Mistreat not the Foreigner

This is a post we have been preparing for a while. And really, we have been going back and forth wether to post it or not. Might upset some people, likely a lot of people. But hey, truth is truth. Scripture is Scripture. And during these times like these, it is hard not to get political. We generally try our level best to stay well clear from contemporary politics as they have little to nothing to do with SoNiNi. You know sometimes it is better to say less, silence is needed. However, in other instances it is indeed better to say something. Just a reminder. So we will. And we will use Scripture reminding those that have forgotten. We will also bring the attention back to the curses of Deuteronomy 28 towards the end of this article, and remind people again and again - why things are the way they are. You see, violence is a real problem in South Africa. People getting killed over trivial trinkets like a phone or something less, is not uncommon. The inequality is palpable. The hunger is real. Let there be no doubt. Now the why is a complicated thing to try to explain, without talking about the sin that comes with the land. The sin inherited by being in the land, and not bothering about the Law. Those who know what that means know, those that do not. You Must read on. Because is it not a little dim to blame an easy target such a foreigner, brothers and sisters from the continent, that they are the root problem for the problems we find in South Africa. Are they to blame for these inequalities so visible in society today? Are they the reason why people cannot get a job?

There are several things at play here. It all boils down to the fact these matters are real, they are spiritual, territorial (tribal if you will) and deeply rooted in the curses we find laid out in Deuteronomy 28. We will go even further, they are set in place and upheld by SoNiNi. Why? Why is He allowing this to happen... A normal question, heard on the lips of people that have revealed that they do not believe in Him or His promise any more. They may have at some point though. Still, let us try to answer that question. Well you see, SoNiNi is allowing things to happen to His people mostly, to protect them from themselves. Sounds like a bit of an oxymoron or a contradiction, but really, SoNiNi does protect His people. He Bales them out of trouble again and again. His love for His own is endless. History teaches us that. He is there, like an everlasting stream of love, flowing like a River destined and bound for better things. Now the fact that He loves His people by holding them to a higher standard, is something that not many will be able to discern unless they break free from the yoke of the curses in Deuteronomy 28. We will discuss this further below. Now, we will get into what the Bible says about the presence and treatment of foreigners in the Land.

More Ai images, getting experienced now. Telling the Beast system what to do. Matthew wrote that Christ robe/blanket was Red and John said Purple, so we made a combination. Another Sidenote: is a Wild Donkey the same as a Zebra? Some translations seems to indicate so. The Zebra is one of the most skittish of creatures, and the animal did not flinch at the Son of the Most High. Reflecting His calmness.

This theme of foreigners in the Land of Promise, is very much recurring in our Scriptures. The term is loosely used for anyone who was not of the tribes, not of the 12 original tribes, that still lived among the people or close border to the people. Much like today. There are many foreigners that live among The People today, and even mixed into aBantu among the modern confluence of bloodlines of say tribes like the Zulu, Xhosa, "Shona" or even Sotho and Tswana (do not get offended!) there are now mixings. And, being careful with the mincing of words here and for arguments sake, a "pure" tribe, is not something that can easily be claimed by many or even one single modern tribe any longer. They are there rest assured, as their culture and tradition will attest, however the tracking of the tribes and determining who is who, has become a very complicated and even convoluted topic. Here are also Babylonian, Assyrian, Phoenician and Egyptian lineages to account for. Some are indeed mixed in with SoNiNis people. Not easy to discern, so it will be a task that likely each tribe will be able, and only them, will be able to give a full account of their wanderings and assimilations or lack thereof. But this is going to take a lot of effort, but it can be done. And The People have already started.

Legal Status and Rights

That being said, the laws laid out in books like Exodus are clear in regards to treatment of foreigners, with great emphasis on justice and compassion. As one should have for ones brothers and sisters. As it reads in Exodus 22,21:

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

Let us start there shall we. So removing foreigners from amongst yourselves or oppressing them goes against Scripture. The People, or if anyone wants to be seen as the remnant of the Great People of Ancient Israel, have a moral obligation to treat others with fairness and kindness. And as we can see, there is more in Leviticus on that (Leviticus 19,33-34):

33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am SoNiNI naNiNi.

So here is a direct admonition from SoNiNi Himself, and we can see this is indeed a call for not only being merciful but also just. Treat them as a native born, love them as yourself. However, you can make a distinction. For if you start going into culture and customs, Exodus makes that clear (Exodus 12,48-49):

48 “A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate Modimos Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it. 49 The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner residing among you.”

