Author: titus1man

Webster’s Dictionary defines migration as: “The act of removing from one Kingdom or State to another for the purpose of permanent residence or residence of some continuance.”

God knows all things, the past, the present and the future.  Genesis 1: 28 says, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it”.  In order for this command to be fulfilled, migration from time to time was necessary. 

Therefore, migration is a fundamental aspect of the gospel commission.  He who migrates is a stranger in a new place or country and as such, is an immigrant.   I am often amazed how Christian people can demonized the stranger/immigrant among us when the scriptures admonish us many times that; “Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Exodus 22:21 [KJV]

Immigration and the Bible

We could begin in heaven with Christ; how he took on himself our sins knowing it would make him an immigrant. See Revelation 12:8.  Or Lucifer, who abandoned heaven to roam up and down the whole world.  Then there was Adam in Eden and Cain after he murdered his brother, Abel. 

However, we start our study with the tower builders. (Genesis chapter 11).  “For a time the descendants of Noah continued to dwell among the mountains where the ark had rested. As their numbers increased, apostasy soon led to division. Those who desired to forget their Creator and to cast off the restraint of His law felt a constant annoyance from the teaching and example of their God-fearing associates, and after a time, they decided to separate from the worshipers of God. Accordingly they journeyed to the plain of Shinar, on the banks of the river Euphrates. They were attracted by the beauty of the situation and the fertility of the soil, and upon this plain they determined to make their home”.  {Patriarchs and Prophets (PP) 118.4} 

Here they decided to build a city, and in it a tower of such stupendous height, as should render it the wonder of the world.  

These tower builders migrated and began to build a city.  Usually the first two generations considered themselves immigrants, but their children joining the culture of the day soon forgot their parent’s history. Having lost their uniqueness,    these grand- and great-grandchildren now see ‘others’ as strangers.  This led to bigotry, prejudice and oppression against strangers. This history is repeated always, because parents rarely keep before their children their own history and the greater need for respect and tolerance. It is from one of such cities that God called Abraham.  

No one who professes the name of Christ, or claims the name of Christianity should have any problem understanding the blessings of migration.  Abraham is the father of the faithful, and through him and his status as an immigrant the whole world is blessed.  See God’s promise to Abraham. Genesis 12.

 We read,   “And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance”. Genesis 15:12-14 [KJV]

Interestingly, according to the Apostle Paul, Abraham remained an immigrant the rest of his life.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God”. Hebrews 11:8-10 [KJV]

 God revealed to Abraham what would transpire even before he had a child, and how his descendants would be treated.  The history of how all this came about is a fascinating journey starting with Isaac and Rebekah, their son Jacob, and his time as an immigrant in  Padanaram, with Laban. Scripture shows God’s blessings upon the house of Laban because of Jacob and his children. 

  “And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report”. Genesis 37:1-2 [KJV]

The outworking of Joseph’s life experiences provided us with the compacted gospel.  Sold into slavery, God raised up Joseph, the immigrant, to demonstrate His (God’s) wisdom, mercy and forgiveness.  

“And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house”. Acts 7:9-10 [KJV]

Joseph could later say, “And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.  So now [it was] not you [that] sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt”. Genesis 45:7-8 [KJV]

  “And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.  And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we [be] thy servants.  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for [am] I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them”. Genesis 50:15-21 [KJV]

The migration of Joseph though forced, illustrated the many, who were forced into slavery. Like Joseph many accepted their lot and the major nations such as Britain, The United States, and France  benefited greatly from their services and the services of their children and grandchildren.

As cruel as the bondage was, the gospel was spread through it and it can be truly said, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose”. Romans 8:28 [KJV]

   The scriptures are clear that history repeats itself. See Ecclesiastes1:9, and 3:15.  The whole world is populated by migrants, having settled as immigrants and started families.  As they built, generation after generation no longer retained their identity until they began to look on “others” as strangers and foreigners who should not share in anything they consider theirs.  Remember, “For the earth [is] the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof”. 1 Corinthians 10:26 [KJV]

The phenomena to forget is staggering and in some cases willful.  Many often join the chorus that is fomenting hostility and hatred against their neighbor. This is not new.  Here again Joseph’s experience speaks.

