People On The Move
At this time in history, more people are on the move in the global diaspora than ever before. God is moving millions of people from unreached people groups from Gospel-deprived and restricted areas to places where they have more access to believers. Furthermore, God is moving vibrant communities of believers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to North America and Europe. In doing so, we are seeing a revitalization of faith in these areas. The recent changes to immigration funding and processes in America have caused many people to think deeply about the movement of people. In this article, we want to look at two specific reasons people may be on the move.
Today, people continue to be on the move due to their own sins, their ancestors' sins, or their oppressors' sins. However, God remains steadfast, exercising judgment while extending His grace, sometimes even moving people as a direct work of His grace. As Paul emphasizes in Acts 17:26-28, God determines the times and boundaries of people's dwelling places, creating opportunities for them to seek Him and find salvation. Even those who find themselves displaced and scattered have the chance to embrace God's offer of redemption.
Reason 1: People on the Move Because of Sin
Very early in Genesis, we see people on the move because of sin. Along the way, we see beautiful glimpses of God’s grace. Let’s look at three examples.
Cain - Adam and Eve had two sons named Cain and Abel. They both brought an offering to the Lord, but the Lord rejected Cain’s offering. Cain became angry and killed Abel. As a punishment, God declared that Cain would work the ground and have no crops to show for it, and he would be dispersed and wander over all the earth.
Because of his sin, Cain received punishment and was sent out into the diaspora. However, God again was gracious and gave Cain a mark so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden (Genesis 4:1-16).
Noah - During the time of Noah, the earth was corrupt and full of violence. God decided to bring judgment because of the sins of the people. By God’s grace, Noah walked faithfully with God and was found to be an agent of grace to save humanity. God directed Noah to build a boat and fill it with two of every kind of bird, every kind of animal, and every kind of creature. God brought the great flood.
As the boat settled, Noah, his family, and all the animals landed on dry land. God reestablished the mandate to be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it just as he had directed Adam and Eve. Noah’s descendants were sent into the world to fill the earth with God’s image.
Tower of Babel - Noah’s descendants didn’t wholly follow the mandate of God to multiply across all the earth. They only went as far as the plains of Shinar. There, they built for themselves a city and a tower to reach heaven. They wanted to make a name for themselves rather than making the glory of God known across the world.
God confused their languages, so they could no longer understand each other. They were dispersed over the face of the whole world each according to their own language groups. Once again, God’s image bearers were on the move to reflect God’s glory in all the world.
Despite the work of sinful people, God consistently moves people and works to make His name great worldwide and among all nations.
Reason 2 - People on the Move by God’s Grace
In addition to people moving because of sin, we also see God move people to extend grace to many, not as a response to sin, but by His grace alone.
Abram (later called Abraham), from the very beginning, was a man on the move. Before his encounter with the living God, his family was moving from Ur to Harran. His family settled in Harran, and it would be understandable that they would want to stay there. However, God appeared to Abram and told him to leave his family and land. God didn’t tell him where he was going but simply told him that He would show him.
In the context of his dispersion from his family and land, God promised that all peoples on earth would be blessed through Abram. God promised that Abram would be a great nation and have a great name. Abram set out as God had told him. He traveled to Shechem, and God revealed that He would give the land to Abram’s offspring. It must have been clear that this land wasn’t for Abram, because he kept on moving. Abram’s travel, adventures, sins, and family conflicts are recorded throughout Genesis 12-14. One major theme in Scripture throughout this narrative is that Abram had no children. Both Abram and his wife Sarai were beyond average childbearing age. So, how could Abram's family be a blessing if he didn’t have a son?
In Genesis 15, God appeared to Abram in a vision. God promised Abram a son, a child of his own flesh and blood. This is, again, a picture of God’s grace. This child was part of God’s plan. We learn that God saw Abram as righteous, not because of his works, but because he believed the Lord. Abram’s faith had feet. He believed in the Lord, but his belief led to obedience to the Lord.
If you zoom out from the Genesis account, we see that God dispersed a man from his family and land. This man was the seed of God’s promise for the entire world. A sojourner, a diaspora person, was the recipient of God’s grace but was also the vehicle for God’s grace to reach all the peoples of the world. The writer of Hebrews, looking back and interpreting the life of Abraham, said this: “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going… And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore” (Hebrews 11:8,12).
God blessed Abraham to be a blessing to the nations. Even though there were trials, hardships, bad decisions, and death, God was working amid the movement of His people.
Today, many Christians from Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist majority countries are on the move because of persecution. They have a vibrant and tested faith. They believe in the promises of God. The global church, especially the church in the West, can be stretched, strengthened, and revitalized by the diversity and zeal of our brothers and sisters on the move.
One more example: Joseph
God's promises to Abraham are weaved in the fabric of history, each holding profound significance. First, a mighty nation would emerge from his descendants. Second, he would be incredibly blessed. Third, his name would become famous. Finally, his legacy would bless the entire world. Genesis unfolds these promises, painting a canvas of partial fulfillment. Some of these promises (but not all of them) come to fulfillment in the story of Joseph. A tapestry of "all the world" was sustained by Joseph's careful management of food (Genesis 41:57).
Joseph's saga, spanning Genesis 37-50, emerges as a treasured gem among Old Testament characters. Let’s look at this providential tapestry woven by God, orchestrating Joseph's path and molding him to bless the nations, even within the crucible of adversity.
God initiated the movement of Joseph. God had given Joseph dreams of being a leader over his parents and brothers. These dreams ignited fury within his brothers, culminating in a plot to kill him. Yet, their scheme twisted, leading to his enslavement and sale to a traveling caravan. Subsequently, he was traded to Potiphar in Egypt. Banished from his family and land, not due to his sin but by his brothers' envy, Joseph's life took a new course, guided by the hands of God.
Egypt became the backdrop of Joseph's saga, where he faced divine blessings and challenges. He was in slavery for years, but because of God’s presence with Joseph, he was promoted to second-in-command of Egypt and took charge of preparation for the coming famine. God moved Joseph into a timely position. God was with Joseph during his struggles but didn’t remove Joseph from them.
In hindsight, Joseph grasped his purpose. The challenges, once obscure, unveiled a grand tapestry where good emerged from evil, saving multitudes (Genesis 50:20).
Many in the diaspora today face tremendous challenges. They flee persecution, natural disasters, and political or economic upheaval. On their journey, they are in refugee camps, face famine, and endure dangerous travel to escape even worse situations. When they arrive in their new home, they are foreigners unaware of the local language and customs.
From the perspective of the cross, we see that Jesus is the complete fulfillment of all of God’s promises. Still, seeing Joseph as a type or foreshadowing of Christ is unique and provides an interesting perspective for those in the diaspora today. Perhaps God is still moving people today for the salvation of many.
The symphony of God's promises reverberates through history, weaving tales of resilience, faith, and redemption. Amidst adversity, divine providence thrives, igniting the flame of purpose even in the darkest hours. Just as Joseph's journey unfolded against uncertainty, today's diaspora may find solace in their trials, embracing the possibility that God's unseen hand is orchestrating their story for a greater purpose – the salvation of countless souls.
Editor’s Note: This post was adapted from a portion of a Bible reading plan, which you can find here: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/40002-diaspora-people-on-the-move-god-at-work