In the ancient Israelite community, the term "strangers" referred to non-Israelites who lived among the Israelites. These individuals, also known as "sojourners" or "foreigners," were subject to specific laws and regulations that governed their participation in the religious and social life of Israel. The Mosaic Law provided guidelines to ensure that strangers could partake in certain communal activities, including the rejoicings and festivals of the people.

Participation in Religious Festivals

The Law of Moses extended an invitation to strangers to join in the religious festivals of Israel, reflecting the inclusive nature of God's covenant community. In Deuteronomy 16:14, the Israelites are commanded to rejoice during the Feast of Tabernacles, and the text explicitly includes the foreigner: "And you shall rejoice in your feast—you, your son and daughter, your male and female servants, and the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates."

This inclusion underscores the principle that the joy of the Lord's appointed times was not limited to ethnic Israelites but was open to all who resided within the community and adhered to its laws. The participation of strangers in these celebrations served as a testament to the universal scope of God's blessings and the anticipated ingathering of the nations.

Observance of the Sabbath

Strangers were also expected to observe the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship. Exodus 20:10 states, "But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; on it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates." This commandment ensured that the rhythm of rest and worship was experienced by all members of the community, fostering a shared acknowledgment of God's creation and covenant.

Participation in Sacrificial Offerings

While strangers could participate in certain communal and religious activities, their involvement in sacrificial offerings was subject to specific conditions. In Numbers 15:14-16, the law provides that if a foreigner wished to offer a sacrifice, they were to do so in accordance with the same regulations as the Israelites: "And if a foreigner resides with you or someone else is among you and wants to offer a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, he is to do exactly as you do. The assembly is to have the same statute for you and for the foreigner residing with you; it is a permanent statute for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the LORD."

This provision ensured that the worship of God was conducted uniformly, maintaining the sanctity and order of the sacrificial system while allowing strangers to express their devotion to the God of Israel.

Moral and Ethical Treatment

The inclusion of strangers in the rejoicings of Israel was accompanied by a broader ethical mandate to treat them with justice and compassion. Leviticus 19:33-34 commands, "When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress him. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

This commandment reflects the theological and moral imperative for Israel to remember their own history as strangers in Egypt and to extend the same grace and hospitality to others. The participation of strangers in the rejoicings of Israel was thus not merely a legal obligation but a reflection of the covenantal love and justice that God required of His people.Deuteronomy 14:29
And the Levite, (because he has no part nor inheritance with you,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 16:11,14
And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is within your gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD your God has chosen to place his name there.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 26:11
And you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... and to those diseases to which they were heretofore strangers. ... the "lost sheep of
the house of Israel." So strong ... to coerce the people by civil laws," &c., &c. ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm

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