You know there is a lot of prejudice in this world and conflict between different people groups, but not everyone resists relationship with those who are of a different nationality. In fact, my family and many in my community regularly welcome international students into our homes; some for the year and some for a week. Either way, we get to appreciate each others' culture and learn new perspectives. As we continue in our lessons from Numbers Chapter 9, we come to the issue of foreigners living among the Israelites in the desert. These people fled Egypt with them because they saw the Lord was with them.
The Lord continues in Numbers 9:14: “A foreigner residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.” In Exodus, at the establishing of the Passover, God said no foreigner was to eat it. (Exodus 12:43) God also goes on to say that any foreigner who lives among them and wants to celebrate must be circumcised. (Exodus 12:48) God shows His amazing grace and foreshadows the inclusion of the Gentiles among believers in this allowance for the foreigner. The Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:3) says, “All nations will be blessed through you.” These foreigners will be blessed by their inclusion in the community and introduction to the God who created all they see. He is the One True Living God.
Foreigners would infiltrate the Hebrew nation in the book of Joshua. But there were already foreigners among them. In Numbers 11, there is some complaining going on. First we don’t know what the complaint is, but then we are told it is a desire for different food. Some of the “rabble” in the book of Numbers were the non-Hebrews who left Egypt with the Israelites. We learned back in Exodus 12:38 that “many other people went up with them.” These are the rabble referred to in Numbers 11:4. Unbelievers think and reason with their heads. Their thoughts are not on God’s ways. Those who know the Lord understand that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). We need to obey God and trust Him.
Non-Israelites who join the group are not always causing trouble. God is making provision here for those who want to celebrate the Passover. Rahab the prostitute will be encountered in the book of Joshua and will negotiate a place for herself among the Israelites, saving herself and her family from destruction in the Battle of Jericho. Rahab ends up being a mother to Boaz from the tribe of Judah. Here is a foreigner not only assimilated into the nation but found in the godly lineage of Jesus the Messiah! (Joshua 2)
When pondering foreigners and their inclusion in the Hebrew nation, one is also mindful of Ruth, the Moabitess who comes with her mother-in-law Naomi to Israel. Ruth loves Naomi and will not leave her. Ruth follows Naomi to Israel and accepts her God and His ways. Ruth ends up marrying Boaz, Rahab’s son. Talk about the grace of God! What a beautiful picture of redemption these two ladies display for us. As Boaz’s wife, Ruth is also in the genealogy of our Savior. (See Ruth 4)
In Jesus’ time, the foreigners who were most hated were the Samaritans. Jesus spoke many times about and to Samaritans in the gospels. The reason for this was simple: Jews hated Samaritans. God told His people to be separate but His command surely did not mean to be prejudiced and full of hatred. Israel did not remain separate from the nations as the years in their own land progressed. Some of the children resulting from these forbidden unions were Samaritans. Samaritans also resulted from Assyria repopulating the northern kingdom of Israel after deporting the Jews. (See More in the Blue Letter Bible.) The Samaritans mixed pagan religion and Judaism. In fact, in John chapter 4 when Jesus speaks to the woman at the well in Samaria, she takes that opportunity to ask a question about worship. Besides being surprised that a Jewish man would speak to her, she also wondered if He could clarify whether they were to worship in Samaria or Jerusalem. Jesus spoke of the New Covenant and worshiping in Spirit and in truth. The Samaritan woman became a believer and was the first missionary, running into her town and bringing everyone out to meet Jesus. (John 4:1-26)
When Jesus gave an example to an expert of the Law who asked, “Who is my neighbor?”, He spoke of a man in need of assistance that was ignored by religious leaders but helped by a Samaritan. The expert in the law was forced to admit that the one who showed mercy to the man in need was the one who was a neighbor to him (Luke 10:25-37). This story highlighted the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who did not love their neighbors the Samaritans. The heart of the Samaritan was right and his actions were loving, generous and kind.
So, today, if you have opportunity to cross paths with someone who is different from you, make the most of that opportunity, sharing the love of God. God included the foreigner in the Passover celebration way back when Israel was wandering in the desert. We should be open-minded and never judge another by their dress, skin color or different background. Remember that Jesus said all men will know we are His disciples if we show love for one another (John 13:35).
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