Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. – Psalm 136:2-3

Today's Scripture Reading (December 10, 2025): Psalm 136

In his closing addresses to Israel, Moses tries to set before Israel the things that would be important for their spiritual survival. It was likely a moment of great anxiety for Moses. The prophet knew that his time at the helm of Israel was coming to a close. He had trained Joshua to replace him. But the people of Israel were stubborn; they had tried Moses's patience, and he was afraid that Joshua might not be up to the task of leading such a group of wanderers. So, Moses tried to think of anything that needed to be stressed to Israel in his final days as leader of the nation. Part of this essential message included these words.

To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord set his affection on your ancestors and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations—as it is today. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes (Deuteronomy 10:14-21).

The message is clear. The Israelites' Egyptian masters believed that their gods were superior to those of any other people in the world. But through Moses and Aaron, the God of Israel had proved that the gods of Israel were no match for Him. Of course, there was a reason. The gods of Egypt weren't real. They were nothing more than imperfect reflections of the God that does exist, as all gods are. Gods of our creation and gods designed to serve our needs will always fall short of the real thing. It was something Israel needed to always remember, but a fact Israel seemed continually to forget.

The Psalmist picks up this theme from Moses and Israel's history. The God of Israel will always be the God of gods and the Lord of lords because he is the only God. But the truth is that he is also bigger than our imaginations. Nothing and no one is equal to the God to whom we give our praise.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 8