Tuesday: The Stranger Within Your Gates
Read Exodus 19:6. What does this text tell us about the status of ancient Israel? (See also 1 Peter 2:9.)
Israel had been called out of Egypt to be God’s covenant people, the nation through whom, had they stayed faithful, the gospel would have been spread to the world. No question, they were the object of God’s special care and concern, given special privileges, and at the same time, given special responsibilities.
Read Exodus 23:12. What else is going on here? What does this text teach us about how God viewed others besides the Israelites themselves?
Image © Sally Weimer at Goodsalt.com
The universality of the Sabbath is something that many people miss. Of course, the most common error is that it was only for the Jews, an error exposed in the first two chapters of Genesis. After all, God created all people; so, all people should remember the Sabbath day.
Though we should always keep in mind what the Sabbath represents to us, we should remember, too, what it should tell us about others, as well. In a sense, our resting and relating to our Creator and Redeemer will drive us automatically to look at others with new eyes, to see them as beings created by the same God as we were, loved by the same God who loves us and who died for them as well as for us. As we have seen (Exodus 20:10, Deuteronomy 5:14), the servants, the strangers, even the animals should be given a Sabbath rest.
That even the strangers within their gates, that is even those not (yet) partaking of the covenantal promises given to Israel — that even they should enjoy the Sabbath rest says a lot. Human beings, even animals, should never be exploited, abused, taken advantage of. Every week, the Hebrew people (and we, too) should be reminded in a powerful way of just how much in common we have with other people, and even if we do enjoy blessings and privileges that others don’t, we must remember that we are still part of the same human family, and thus we are to treat others with respect and dignity.
| How could your own Sabbath keeping, perhaps, become a blessing to those who don’t keep the Sabbath? That is, how can you use the Sabbath as a witness to others? |
(24)
When we were kids we were scared spitless that we would run into other kids in our neighbourhood on Sabbath. They might talk to us about non-sabbath things and that would be a sin. We also felt a bit embarrassed going to church while they were out playing footy or cricket with their mates. Living on a farm and going to church in town a few kilometres from home meant that we missed this awkward interaction most of the time, but it reinforced our isolationist attitude towards Sabbath-keeping.
I am glad that the authors have raised the issue of how we relate to "the stranger within our gates" because it is all to easy to settle back into the sort of isolationism that characterised my childhood, when really we should think a little more about how we interact and share with our non-Adventist friends.
I don't expect everyone to agree with what I have done on a couple of occasions but I will share an example of what I have done. Last year I received an invitation from the local Landcare group to give a talk on raptors and the environment. Landcare is a secular group who are active in looking after the environment in public places. They were holding a special event on a Saturday and wanted me to be a guest speaker. I thought about it long and hard and decided I would do it. So I took the opportunity and gave my talk about how the plant environment supports that fauna in the area and that in turn supports the raptors. It wasn't a preachy presentation but an opportunity to share common values on life and care and relationships. I made a lot of friends at the meeting and interestingly I have run into several members of the Landcare group who have since come out to Avondale College to see for themselves the subject I presented to them. It has broken down a little bit of a barrier between "Them and Us".
Would I do that every week? No, I wouldn't. But I do take the opportunity to share experiences with "the stranger within our gates" when it arises because it opens doors for communication.
I LOVE your example!!! Thank you for sharing.
Bro. Ashford,
That is exactly what Jesus did on earth. Reaching out to them. Same in the funerals when we doing the eulogy that covers two purposes 1) Console the grieving parents.
2) Reach out to those who don't know Jesus.
Well done.
Kudo and Blessings!
Excellent example of witnessing. Thank you.
The purpose of God was to make the entire nation of Israel holy and blameless, as servants of the living God. This is still His purpose for all who would be saved, and those who allow the Lord to accomplish this in their lives will be saved.
“For God so loved the world” is seen in Ex 23:12 isn't it? God wishes to save every soul from sin and its wages. God established the seed of Abraham as promised, that like Abraham, they might be a light in the world. The rest of the world was given over to idolatry and every evil imagination when God found faith in Abraham, and He will save all who will exercise faith in Him, and He hoped to accomplish this through a holy nation strategically planted at a main crossroad of the known world.
As Jesus taught, we are to be a light in the world, which will bring glory to God(Matt 5:16). We must keep in mind that the Sabbath is only one part of the Truth, and any departure from God's will in our life will bring a reproach, even if we “keep” Sabbath with perfect exactness. The Sabbath is a sign of being sanctified unto the Lord if that is the case. Otherwise, we will be no better than the Pharisees of Jesus' day who were very strict on Sabbath observance, while having unconverted hearts, and setting their own will above the will of God.
The 'stranger within thy gates' was almost a topic in itself, growing up. I think it is important to our witness that the idea of sharing a celebration with others be a part of our Sabbath thinking. Others should know we are not encapsulated within a time when we can not communicate with them. The alternative may be that those who find themselves within our gates during the Sabbath hours may feel trapped and have a very long day ahead of them.
Years ago at the end of school on a Friday, long before sunset, the Asst. Principal needed a little help with some paperwork. Tentatively, she looked at me. Should she ask? She'd try. 'Is it possible you could give me about an hour? I know you guys are like vampires and have to get inside before sunset, but we'll be finished before that!' She was serious. I doubt what I said made a real difference in her general opinion of SDAs, but I tried, and I stayed and helped her.
The term has been stretched to include any and everyone that we might meet during the Sabbath. This would include restaurant workers, emergency repair technicians and even machines within the home.
What if...we were such a blessing that because they know we are Sabbath keepers, others around us could expect an extra treat or some special favor from us? The children might receive another toy animal for their Noah's Ark. Someone might get a new small booklet to read. A special video,book,etc. for the family to share with friends at Branch Sabbath school. A day for sharing happiness.
You brought out an excellent point how others should see our celebration of the Sabbath in how we treat them.
I wonder if God the Father was looking all the way down into the future of mankind when making this exclamation recorded in Exodus 19:6KJV? Most likely, Peter recalls his Nation’s calling when talking with his fellow Jewish brethren about their Messiah in the presence of gentiles. How realistic was the fulfillment of God’s expectation of a nation of priests?
It appears that the ‘stranger/gentile’ to Israel’s Covenant has been included in it’s benefits right from the beginning; Exodus 23:12KJV seems to imply this.
Maurice’s childhood experience gives me a glimpse into the young mind’s development of paranoia and prejudice when having to deal with the effects of ‘law-keeping’ coupled with parental authority and the child’s desire to be obedient.
I cannot see any reason, no circumstances, which would permit the believer in the Faith of Christ to treat their fellow man in any other way than with loving respect - expressed by showing an inclusive, caring attitude.
How could we, the observers of our Maker’s holy Day - the called ones - even consider ourselves above or better, or blessed more than others who love God with all their heart, mind and being; or, for that matter, how can we reach the lost sheep still stranded outside in the wilderness if we practice segregation?
You may be interested to know that I was reared in a Presbyterian home where we kept Sunday (which was called Sabbath - not Sunday) in the very same way that we keep it now as an Adventist. My dad was an elder of that faith and taught Sunday school for many years. (He migrated to Australia from Ireland at the age of 17). After church there was always fellowship and happy times. We were not allowed to join in any sports events, and it was frowned upon to visit the shop in the small town for an ice cream after church. There was always a special lunch and quiet times in the afternoon. So when we became Adventists, it was not a big change at all. The Sabbath has always been delightful!