IOW, what is God's will regarding how migration should occur? It surely is not the "king of the hill" [KOTH] violence that has been the main method from the beginning!
What teaching of Scripture may apply to this moral/political issue?
Since KOTH is surely not God’s will, what is His will regarding migration. What biblical teachings are applicable?
After suggesting this topic I did some study and here is what I came up with:
The Bible mentions the migration of Cain (in GN 4:12 & 16) and migrations following the building of the tower at Babel (in GN 11:1-9). Secular histories cite migrations by unknown peoples that established civilizations near the mouths of the Indus, Nile and Euphrates rivers, followed by Akkadians invading the Sumerians and Aryans invading India about 2270 B.C. Abram migrated from Mesopotamia (per GN 12:1-10), then Israel settled in Canaan (GN 35:1-21 & 46:1-7) about the time Sumeria was conquered by Amorites, then Kassites. Moses led the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan (EX 13:17-20, 15:22-16:1, 17:1, 19:1-2, 33:1-2, NM 21:10-31 & NM 33).
NM 33 instructs the Israelites to drive out all of the inhabitants of Canaan so that their idolatry would not give them trouble, and NM 35:33-34 tells them not to pollute or defile the land with bloodshed, so apparently driving out was not supposed to be by means of murder. Listing the history of migrations merely documents that KOTH was the way it always occurred, so now let us consider how migrations OUGHT to have happened in accordance with God’s Will beginning with the migration to America by Europeans.
We begin with the only hint we have had thus far—the proscription against bloodshed/murder. A NT principle that can be applicable is MT 7:12, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” An OT one is EX 20:15, “You shall not steal.” These two commands indicate that when people migrate they must do so with the intention of compensating the owners of the new land rather than of conquering them by means of violence. Thus, murdering the Indians instead of making and keeping treaties was wrong. Ditto for the Indians who did the same. (Death resulting from illness and struggle against natural disasters are other aspects of KOTH.)
Another critical migration that needs to be evaluated is when Jews moved to Palestine following WWII. It began with war or KOTH that has continued ever since. It would seem that God’s will would have been for the Jews to purchase land from Palestinians and obtain a legal deed. Besides being peaceful, it probably would have been cheaper in the long run to pay them $10,000 per acre!
This brings us to consider the migration currently occurring over the U.S. borders. In this case there is a line of people seeking to enter legally via a vetting process, so what justification can there be for people to cut in line by stealing across the border illegally? The right of an individual home owner to require people to enter their houses/walls only if invited seems applicable to a nation regarding control of its borders.
God loves everyone in the world (JN 3:16) and includes all kinds of people in His plan of salvation (GAL 3:28-29, 1TM 2:3-4). Thus, we all have equal rights, which need to be respected as people move about planet Earth. There is no justification for feeling superior to anyone of a different nationality or civilization.
As we have mentioned, migration needs to occur without murder or stealing (MT 19:18). Selfishness by those who have something does not justify stealing by those who lack and covet it. Two wrongs do not make a right. (Hezekiah 6:1) However, the rich should share (2CR 8:14) and the poor should rightly resist hoarders. Those who have an abundance of land or material possessions should realize they have no divine right to hoard it, but on the contrary they have a divine command from God to be compassionate toward the poor.
Paul teaches that those who are able should work (2THS 3:10), so a valid reason for migration would seem to be in order to look for a job. Other considerations include the need to practice birth control in order not to procreate more children than the parents can afford to feed, besides being good stewards of the planet by not over-populating and polluting the world God has given humanity. Also, good governors and employers are needed, who will legislate opportunity and pay fairly.
