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 From its very beginnings, the Hebrew story was the story of people in exile, of aliens resident in foreign lands suffering oppression and persecution, the story of refugees fleeing famine or enslavement. Abraham and Sarah and their household fled famine in Canaan to live as resident aliens in Egypt. They were later forced to leave Egypt because of mistrust and suspicion and spent many years travelling through foreign lands until they finally settled by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron (Gen 13:18). Abraham's son Isaac lived in the land of the Philistines until he was driven out (Gen 26) and his son Jacob fled famine in Canaan to go to Egypt just as Abraham had done. Joseph, son of Jacob (who was also called Israel), was sold by his brothers and taken to Egypt as a slave. He was freed from slavery by the Pharaoh in order to save Egypt from famine and, once he had achieved great success, Joseph sent for his family and so it was that Israel and the Israelites came to live in Egypt (Gen 37-47). But once the Pharaoh died, the Egyptians began to fear the Hebrew people and subjected them to slavery, torture and persecution. Led by Moses, fleeing persecution, the Israelites were to wander in the desert for 40 years before they were able to see the promised land of Canaan across the river Jordan (Exodus). Yet, even after reaching the promised land, the story of persecution, captivity and exile continued - captivity under the Assyrians and then the Babylonian exile. This history of exile and exodus, particularly the escape from slavery in Egypt, revealed to the Israelites the nature of their God and defined their relationship with God and other people. They believed themselves to be a people freed by a God who stands with the oppressed and who calls them to do likewise. The Hebrew Scriptures contain numerous injunctions to care for the stranger and many warnings about the consequences of God's judgement should aliens and strangers be allowed or caused to suffer: 'You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.' - Exodus 22:21 'Cursed be anyone who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.' All the people shall say, 'Amen!' - Deuteronomy 27:19 Throughout their journeys, in the midst of persecution and suffering, the Hebrews discovered their God as one who hears the cries of those in the wilderness, who stands with those who suffer exploitation in a foreign land, and who calls for justice for the weak and the vulnerable. Some of the most significant self-identifications by God are those which refer to God as the God who delivers people from oppression: 'I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.' - Genesis 15:7 God is identified as the God who cares for the exiled and the stranger. God brings justice to the oppressed and calls on the people of faith to care for the strangers and aliens in their midst as they care for each other. Refugees are identified in the Bible with widows and orphans as the most marginalised people, the most at risk, and the test of faithful obedience to God was how a community or individuals cared for these most vulnerable people. To oppress the weak and the powerless and the homeless was to risk the judgement of God. Hospitality to the stranger therefore became one of the strongest moral forces in ancient Israel. When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. 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 19:33-34 But this relationship was not just one-sided. Strangers could be teachers, bearers of great wisdom and carriers of God's message. Abraham and Sarah, for example, entertained strangers unaware that they were offering hospitality to angels (Gen. 18). The Christian story continued to uphold God's call to solidarity with the homeless. Mary and Joseph were forced to take Jesus and hide in Egypt as Herod sought to kill the baby Jesus. As an adult, Jesus understood himself as one of the outcasts: 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.' (Matthew 8:20). Jesus travelled through strange lands, choosing to spend time and share meals with the most marginalised and oppressed people of his society. As he travelled he offered to people a new vision of God's kingdom where the last would be first and the least would be greatest. Jesus came to bring good news to the poor, and to free the oppressed. He called on people to love their enemies, give all they had to the poor, and offer hospitality to strangers. He taught that faithful obedience to God was marked by such deeds. In fact, it would be the way people responded to strangers and to the poor that would identify them as people of faith. 'When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?" And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." ' - Matthew 25:31-40 There is no question about the Christian response to asylum seekers and refugees. The Church is called to be a place of welcome. As faithful disciples we are to provide care and comfort to those who come to this land as strangers, seeking safety. Christians are called to act with compassion, grace, and generosity, and all that we do must be a reflection of God's love for the world. Every human being is made in God's image and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of where they came from and how they arrived. Asylum seekers are our neighbours and we can do no less than the Samaritan as he went out of his way to care for his Jewish neighbour. We can do no less than offer the love of God and the compassion of Christ to everyone we meet, but especially to the stranger, the exile, the poor and the oppressed. In God's love we shall all find freedom and peace and in the face of a stranger we shall see the face of Christ. back [to asylum seekers and refugees index page] forward [to human rights and global solutions] |
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