Hectic. So here is something telling you to circumcise all the males in your household... As an example, maybe not the best one because it opens up the age old debate between being circumcised or not. We remember Paul against Peter, and how they argued over this. We give this example not to go into that debate, although Paul is what we tend to agree with, it is not the reason for bringing this example. But it does illustrate, to the extreme, that the foreigner is supposed to confine to the land. Not the land to the foreigner. They ways of SoNiNi are ruling in the Land, not the ways of Islam or colonial Christianity. What is interesting to note here is that the Passover celebration, is to be partaken by the foreigner. The foreigner must adapt to the ways of SoNiNi, not the other way around. Does that mean all foreigners must be circumcised? Not at all, again go and read Paul and Peters disagreements on this. It is very deep, and will broaden your understanding of two different kinds of people. Both loved by SoNiNi, and walking with Msindisi.

 If we move further into the Law itself, we can see there is even a snippet of the economic welfare of the foreigner (Deuteronomy 24,19-21):

19 When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that Modimo may bless you in all the work of your hands. 20 When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 21 When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.

So, this one is easy to read but very hard to do. It is about sharing folks. Leave some of what you get from your harvest, farming (stock market options), wherever you get your surplus from. Share it with the foreigner, because you used to be a slave in Egypt, and the people have forgotten that. So there is a divine mandate for The People or anyone who wants to call themselves of the People (and there are enough of them), for social justice and to care for those that are disenfranchised and or marginalised.

Now if you go into the prophetic literature, and you begin to understand the importance of the foreigners and foreign nations, you will see that SoNiNi uses them again and again to either punish or wake up His people. And for the future it is a well known quote from Isaiah, where at one point ALL nations will gather before Him, and He will take foreigners to His Holy Mountain. My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations (Isaiah 56,6-7):

And foreigners who bind themselves to Modimo to minister to him, to love the name of SoNiNi naNiNi,  and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant - 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain  and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices  will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Isaiahs vision breaks all barriers between foreigners and the Israelites, a reminder that ALL who seek SoNiNi are welcome in His might presence. Not only the house of Israel. And Scripture shows us examples of foreigners like Rahab the Kaananite that , then its Ruth the Moabite, these are two good examples of faith outside the tribes and the allegiance to SoNiNi that there indeed is outside of the House of Israel. Ethnicity is no boundary. SoNiNi can use anyone for His Greater Glory. He is not reserved for only A People, He is The People.

Before we go on to look shortly at the curses in Deuteronomy 28, we have not mentioned to much from the newer books from the Bible. We have not looked at the many times Msindisi entertained foreigners, he helped and guided all men. No matter where they came from, He gave His advice. Remember He said, I have come but only to the lost children of Israel... The lady answered (not being of the People, she was likely a Phoenician/Tanzanian) even the crumbs that fall from the table are meant to go to someone. The Gospel is indeed for anyone.

Deuteronomy 28

This should be the title of an obligatory book, Deuteronomy 28 - The curses of the Land and the People, to be read by every single Bantu person in ANY School and at any grade in these trying times. Reading just that single chapter would teach aBantu, something you could read in 15 today but something you would spend a lifetime to understand. It would answer many questions on why things indeed are the way they are. It is all there, every single curse that aBantu now find themselves under. All have come to live under these and unless they have come to Msindisi, they are still under these curses.

And if you read Deuteronomy 28, you will see that it outlines a series of curses that will come upon The People if they do not obey and follow SoNiNis commandments. They cover most aspects of life, like health and wealth (how they often go hand in hand), and security and spiritual progress. These curses would give various diseases and plagues, in therms of health, followed by spiritual strongholds like poverty and economic ruin. They often come as a collective punishment, rather than affecting just one individual - a whole nation will suffer when it goes against SoNiNis word. Deuteronomy 28 is a comprehensive list of curses that serves as a warning of the real consequences of disobedience before SoNiNis Covenant. We must above all strive to be faithful and obedient. Rejecting or treating our brothers and sisters from the continent, is a rejection of the Covenant. And a rejection of Msindisi. A rejection of oneself. So mistreat not the foreigner, let him learn your ways and let him live among you. Teach him, pay attention to him and try your best to love him as yourself.

SoNiNi unathi