What does the Bible say about immigration?
The issue of immigration seems to be the political topic of our time but what does the Bible, our ultimate guide and rule book, tells us about what we should do. It is a topic that crops up in both the Old and New Testament and in both, it is consistent. Here are just two verses from each Testament.
Leviticus 19: 33-34
“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not ill-treat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
Deuteronomy 10: 17-19
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.
Matthew 25: 35-36
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Hebrews 13: 1-2
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
Leviticus tells us to treat the foreigner as we would our own. Deuteronomy shows us that in God’s sight we are all equal and that again, we are called to love them as we do our own and, in this case, it reminds the nation of Israel that they too were once in that predicament.
Move to the New Testament and little changes. We are to welcome the stranger and take care of their needs. And here we have a reminder of the story of Abraham who welcomes three strangers not knowing that they are angels of God.
The Middle East is known, though it may come as a surprise, is exceedingly well known for its hospitality to strangers and travellers, even to this day.
We, as we are commanded to do, as Christians should welcome and love the one in need wherever thy are from for we too may be entertaining an angel.