The Bible is full of references regarding how God’s people should treat foreigners. An example is Jeremiah 7v1-8.
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 ‘Stand at the gate of the LORD’s house and there proclaim this message: ‘‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. 3 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!’ 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave to your ancestors for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.”’ (Jer. 7:1-8)
Jeremiah, throughout his prophecies, challenges an inappropriate assurance based on false assumptions. In this prophecy God tells Jeremiah to stand at the Temple gates and preach to the people. He tells them what is really required to continue to receive God’s blessings. To deal justly with each other, with an emphasis on how foreigners are treated! They did not heed this warning and consequently went into exile.
I could have used countless other examples where God says similar things.
What shocks me is that such warnings are still ignored. In my opinion they are being ignored by the current government in Israel where foreigners are treated horrendously. They are also totally ignored in our country by people who claim to be seeking to promote a Christian country.
We need to be very clear that if we want to do God’s will, if we want his blessing, then we will not oppress the foreigner in our midst, or orphans and widows.
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