The Book of Genesis and Illegal Immigration
What has the first chapter of Genesis to do with the problem of illegal immigration in the United States?
The answer is “nothing,” “nada,” “zilch.” But it is amazing what people discover in the Bible. Take the case of Joseph C. Phillips. He has found in the first chapter of Genesis a solution that teaches our leaders how to proceed with the immigration problem in the United States. He wrote:
“The first chapters of the book of Genesis in the Old Testament serve as a reminder that in everything there is a process. Though the Almighty Himself was engaged in what could be termed comprehensive reform of the universe, even he accomplished it in several steps over six days. In fact, it actually took longer. God rested on the seventh day and then continued working and has been tinkering ever since.”
“Immigration reform should be approached in a similar manner, and must begin with control of our borders and discouraging illegal immigration by vigorously enforcing current immigration law and punishing businesses that hire illegal workers. America must be able to control who crosses our borders, why and for how long they stay.”
The statement, “Immigration reform should be approached in a similar manner,” means what? A “comprehensive reform of the universe?” Reforms of our immigration laws “in several steps over six days?”
Maybe the solution to the immigration problem in the United States, according to the first chapter of Genesis, is for our officials to continue working on the problem, tinkering with solutions, and then rest on the seventh day. By the way, the statement that God rested on the seventh day is found in the second chapter of Genesis.
Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary.
Tags: Genesis, Immigration
posted by Dr. Claude Mariottini @ 6/09/2006 08:59:00 AM
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2 Comments:
Doesn't Jesus treat God's seventh day rest as if it's still going on? It doesn't seem right to say that God rested and then began working again when Jesus says God continues to work while resting. It seems more accurate to say that God rested in the sense of having achieved completion of creation and continues to work to sustain creation in the sense of providence as opposed to the sense of creating initially.
Jeremy,
I agree that what you wrote is a better way of describing what happened at the end of creation in Genesis 1. To say that God did not do a thing for a whole day is just not correct. If you read my post again you will discover that I was just paraphrasing what Phillips had written.
Thank you for your comments.
Claude Mariottini
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