The Theology of Immigration

On the second morning of the trip, as my team ate breakfast, we studied the theology of immigration: how does the Bible intersect with this topic? Does scripture provide a framework for engaging this space, or is it silent? What examples do we see that can offer insight into God’s heart? 

What I found surprised me: that the Bible reveals clear patterns related to immigration. Specifically, we see God’s heart for immigrants through story, legislation, and judgment.

Here we go -

STORY:

• In Genesis 1:28, when God commands Adam and Eve to fill the earth, in essence, He is commanding them to migrate.

• In Genesis 12, Abram and Sarai migrate to the Promised Land, and then to Egypt due to famine. Abram risks Sarai’s body with the King of Egypt to find protection in Egypt, just as many migrants fleeing today are forced to do even still. On the journey to our border, with no alternate options, it is common for mothers to give their daughters birth control - so that even as they are abused, they can avoid becoming pregnant.

• In Genesis 37-46, Joseph is trafficked by his brothers, and then his brothers migrate to Egypt to escape famine. Through Joseph, God saves and blesses the nation of Egypt. 

• In Exodus, God’s people are then mistreated as foreigners and slaves in Egypt and flee the country. 

• In Ruth, Boaz helps Ruth, an “unlawful" immigrant (Deut. 23:4, Neh. 13:23-25), despite the illegality of doing so. Ruth becomes valued among the people and the great, great grandmother of a king. 

• In Daniel, the Israelites witness the fall and destruction of their homeland. Daniel is taken/trafficked to Babylon, but he refuses to assimilate and fights to maintain his culture through his diet and faith. 

• In Matthew, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph flee to Egypt to escape the threat of death. As a refugee child, Jesus becomes one of the most vulnerable people of His time (and today). Later, Jesus is described as having “no place to lay His head” (Matt. 8:20), and He equates overlooking the needs of the vulnerable to overlooking Christ himself (Matt. 25:40)

• In the Great Commission in Matthew 28, in essence, Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations requires that His people will migrate to other nations.

• In Acts 8, we see the early church spread out because of the persecution that causes believers to flee their home cities. 

• In Revelation 7, at the resolution of all things, we see all nations worshipping God together. 

Yes - throughout the biblical narrative, God works in, through, and around displaced people to bring about His plan of salvation.

LEGISLATION:

We also consistently see God’s heart for the immigrant through the law He gives to His people. Foreigners are called out directly as those among the most vulnerable. Why is the distinction around those vulnerable important? “Remember, you were once foreigners,” God reminds His people.

God gives laws around the provision, protection, hospitality, and treatment of foreigners (Lev. 23:22, Deut. 24:21-22, Ezek. 47:21-23, Deut. 24:14-15, Ex. 20:10, Deut. 10:18-19, Lev. 19:33-34). He also lays out the consequences for neglecting these laws (Ex. 22:21-24). 

JUDGMENT:

Finally, in the entire book of Obadiah, we see God’s judgment on the Edomites for their treatment of the Israelites when they fled as refugees. In summary: around 600 BC, the Israelites are conquered by the Babylonians. As they flee the destruction of Jerusalem, the Israelites are cut down by the Edomites, who hand them back over to the Babylonians. God has a clear message for the Edomites, and He reminds them, “The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it all be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.” God cares about the treatment of those fleeing destruction.

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I am not a scholar or a theologian, not professionally trained in parsing the Biblical text, not an expert in determining which stories are prescriptive versus descriptive. However, these passages have been helpful in my own personal study: they've adjusted the lens for me, shifted the paradigm of how I view these people. My hope is that they will prove valuable to you as well as you continue to learn more too. In it all, I’ve found this: seeing how God loves the vulnerable has made me want to love Him even more, has made me see how He loves me in my vulnerability even more too. 

Material complied and taught by Bethany Riveria Molinar. References include Schlanger Margo, Illegal Immigration and the Book of Ruth, May 26, 2017 (https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/235265/illegal-immigration-book-of-ruth), Thinking Biblically About Immigration with Dr. Danny Carrol Rodas, 1/31/2019 (https://www.facebook.com/ChristianDreamers/videos/39254891550204), Groody, Daniel G, A Theology of Migration, February 2010 (https://www3.nd.edu/~drgroody/Published%20Works/Other%20Articles/files/Theology%20of%20Migration-%20Groody%202.pdf), Leslie, Katherine; Bell, Jim & Schroeder, Damon, Church Leader's Guide to Immigration, World Relief, 2014