What Does the Bible Say About Prejudice? Sample

Day 1 - God’s plan from the beginning

From the beginning, God establishes his justice as impartial and his desire for all people to know him.

In the ancient world, civilizations told stories about the creation of the world. Most said that the earth was created in epic battles between gods, and many of these tales were set up to justify a god-king or elite ruling class.

In contrast, the creation account in Genesis demonstrates God’s absolute power and establishes the dignity of all humans (Genesis 1:27). This means that all nations (ethnicities), cultures, and peoples with all shades of skin color descended from Adam and Eve and are therefore created in the image of God (Acts 17:22–31).

In God’s covenant with Abraham, he was told that his descendants would bless other peoples, as God blessed them (Genesis 12:2). Abraham’s descendants would eventually form Israel.

In the covenant with Israel after God leads them out of Egypt, God says, “You shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5–6).

As God later affirms through Isaiah, Israel was meant to be a light to other nations as God’s chosen people (Isaiah 42:6). Israel was supposed to be a whole nation of priests, leading other nations to God.

Though the laws for Israel were meant to separate them from the surrounding culture’s influence, God’s law also clearly tells them to welcome immigrants with impartiality (Leviticus 19:33–34; Deuteronomy 27:19).

For example, the book of Ruth highlights an immigrant’s story, providing a beautiful redemption narrative. Ruth, a widowed Moabite, travels to Judah with her mother-in-law. Through her in-law’s family connections, she marries Boaz, a Jewish man of integrity and character.

The gospel of Matthew takes great pains in Jesus’ genealogy to show that at least three Gentile figures are part of his lineage: Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth (Matthew 1).

God’s plan from the beginning included establishing the value and dignity of every human being, created in his image. He chose Israel to be a nation of priests to spread God’s word.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way very often.

Reflect

Reflect on different stories in Scripture where hypocrisy and prejudice might come into play.

Did Israel do a particularly good job at being a light for other nations?

Why is it important to realize that all people are made in God’s image? What does that mean for believers?

Reflect on what all of this says about God’s character, that the plan was for his Word to spread to all nationalities.