He was in his 80s, and he’d been through a lot. Exile. Conscription. Promotion. Betrayal. A failed execution-by-lion. And now a revelation from God.

Old prophet Daniel described his vision of a divine man in Daniel 10:6: “His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.”

Picture Marvel Comics’ Human Torch, and you’ll get the idea. Daniel could hardly breathe. And the divine man brought troubling news. A spiritual war was raging. A time was coming of unprecedented distress. Judgment day would divide humanity into two camps: those who would gain everlasting life and those who would face everlasting contempt.

If we awoke on Sunday and saw God’s “Human Torch” blazing above our beds, we’d probably be less likely to skip Bible study in favor of brunch. Less likely on Monday to bite our tongues instead of sharing our faith. Less likely on Friday to unleash our pet sin.

But God doesn’t leave us with terror as motivation. In this vision God promised Daniel—and us—that “everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered” (Daniel 12:1).

The Divine Man, Jesus, let his love blaze from the cross and empty tomb. In Baptism he enters our names in the book of life. Rescued, we delight to shine Christ’s light in a dark world.

Redeemed, we will shine like the stars forever.