"Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. He said to his people, 'Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join with our enemies and fight against us.'" Exodus 1:8-10 (NRSV)
Thus began the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.
And yet this sounds strangely familiar.
It could have been said by the leader of any rich Western country today.
Fear of immigrants results in oppression.
Leaders exploit that fear.
But this is not God's attitude.
God says to care for the stranger and the alien.
"You shall not oppress a resident alien, you know the heart of an alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt." Exodus 23:9 (NRSV)
[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.]
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