Thursday 20 November 2025
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (vs 17-19)
Background
This August, England flags began to appear on lamp posts and mini roundabouts. While some claimed them to be a sign of pride and patriotism, others saw them as highly divisive and associated with far-right extremism. Many of those protesting outside hotels housing asylum seekers draped England flags around their shoulders and waved them during their demonstrations. What can be seen as an emblem of our national identity has been linked with a political cause and a particular attitude to ‘the stranger’, particularly those hoping to claim asylum in the UK.
In today’s passage from Deuteronomy, Moses’ sermon to the Israelite people summarises the teaching of previous chapters. "What does the Lord your God require of you?" (v. 12) The Israelites are to love the Lord their God wholeheartedly, with their whole being, and to keep God’s commandments (vs 12-13).
The rest of the passage concerns the identity of the Israelite people and how that should affect the way they lived their lives. In Genesis 12:1-3, God called Abram (later named Abraham) and promised to make of him a great nation. After seeing the family grow in Genesis, the book of Exodus tells the story of the people living as slaves in Egypt and how God, through Moses, led them to freedom. Both stories are foundational to the identity of the Jewish people and their status as God’s chosen people and are highlighted here (vs 15, 22).
Two things are specifically called for in response. Firstly, for the Israelites to "circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer." (v. 16) The stubbornness refers to their unfaithfulness and disobedience to God’s commandments. Physical circumcision was still required of Jewish males but this passage highlights the importance of transformation of the heart too. Secondly, Moses reminds the people that God is a God of justice and that they too should act justly. Their identity, as those chosen by a God "who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers" and as those who were also strangers in the land of Egypt (vs 18-19) should guide their actions – how they treat the stranger among them. Their love of God should lead them to love the stranger living in their midst.
To Ponder:
- What might this passage teach us about our treatment of ‘the stranger'?
- Does your sense of identity and past experience help you to relate to others and influence how you treat them? If so, how?
Prayer
Lord, please show me who is my neighbour and help me to love and welcome those who are different to me. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Kate Cambridge
Kate is a presbyter in the Winchester, Eastleigh and Romsey Circuit. In her free time she enjoys doing laundry (!), spending time with her family and wrestling ball point pens off her miniature poodle.