Invader/Stranger In A Strange Land

The recent push about how unfairly Omar Illhan is being treated has become a media focal point. Along the same lines, the supposed constant harassment of ICE is another. Both are being caused by the same errant media narrative. A narrative that is being exacerbated and made worse by well meaning but ignorant Christians supporting the media’s cause saying it is biblical. It in fact is not. It is a view that says we should just accept the illegal immigrant into the nation no questions asked and not even require them to assimilate. This is being accepted and propagated under the guise that they are ‘sojourners in the land’. They cite Exodus 22 and Leviticus 19 for this justification.

Exodus 22:21 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Leviticus 19:34 – “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native‑born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”

This is ridiculous and the danger of it is becoming ever more apparent based on the riots and chaos in Europe. Specifically in France this week. The truth is much more nuanced. Yes, people like Abraham, Mary and Joseph, Paul and even the Israelites themselves were at one time sojourners. They also acclimated and assimilated to the culture. The illegals did and have not. This is a massive difference. The word illegal is implying this and their actions are verifying it. Truth be told the sojourner either became part of the land as Abraham did or they left it because by the very nature of their name, they are sojourners or are transient. A sojourner is a temporary resident in a foreign land, not a permanent citizen. Those that stay are expected to assimilate, not to try and take over the culture.

Two Different Hebrew Words for “Sojourner” in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, “sojourner” is not a single fixed term — it is translated from different Hebrew words depending on the context, legal status, and relationship to Israel. Two of the most important are ger and toshab (sometimes rendered “sojourner” or “stranger”), each with distinct meanings and implications

Ger (גר)

Ger was a resident alien or resident foreigner who lives among the Israelites, often permanently, and is under their legal protection. The ger was a free non‑Israelite who had settled in Israel and was granted many rights-the same judicial standards as Israelites, access to gleanings, inclusion in festivals, and even the right to celebrate the Passover if circumcised (Exodus 12:48)

Legal protections: Leviticus 19:33‑34 and Exodus 22:21 command that the ger be treated “as native‑born” and not oppressed. The best example of ger usage is when Abraham calls himself a ger in Genesis 23:4

Toshab (תֹּשָׁב)

Toshab was a temporary resident or hired worker living in Israel for a limited time. Unlike the ger, the toshab was not a permanent settler; this term often refers to someone in a more transient or labor‑related role. This is the same as immigrant farmers being let into America under temporary visas. The toshab was also to be treated justly, but the emphasis was on temporary residence and the need for hospitality and fair treatment. This word or principle was used in passages describing people living in Israel without full citizenship, such as hired workers or seasonal residents.

Related Terms That Apply to Illegal Immigrants

Nokhri / Ben Nekhar (נָכְרִי) (“foreigner”): Someone passing through or maintaining allegiance to another nation

Zar (זָר) (“stranger”): Often someone outside the covenant community, sometimes unauthorized

These distinctions mattered because Israel’s laws treated each category differently. The ger had the most extensive protections, while the toshab was a temporary resident. Both were to be treated with justice and compassion, reflecting Israel’s own experience as strangers in Egypt (Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:33‑34)

The Other Side of the Argument

The Nokhri or Zar (Foreigner/Stranger), biblical experts point out that individuals who maintained exclusive allegiance to their foreign nations or who entered outside the recognized legal and covenantal frameworks did not receive the same societal benefits or legal standing as the ger. The Rule of Law…from this viewpoint, modern nations have a biblical mandate to maintain borders and enforce the rule of law (often citing Romans 13).

In the Hebrew Bible, the word zar (זָר) is derived from the root zwr (זוּר), which carries the core meaning of "to turn aside," "to estrange," or "to be unauthorized. The term zar has a meaning that shifts depending on what the individual is "outside" of. Outside the immediate family in a domestic context, it refers to someone who is not part of the household or immediate lineage (Proverbs 5:10, where it warns against giving your wealth to "strangers").

Outside the covenant and/or nation is in a political or national context, it refers to a foreign adversary, invading army, or someone from a nation outside Israel (Isaiah 1:7, "strangers devour your land in your presence"). This is how America and Europe need to view the illegal immigrants. They are, by and large not assimilating and are in some cases burning our flag in our own streets. They are living off taxpayers money and not contributing to society by actively seeking employment. They are a financial drain and bring nothing of value to our economy. In many cases, not even cheap labor. Isaiah 1:7 literally says the following to add impact to the statements I just made about illegal immigrant invaders.

אַרְצְכֶם שְׁמָמָה, עָרֵיכֶם שְׂרֻפוֹת אֵשׁ; אַדְמַתְכֶם, לְנֶגְדְּכֶם זָרִים אֹכְלִים אֹתָהּ, וּשְׁמָמָה כְּמַהְפֵּכַת זָרִים.

"Your country is desolate, your cities burned with fire; your fields, strangers (zarim) devour them in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers (zarim)." Isaiah1:7

What needs to be pointed out point out several are several critical elements regarding how zar/zarim operates in national and political contexts like Isaiah's prophecy:

It creates a total lack of accountability. Unlike the ger (resident alien), who lived under the legal jurisdiction of Israel and shared community responsibilities, the zarim in this verse are completely outside Israel's legal and moral framework. They operate with zero accountability to the host nation's laws. This is very similar to how the Palestinians work now. They contribute very little to the area around Israel and Gaza and continue to demand more. The irony being it isn’t even their rightful native land. They are primarily Jordanians that have dual alliance with Jordan but want Gazan territory.

Along the lines of the statement about the Palestinians, the practice exploitation and consumption. The text explicitly notes that these strangers are "devouring" (ochlim) the land. The relationship is purely predatory and parasitic; they consume the resources, crops, and wealth of the nation without contributing to its preservation or respecting its borders. As it was in the Old Testament so it is now in Gaza. This is also happening in Europe and to a lesser degree in America.

Then comes the long term goal towards a caliphate. The cultural and physical overthrow or a native nation. Do not think for a second this is not the intended goal of Muslims. It is also to a much lesser degree the inevitable outcome of certain ethnic conclaves that move into certain areas of the United States. The ethnic group becomes the majority and thereby transplants the culture with new culture. As long as their intent is to be proud Americans, there is not problem. When they become dissenters…then the problems arise.

The phrase "overthrown by strangers" (mahpechat zarim) implies a complete upending of the established order. The word for overthrow (mahpechah) is the same word used throughout the Old Testament to describe the total, catastrophic destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is the inevitable end of trucking in illegal immigrants by the millions…the complete destruction and downfall of the nation.

So what is the Bible really telling us about our borders and our Western nations we are trying to protect? Simple. Isaiah 1:7 is demonstrating a clear biblical recognition of national sovereignty and the dangers of border dissolution. From this perspective, when a nation loses the ability to regulate who enters, lives in, and consumes the fruit of the land, it ceases to be a secure home for its own citizens. The zar in these contexts is the ultimate symbol of a nation losing control of its own destiny to those who have no stake in its covenant or its culture.