they are in more than one kind of darkness forever.

But the preachers and teachers who shine like stars are not necessarily to be envied. Not everyone has this gift, nor is everyone called to do this. And also, pastors and those who teach “will be judged more strictly,” as James says (James 3:1). This is a warning about a higher standard, an example to be set, attention to Christian doctrine even when our people complain and wonder why we can’t change things, and the constant question of faithfulness. But sometimes we don’t realize who our teachers are; sometimes a family is led by a grandmother, or a friend, or a neighbor. But the day will come “when your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them” (Isaiah 30:20).

But so that we will not be tempted to seek rewards like these, we are reminded that God uses the gifts of his saints in different ways according to his own plans and designs. He often delays the rewards for righteousness in this lifetime. In this way, the saints learn not to trust in their own righteousness, but seek the will of God instead of rewards, as Jesus did, but also Job, Samuel, and other human saints. “Do not be envious” (Psalm 37:1); “Blessed are those who are persecuted on account of their righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs” (Matthew 5:10). The praise that God gives to us in this lifetime is humbling; it drives us to repentance, like a preacher who bows his head every Sunday evening after he has preached and asks forgiveness, saying, “Teach me to do better, to give you more glory, to show the evils of sin and the grace of our Lord Jesus. Forgive my poor efforts—but I have done what I could, like the servants with only five talents.”

God’s eyes see our ways; he sees our every step (Job 34:21). He sees our temptations and our sins and failures, and he forgives. But he also promises blessings in eternity that we cannot yet understand, and which we don’t need to wonder about or get ourselves worked up about. Just know that in heaven, we will be reunited with our loved ones, and we will be united with Jesus Christ himself, and that we will no longer be tempted or be held guilty of anything. This is what we long for; this is what we have been told. Trust in it as you trust in your Jesus.

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

Browse Devotion Archive