  “And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel [are] more and mightier than we:” Exodus 1:6-9 [KJV]

In commenting on that passage , EG White wrote, “But as time rolled on, the great man to whom Egypt owed so much, and the generation blessed by his labors, passed to the grave. And “there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” Not that he was ignorant of Joseph’s services to the nation, but he wished to make no recognition of them, and, so far as possible, to bury them in oblivion. “And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.”  {PP 241.3} 

Sad to say this history was repeated in Babylon, the Persian Empire (see Esther 3:8), Rome, and many of the modern nations, especially Germany.  Even in this great United States, the anti-immigrant eco- chamber is becoming louder and louder.

Like Egypt, someone will come along who will willfully forget the tremendous contribution immigrants have made and the awesome blessings received as a result of their labor and talent.  That person along with their advisor will formulate plans to oppress and belittle immigrants.  All true missionaries are immigrants.   “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars”. 2 Chronicles 16:9 [KJV]

 Therefore, God is watching, and a nation’s cup of iniquity often is filled by their treatment of the stranger/immigrant.   Through all these things, God’s purpose will be accomplished in the earth.      

The Saviour in His miracles revealed the power that is continually at work in man’s behalf, to sustain and to heal him. Through the agencies of nature, God is working, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, to keep us alive, to build up and restore us. When any part of the body sustains injury, a healing process is at once begun; nature’s agencies are set at work to restore soundness. But the power working through these agencies is the power of God. All life-giving power is from Him. When one recovers from disease, it is God who restores him. – {Ministry of Healing (MH) 112.1}

In his book, “The Place of the Bible in Education” author AT Jones captures with such clarity the thought of God as is seen in the preceding paragraphs.

Here it may be queried: As God made man, and of course all intelligent creatures, free to choose, and therefore free to choose the way of sin if they should so choose, did He not then have to provide against this possible choice, before man was made? — The answer is, Certainly He did. And since He made and must make all creatures of moral sense also thus free to choose, He had to make provision for the possibility of the entrance of sin, even before ever there was a single intelligent creature created. And He did so. This provision is but a part of that eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus, our Lord.   {1903 ATJ, PBE 130.1}

Let us, in thought, go back to when there was no created person or thing: back to the eternal counsels of the Godhead. The existence of God is not a self-satisfied existence. His love is not self-love. His joy is not fulfilled in wrapping Himself within Himself, and so sitting solitary and self-centered. His love is satisfied only in flowing out to those who will receive and enjoy it to the full. His joy is fulfilled only in carrying to an infinite universe, full of blessed intelligences, the very fullness of joy.
{1903 ATJ, PBE 130.2}

Standing, then, in thought, with God before there was a single intelligent creature, He desires that the universe shall be full of joyful intelligences enjoying His love to the full. In order that this shall be, they must all choose to enjoy His love and His joy. In order to choose this, they must be free to choose it. And in order to be free to choose it, they must be free not to choose it: free to choose not to serve Him, to choose not to enjoy His love and joy. They must be free to choose Him or themselves, life or death. This involves the possibility that some will choose not His way, but their own way apart from Him; and so involves the possibility of the entrance of selfishness, the entrance of sin, which is directly the opposite of all that is Himself. Shall He then refuse to create intelligences at all because if He creates, it must be with the possibility that sin may enter? If this shall be the decision, the result could only be that He must eternally remain self-centered and solitary. But that itself is also the opposite of all that is Himself. Therefore to decide thus would be to decide that He would cease to be God. But He cannot cease to be God; “He cannot deny Himself;” therefore He must create even to the infinite limit.   {1903 ATJ, PBE 131.1}

And He did create. He created intelligences. He created them free to choose: free to choose His way, or to choose the opposite: and therefore free to sin if they choose. And at the same time, in His infinite love and eternal righteousness, He purposed to give Himself in sacrifice to redeem all who would sin; and give to them a second freedom to choose Him or themselves, life or death. And those who, against all this, would the second time choose death, let them have what they have persistently chosen. And those who would choose life — the universe full of them — let them enjoy to the full that which they have chosen: even eternal life, the fullness of perfect love and of bliss forevermore.  {1903 ATJ, PBE 131.2}

