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Today’s reading covered Deuteronomy 32–34 and Psalm 91. We’ve reached a major milestone in our yearlong journey through Scripture—we’ve completed the Law, a.k.a. the Pentateuch, a.k.a. the first five books of the Bible. Well done!

As I read today’s chapters, one key theme stood out in the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32): “Keep God your primary focus.” Moses warned that any other so-called god is a “no-god.”

When I read verse 17,

“They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known…”

I wrote in the margin of my Bible: If there is any perceived power in gods made of stone, iron, or wood, it is demonic power—because there is no god other than our God.

When I read verse 31,

“For their rock is not as our Rock; our enemies are by themselves.”

It reminded me of what I have seen in Latin America—people dressing up rocks or carved wooden figures and revering them as gods. These are the “rocks” or “no gods” that Moses is singing about. We have a propensity to want to replace God for something we can control. 

When verses 37–38 say,

“Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge, who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings?”

I envisioned some of the Hindu temples I’ve visited in Trinidad and Cambodia, where food sits rotting in front of a lifeless stone statue. These are not gods—they are man-made creations meant to box God in, to turn the relationship He wants with us into a religion we can control.

God repeatedly warned Israel not to fall into that trap. He alone was to be their priority. He alone deserved the credit and the glory for their victories and blessings.

This truth of God being priority is also woven into the closing scene of Moses’s life. He was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because, as God said,

“You broke faith with me… and did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel” Deuteronomy 32:51–52.

Moses failed to give God the reverence due Him before the people—and that mistake cost him.

Today’s reading is paired with Psalm 91 in our annual plan (NAE.org), and I believe it’s for good reason. It’s a final reminder that when we prioritize God, we live under His protection and care.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

Takeaway: As you step into your own “Promised Land”—the life we live as we journey with Christ—let the lesson of the Law ring loud and clear: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might. Don’t put your trust in substitutes. No other god can save. No other god can lead. And no other god is worthy of your worship. Don’t focus on the no-gods but rather prioritize the One True God.