# People Groups in America Study ## Background #### 2026.07.03 - It took me a week to even think of a title for this study, much less narrow the scope. I am sure this study will be like all the others and will morph over time. - The USA is a "melting pot" of the world's people groups (PG). Most of the PGs have some representation here. - I am not opposed to multiculturalism. For example, we prefer a wide variety of food. Our favorites include Indian and Mediterranean. - For generations, various peoples would show up on our shores begging to come in. Their full intention was to assimilate as fully as possible and become Americans. However, for the last few generations, many / most that have entered our country whether legally or illegally have NO intention of assimilating. Some are even advocating the overthrow of our constitution. - My current thinking and the motivation behind this study is: - Foreign immigrants are generally welcome here with lots of restrictions - as temporary - must only come in through the "front door" - workers - tourists - permanent - must only come in through the "front door" - fully assimilated - English speaking - naturalized citizens - On the other hand, any foreigner who: - Sneaks in through the "back door"should be treated as a military combatant - Comes in legally through the "front door" - Have a limited amount of time to assimilate (~5 years) - For those failing to assimilate - They are not the type of person we want as an Americans - They should be deported - Anyone who commits a felony should be deported ## Questions - What does the Bible say about these people groups: - Foreigners? - Illegal Aliens? - Invading army? - Muslims? - Some specific questions: - How does the Bible define / classify people into those groups? - How are we to treat those people groups? ## ToDo - ToDo Study - - ToDo Transfer - ## TL;DR - ## Chapter-by-Chapter Notes ### Genesis 15 #### 2026.07.03 {Genesis 2, [[Genesis_03_Notes|Genesis 3]], Genesis 15, Genesis 16} - There are some interesting and sad parallels between Genesis 2 & 3 and Genesis 15 & 16 ##### Genesis 2 - After God created the universe in Genesis 1 there is another account of the creation story in Genesis 2 that focuses on the human part of the story, specifically our ancestors. This version starts off by describing the Garden of Eden {Genesis 2.1-14} - Verse 15 says that God placed Adam in the garden to cultivate and keep it {Genesis 2.15} - Next, God set some boundaries for Adam - First - he could "eat freely" from every tree, including the tree of life, except ... {Genesis 2.16} Second - Adam must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or really bad stuff would happen, he would die {Genesis 2.17} - Next, God creates Eve {Genesis 2.21-23} - It must be acknowledged that Eve was not present when God gave Adam the instructions about eating and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil {Genesis 2.16-18} ##### Genesis 3 - Although it seems from Eve's response to the serpent that Adam must have said something to her about God's instructions it's clear she didn't communicate the truth to the serpent. To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing in scripture to indicate how well Adam instructed Eve on the rules or if Eve chose to mischaracterize things. Regardless, it seems that Adam was present when Eve took the bite and he failed to be a man and take action. {1-6} ##### Genesis 15 - After Abram's encounter with Melchizedek God appeared to him in a vision that he would have a child from which countless offspring would come. {Genesis 14.18-20, Genesis 15.4-5} ##### Genesis 16 - Sarai, Abram's wife came to him with a "solution" to her childlessness caused by God, and as the saying goes ... the rest is history ... and the primary motivation and subject of this study. ##### Summary - Much like Adam, Abram received his communication one-on-one with God. In neither case was the spouse present - In both cases, the men followed their wives and failed to be the leaders as created by God - Much like Eve, it seems Sarai's view of God was skewed toward an evil, selfish authoritarian figure. We are seeing similar things among the "Karen's" of this generation. - And just like Adam and Abram, too many of the men of today are listening to and following the Karen's rather than lead ### Genesis 16 #### 2026.07.04 {[[Genesis_16_Notes|6-13]]} - After Hagar got pregnant, Sarai treated her so poorly, that she ran away and an angel of the Lord came to her to discuss the matter {6-8} - The angel commanded Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her authority {9} - Next, the angel made several promises to Hagar the first of which was clearly made in first person. In other words, it was the angel who promised to multiply her offspring so that they would be too numerous to count. It would be tempting to think that the "angel of the Lord" was actually an "angel of Satan." However, that would require twisting a lot of scripture. In particular: {9-13} - Twice he was identified by his title "the angel of the Lord ([[H3068]])" {9, 11} - The angel mentioned that the Lord ([[H3068]]) had heard her cry of affliction {11} - Hagar gave a new name to the Lord ([[H3068]]): "You are the God ([[H0410]]) who sees me" {13} - Based on these references to the true God of Israel, there is every reason to believe that the angel was a messenger / representative of the Creator, the God of Israel. - Assuming the previous thoughts are correct, it as our Creator who meted out the multi-generational consequences for Abram's failure to lead his household {9-13} - The specific promises / consequences include {10-12} - God would greatly multiply her offspring so that they will be too numerous to count {10} - She would successfully give birth to a son and she was to name him Ishmael {11} - Then the angel prophesied several things about Ismael {12} - He would be a wild donkey of a man - His hand will be against everyone - Everyone's hand will be against him - He will live in hostility toward all his brothers ### Genesis 17 #### Date {20} ### Genesis 25 #### Date {12-16} ### Deuteronomy 24 #### 2026.06.27 [[Deuteronomy_24_Notes|{6, 10-13, 17, 19-22}]] - In verses 6-22, Moses writes about various additional laws that mostly have to do with the relationship between the more fortunate and the less so. - Three of the paragraphs discuss security for a debt - Don't take a person's means of livelihood (millstones) as security for a debt {6} - Don't go into a neighbor's house to collect the security, let him bring it out to you. If the borrower is poor and his "**only**" coat (cloak) was taken as security, it must be returned before sunset so he can sleep in his own cloak. Moses promised this act of kindness will be "credited to you as righteousness before the Lord your God." {10-13} - A widow's coat (cloak) shall not be taken as security {17} - In each of the last four paragraphs, Moses mentions three subgroups within those potentially less fortunate: foreigner, fatherless and widow - Moses said he was commanding the Israelites to make the applicable sacrifices - Because they were once slaves in Egypt and the Lord redeemed them {18, 22} - God may bless them {19} - Specific actions - Don't deny [[justice]] {17} - Three examples directed at farmers when harvesting their crops. They are to leave some of the crops behind for "the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow." {19-21} ### John 8 #### Date {37} ### Romans 8 #### Date {15, 21} ### Galatians 4 #### Data {21-31} ### Hebrews 13 #### Date {2} ## Other Notes ### Foreigner and Illegal Alien Defined #### 2026.06.27 - There are 92 occurrences of "ger" ([[H1616]]) in the OT which are translated variously: - Alien - Stranger - Sojourner - Foreigner - Immigrant - I consider Illegal Aliens a subset of foreigners since they are in fact foreigners