This is God, the living God, the God of love, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is fully able to do whatsoever He will in heaven and earth, and yet leave all His creatures free. This is He who from the days of eternity “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” And this is “the mystery of His will . . . . which He hath purposed in Himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him.” This is “the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” in whom God reconciles the world unto Himself. {1903 ATJ, PBE 132.1}

Yet even in this supreme and divine act of reconciliation, God does not seek to bind man to Himself in an absolute and irresponsible bondage, as Satan bound him when his way was chosen. God ever respects the freedom of choice of which He is the Author. He will not even now compel man to take the way of righteousness, nor compel him to keep that way after he has chosen it. When that creative word was spoken, “I will put enmity” between mankind and the enemy, He made man free again, to choose for himself whom he will serve. By that word man’s will is freed, and forever abides free, to choose to serve whom he will, to choose deliverance from the bondage of sin or to remain in it.  {1903 ATJ, PBE 132.2}

The fact that God knew the evil that men would do, before the foundation of the world, does not make him responsible for it in any way shape or form. We would never hold a man responsible for an act  that he sees by means of a telescope what another man is doing ten miles in the distant. God has from the beginning set before people warnings against sin, and has provided them with all the necessary means for avoiding it; but he cannot interfere with man’s right and freedom of choice without depriving him of his manhood and making him the same as a stick.

To make man free and turn around and punish him for exercising the very right you gave him would not be just. That idea is contrary to every principle of God’s character.  In Christ, ample provision is made to recover from all our bad choices for His compassion fail not.  Great is His faithfulness.

In an attempt to refill a service card for my phone, I drove to a Walmart store nearby. On entering the store I was pleasantly surprised, why? the shelves were bare. For two days we had snow, but the roads were opened and travel was not restricted. What caused the panicked buying?  Insecurity.  This is a repeat of earlier times in the pandemic when toilet paper and other commodities were gobbled up by an insecure multitude.  Insecurity brings fear, and fear, real or imagined causes torment.

What then is fear?
Fear is an emotion induced by perceived danger or threat, which causes physiological changes and ultimately behavioral changes, such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear in human beings may occur in response to a certain stimulus occurring in the present, or in anticipation or expectation of a future threat perceived as a risk to oneself. Wikipedia

We therefore can conclude that fear reveals that inner nature of mankind that often goes unnoticed for long periods of time. Fear can cause one to lie, steal and kill based on the perceived treat.  Fear is anti- God, for it causes those that are gripped by it to break the commandment of God. This need not be, “for love perfected drives out all fear” (1 John 4:8).  This love not only set you free, it makes you free. (See John 8:32).  It makes you a commandment keeper, standing for principles even in the face of death.  The Bible addresses the issue of fear numerous times.

(Isaiah 41:10 [KJV])
“Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”.

Skin for Skin …all that a man hath will he give for his life.

Fear is a masterful tool in the hand of the enemy.  In a conversation with the Lord, the devil displayed his most effective tool.  “3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.¹  4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life”.
(Job 2:4 [KJV])

According to Satan when life is threatened a man will  put aside God’s law and do things contrary to all that he knows is right.  Unfortunately, his accusation has proven true too many times.
It was fear of death that caused Abraham to give away his wife twice. (See Genesis chapters 12 and 20) Naked fear came upon Jacob on his way home as he saw Esau coming. (Genesis 32) Fear caused Elijah to run forty days for his life to escape Jezebel. (See 1 Kings 19:1-8) It was fear of Saul that caused David to flee to the land of the Philistines.
(See 1 Samuel 27) It was fear that caused Peter to deny Christ (Matthew 26:69-75). We also saw a fearful set of disciples hiding in the upper room. (John 20:19)

We see then that fear causes the words and wonderful promises of God to be forgotten.
It is evident that fear is opposite of God, therefore, it is anti-God.  Yet in those biblical examples given above, God had already spoken and His words cannot be made void.  His blessings were on them, and nothing could alter it.  For God cannot lie. (Titus 1:2)

“For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself”. (Hebrews 6:13 [KJV])  “That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18 [KJV])

In the second chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, the apostle Paul clearly showed that he understood the power of fear.   “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage”. (Hebrews 2:14-15 [KJV])

Christ came to break that bondage, for it is clear from the Exodus experience that slaves cannot serve God. The mind must be free so it can make intelligent decisions.  Love perfected is victorious over fear, the Devil’s tool, because it purges it out of the heart. 

