Immigration in the Bible WNCC-UMW School of Christian Missions Pfeiffer University Phil Wingeier-Rayo July 28, /27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM1

Deuteronomy 24: When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM2

Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM3

When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this. End 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM4

In this reading of Deuteronomy, what are the three categories of people that God commands us to have mercy upon? 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM5

Prayer God of refuge, you have traveled with us throughout the ages. You are walking with us in our darkest moments and crying with the trafficked, enslaved, oppressed and marginalized. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM6

We come to you today asking that you change and open our hearts, our minds and our doors to sisters and brothers who throughout the ages have been victimized. We give you thanks for Scriptures that guide us and for Christ who came 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM7

to us as a migrant and refugee and offered us salvation. We give you thanks for the Holy Spirit who moves with us as we migrate physically, emotionally and intellectually to new lands 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM8

That you have prepared for us. As we continue this study, we ask that you change us according to your divine will to be the hands and feet of Christ in our world as we seek 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM9

To offer hospitality to strangers, remembering that to them we are the stranger. Change us, O Lord. Change us, we pray. Amen. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM10

Group Exercise: In small groups place the Bible stories about movement in chronological order. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM11

1. The Seven Days of Creation Gen Adam and Eve Gen 2: The Fall Gen 3 4.Cain and AbelGen 4 5.The Great Flood Gen 6-8 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM12

6.The Table of NationsGen 10 7.The Tower of BabelGen 11:1-9 8.Abraham is Called to the Holy Land Gen 12 9.God's Covenant with Abraham Gen Jacob Competes with Esau Gen /27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM13

11.Jacob Flees to Aram Gen 27:41-28:22 12.Jacob Returns to Face Esau Gen Jacob Returns to Bethel Gen Joseph Sold into Slavery Gen Joseph in EgyptGen Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt Gen /27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM14

17.The Israelites live in Egypt Gen 46:1-49:28 18.Israelites oppressed by pharaoh Exodus 1 19.Moses flees Egypt Exodus plagues in Egypt Exodus Moses and Israelites cross the Red Sea Ex Moses and Israelites in the wilderness Ex /27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM15

Reading 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM16

Story of Ruth and Noemi 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM17

Background: The text is set in the period of the judges following the period of slavery in Egypt and Joshua’s conquest of Canaan ( BCE). Ancient Middle Eastern culture was very patriarchal and women were considered the responsibility and property of their fathers, and then after marriage their husbands. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM18

The role of women was to procreate and women who didn’t or couldn’t have children were considered to be cursed by God. Ancient Middle Eastern Culture did not understand reproductive anatomy and placed the blame for infertility on women. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM19

Men whose first wife did not produce a child had the right to have a concubine to produce children (i.e. the case of Abram, Sarah and Haggar). They also believed that women produced children and generated the gender. Women didn’t have the right to own property and if they were widowed were often left to beg for their subsistence. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM20

Widows were pitied by society and the recipients of charity. After the Israelites harvested the fields, they were encouraged to not plow under their fields and leave any grains for the orphans, widows and sojourners to glean from the fields. The Israelites were a very closed nation. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM21

They were internally organized according to the twelve nations of Israel (the descendants of the twelve nations of Israel). They were not open to intermarriage and suspicious of foreigners—although there were Bible verses calling them to treat strangers with compassion. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM22

The Hebrew Bible also called for the Law of Leviticus that required the younger brother to procreate with the widow of the older brother if she was barren. Foreigners were considered very different in this homogenous, intermingled society. 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM23

Ruth 1: 1-2 This family of mother, father and two boys faced famine of no fault of their own. Have you every fallen on hard times? Or someone you know? What did you/they do to survive? 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM24

Ruth 1: 3-5 Are you a widow or do you know of widow? What are some of the challenges that widows face today? What challenges did widows face in ancient Israel? 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM25

Ruth 1: 6-7 When Naomi heard that the conditions were better in her home country of Judah, she prepared to go home. Have you ever moved from one place to another because you heard conditions were better? Or had a better job offer? 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM26

Ruth 1: 8 Naomi told her two daughter-in-law to return to their homes. Orpah obeyed and return to her family, but Ruth refused. Do you live close to your parents or in-laws? Or have you moved away from them? Where is home for you? 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM27

Ruth 2: 10 After going to Judah with Naomi, Ruth gleans the fields of Boaz for extra grain. How does he treat her? How are widowed and/or single women treated in our society? How were they treated in Ancient Israel? 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM28

The Pentecost Journey by Jeannie Trevino Teddlie 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM29

Justice for our Neighbors RXbI 7/27/2012Wingeier-Rayo, UMW SCM30