The Same

“You and the alien shall be the same before the Lord.” Numbers 15:15a

In the Scripture above, God is talking to Moses about rules, regulations and offerings. There were other people who traveled with the Israelites in the desert—people who, for whatever reason, went with the Israelites when they left Egypt. They saw the miraculous things the Lord did in Egypt, they crossed over on the dry ground of the parted Red Sea. Strong’s definition H1616 of the term alien is sojourner: 1. A temporary inhabitant, a newcomer lacking inherited rights; 2. Of foreigners in Israel, though conceded rights.

God wanted to make sure that these people were treated right. “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:34 ESV).

Love him as yourself—that sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Fast forward to Jesus. “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ He replied. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:25-29 NIV).

Jesus proceeds to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite were revered in Israel, the Samaritans were considered as dogs, but Jesus cut through all that, just as God did back in the wilderness. The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:25-29, 37 NIV).

The alien in the wilderness had to follow God and the rules He had set forth, but if he did he was to be treated with respect, as a native. With Jesus, what matters is if we believe in Him as the atonement for our sins on the Cross. It is not our nationality, socio-economic status, race, gender, dress, or language—it’s Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

Dear Jesus, I am so grateful that You treat all believers the same. There is no good, better, or best in Christianity—there is only You. Amen.