The people of God must get this victory over fear, for the greatest threat we face is yet before us. 
“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name”. (Revelation 13:15-17 [KJV])

Are you preparing to stand against the Beast and his Image?  Will you be like the three Hebrew boys who stood upright when everyone else was kneeling, with the full understanding of the consequence of their actions?  (Daniel 3:12-30)  Where will you stand? Will fear cause you to deny God, or will you be one of those?
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death”.
(Revelation 12:11 [KJV])

 The great apostle to the Gentiles again made it clear in Romans 8; “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 38-39 [KJV])

Standing before Pilate, Jesus made reference to the truth. John 18:37 Pilate then asked, “What is truth?” (verse 38).
This is one of the most important questions of our time. What is truth?
Jesus foresaw what the world would become before His second coming and consistently warned us. “…Take heed that no man deceive you.” Matthew 24:4,5,11,24-27.

(Matt 24:12 [KJV])
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Christ saw that “ the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.(Genesis 6:5) These warnings are repeated in Matthew and Luke.
(Luke 17:27-30 [KJV])
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

In this age of social media, where misinformation, conspiracy theories and outright lies prevail, we are told that deception will nigh become universal. Satan’s purpose will be established.
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”. (Revelation 12:9 [KJV])
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (Revelation 13:14 [KJV])

The prophet Isaiah speaks to this generation.
“In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
Yea, truth faileth; and he [that] departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw [it], and it displeased him that [there was] no judgment”. (Isaiah 59:13-15 [KJV]) and (Isaiah 59:3-4 [KJV]) For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
None calleth for justice, nor [any] pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

The people of God who should be truth seekers and upholders of truth have joined the rank of the enemy. What is even sadder is that many are not aware that by their words and actions, they are denying the author of Truth. The Churches, whose voices should be the guardians of morality, truth, and justice have lost their voices and have joined the political fray by taking sides on the left or right. Having done so they can no longer call out evil for they have joined the evil.
“And Israel (the people of God) joined himself unto Baalpeor (the world): and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel” (Numbers 25:3 [KJV])

“Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against false teachers, many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy. There are today thousands of professors of religion who can give no other reason for points of faith which they hold than that they were so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour’s teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God’s Word that they are lightbearers? A lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world, leads many to follow in the steps of learned men; and by their reluctance to investigate for themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of error.
The truth and the glory of God are inseparable; it is impossible for us, with the Bible within our reach, to honor God by erroneous opinions. Many claim that it matters not what one believes, if his life is only right. But the life is molded by the faith. If light and truth are within our reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing and seeing it, we virtually reject it; we are choosing darkness rather than light.” {Great Controversy (GC) 1888 597.2}

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” [Proverbs 16:25.] Ignorance is no excuse for error or sin, when there is every opportunity to know the will of God. A man is travelling, and comes to a place where there are several roads, and a guide-board indicating where each one leads. If he disregards the guide-board, and takes whichever road seems to him to be right, he may be ever so sincere, but will in all probability find himself on the wrong road.”
{GC 1888 597.3}
“It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the Scriptures, what is truth, and then to walk in the light, and encourage others to follow his example. We should day by day study the Bible diligently, weighing every thought, and comparing scripture with scripture. With divine help, we are to form our opinions for ourselves, as we are to answer for ourselves before God.” {GC 88 598.2}

“…To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few – this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.”
Testimonies Volume 5, page 136.2

The voice of the Lord through Isaiah speaks clearly to us, “Cry aloud and spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isaiah 58:1