What The Bible Really Says About “Illegal” Immigration

[Galen.Iksnudnard]

“The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:34)

“…And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow…” (Jeremiah 22:3)

“You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice…” (Deuteronomy 24: 17)

“You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien, for your were aliens in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/opinion/article/Bible-has-lots-to-say-about-immigration-1203882.php

The overall theme of the Bible's teaching is summed up in Exodus 22:21, "You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt." Reminding the people of biblical Israel that they had been slaves in Egypt, the Hebrews are enjoined to treat aliens, foreigners and sojourners in their midst fairly and with respect. Leviticus 19:34 echoes and expands upon the Exodus teaching. "The alien who resides among you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." From the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews we hear, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels unawares."

Why is the matter of the immigrant or the "foreigner who resides among you" such a concern of the Jewish and Christian faiths and what bearing does it have on the current immigration debate in our country? As for the first question, the answer is that God didn't want the ancient Hebrews to forget where they had come from, or how they had gotten where they were, namely, the Promised Land. They had come from slavery in Egypt. They knew what it was like to be exploited and taken advantage of. Now that they had land and wealth they shouldn't forget that hadn't always been the case. Ring any bells? It should. Most Americans are the descendents of immigrants.

A second reason that the scriptures of Judaism and Christianity press their adherents to respect and not exploit the alien in their midst is especially pertinent to the contemporary American scene. Injustice anywhere leads inexorably to injustice everywhere. If there is a class of people without rights, without voice, without legal recourse and protection, it puts not just that group at risk. It puts an entire society at risk. It becomes a cancer that eats away at the whole social body. If a certain group can be exploited, then exploitation begins to infect the whole society. Its overall standards of justice and fair play are lowered and distorted.

 

[Chalant]

It doesnt say anything about legality and illegality. It just tells you to treat immigrants as citizens.

 

[fallingblood]

It doesnt say anything about legality and illegality. It just tells you to treat immigrants as citizens.

The implication though is that you treat immigrants as people, and don't subject them to harm. You let them live and have justice. Which would imply that the idea of an illegal immigrant really doesn't exist, because they are just citizens after all.

 

[Shiranui117]

Then again, the Mosaic Law was written in an age where immigration wasn't a common or frequent thing, so taking care of any immigrants coming into your country would have been easy.

 

[swamplizard]

We are all immigrants or the offspring thereof.

 

[John 5:46]

As much as folks want to think Scripture is talking about immigration as the western world views it, it is actually referring to non-Israelites who want to be included in the same promises God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

2 prime examples of foreigners being adopted into the commonwealth of Israel are Ruth and Caleb. Ruth was a Moabite and she told Naomi "Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” She subjected herself to the rite of kinsman redeemer and became the great-great grandmother of King David.

Caleb was a Kenezite and was adopted into the tribe of Judah and became not only a great leader, but 1 of only 2 of that original generation who made it to the Promised Land.
It is these foreigners that we are instructed to deal kindly with because in reality, they are no longer foreigners, but full-fledged members of the commonwealth of Israel.

As for those foreigners who did not want to be included into the commonwealth of Israel and enjoy the benefits that comes with it, the Lord has sternly instructed to make no agreements with them and to not worship Him the way they worship their gods. In some instances, He even instructed Israel to wipe them off the face of the earth.

 

[anotherglenda]

As much as folks want to think Scripture is talking about immigration as the western world views it, it is actually referring to non-Israelites who want to be included in the same promises God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

I agree about aliens who wish to be included in God's covenants with Israel, however, whether aliens wish to be included in covenant or not, they are to be treated well as we wish to be treated, since God reminds us we are ALL strangers on HIS planet
LEV 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine, for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
PS 39:12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
PS 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

& God allowed Israel to experience being aliens in a foreign country so they would know how it feels so they would treat aliens & strangers better as they wish to be treated
EX 23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
EX 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
DEUT 10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Poor aliens:
LEV 25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
MAL 2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?


Only if the aliens wish to be included in covenant do they have to be circumcised etc, but that is not required to be well treated as an alien.
EX 12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:
EX 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

God's Law is love (ie a consistent beneficial behaviour pattern) towards God & fellow mankind who God chose to place on His earth ... we are all aliens on it

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

"Illegals" only exist because of arbitrary lines on a map drawn by men, anyway. I don't put much stock into them. Then again, I think that nation-states are outdated, anyway.