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Deuteronomy 12 · Grade 5

Worship God's Way

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Read and Think

Deuteronomy 12 opens the statutes and ordinances of Moses' second speech. It begins with worship. Israel must destroy every Canaanite high place, altar, pillar, Asherah, and engraved image, and wipe out even the names of those gods. The reason is stated plainly: the nations did every abomination to their gods that the Lord hates. Israel must not ask, How did these nations serve their gods? I will do the same.

Instead of worship on every hill, Israel's sacrifices, tithes, and vows would go to the place the Lord would choose to cause His name to dwell, eventually Jerusalem. One central sanctuary guarded against idolatry and made worship a shared national feast. Moses repeats the word rejoice: Israel was to eat before God with sons, daughters, servants, and Levites, rejoicing in all their hands had done.

Ordinary meat could be eaten in any town, but blood must be poured on the ground like water, because the blood is the life. The chapter closes: whatever I command you, observe to do it; do not add to it or take away from it. Jesus later taught that true worshipers worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23), fulfilling what the temple pointed toward.

Show What You Know

  1. What does the second speech begin with?

  2. Why must Israel not copy the nations?

  3. What did one central sanctuary guard against?

  4. Which word does Moses repeat about worship?

  5. What did Jesus later teach about worship?

Crossword

41235

Across

  1. Do not forsake the ____.
  2. The ____ God will choose.

Down

  1. You shall not eat the ____.
  2. A tenth of your grain.
  3. You shall ____ before God.

Think About It

  1. Israel was told not to borrow worship ideas from false religions. Why is that important?

  2. Moses ties worship and rejoicing together. How can your worship be more joyful?

Memory Verse

“There you shall eat before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.”

Deuteronomy 12:7 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for worship. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • What habits from the world around us can creep into the way we worship?
  • How can you help others enjoy worshiping God?
  • What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.