"A Land Flowing With Milk And Honey"

This is Part 1 of a 9-Part Series on Immigration

There are some political or societal issues we encounter today that are never specifically mentioned in Scripture, and it can be hard to know in those situations what our response, as Christians, should be. But when it comes to the subject of immigration, there is no need to speculate because Scripture leaves no room for doubt or confusion. God had plenty to say about the topic!

In the first Book of the Bible, Genesis, in Chapter 12, the Lord told Abram (later called "Abraham") to leave his country and migrate to another.

"The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.'" - Genesis 12:1

For Abraham, he was leaving his native country not because he was running from something - in fact, he had it pretty good where he was! - but rather, he was running toward something: a vision, a promise.

"I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others." - Genesis 12:2

In later parts of Scripture, the area God was calling Abraham to go to is described as "a land flowing with milk and honey" - a land of abundance and prosperity. I guess you could say that, in many ways, Abraham's story really embodies the original "American Dream"!

We frequently categorize someone based upon their reasons for coming to a foreign country or the length of time they intend to stay by using terms like:

migrant (as in "migrant workers")

immigrant

asylum seekers

refugees

However, the Bible offers no such distinction, simply referring to anyone living in a foreign country as a "foreigner" ("a person not native to or naturalized in the country or jurisdiction under consideration"). Depending upon which translation of the Bible you are using, there are roughly 144 references in scripture to the word "foreigner".

Abraham is repeatedly described throughout Scripture as "a foreigner living in a foreign land". For example:

"And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. ... " - Genesis 17:8

"Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, ... " - Genesis 20:1

"And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time." - Genesis 21:34

"'Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. ... '" - Genesis 23:4

Likewise, Abraham's son, Isaac, is also instructed by God to live in a foreign land:

" ... but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in the land, and I will be with you and bless you." - Genesis 26:2-3

And Isaac's son, Jacob, was also described as a foreigner:

" ... May you own this land where you are now living as a foreigner ... " - Genesis 28:4

God is very intentional and purposeful about everything He does, and it is no small coincidence that Abraham (often referred to as "the Father of the Faith"), as well as his son, Isaac, and grandson, Jacob, ("the Patriarchs") were all immigrants. Why were they immigrants? ... Because they were following and obeying the calling of God.

It's important to note that there wasn't just a promise by God for Abraham and his descendants to bless them in this new land, but there was also a promise (and a warning!) to those who would encounter them:

"I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt." - Genesis 12:3

Those who welcomed them as foreigners and treated them well would be blessed by God ... and those who weren't welcoming and, instead, treated them with contempt, would be cursed by God. God's desire - indeed His expectation - was for people to be welcoming and accommodating to foreigners, and there would be consequences for those who were not.

Another important thing to note is that many times people were initially fairly welcoming to them. It was only after they were perceived as a threat - either because they had become too numerous, too powerful, too wealthy, or too influential - that people turned on them, treating them with contempt and/or oppressing them (see Genesis 26:16). If this doesn't sound familiar, it should ... because history has a way of repeating itself.

If you think God's promises (and warnings!) were limited to the patriarchs (and those who encountered them) because they were chosen by God and, therefore, do not apply to immigrants (or to us!) today, you would be sorely mistaken, as you will soon see throughout the rest of the series.

"So Jacob returned to his father, Isaac, in Mamre, which is near Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had both lived as foreigners." - Genesis 35:27

© I Lift My Voice, 2025

Click Here to Read Part 2 in This 9-Part Series on Immigration