Mike,

I am trying to understand naturally and spiritually why a distinction is made in Deuteronomy here between the Israel and the stranger in the gates. Israel is commanded not to eat of that which dies of itself, but it is okay to give or sell to the stranger in the gates. In Lev 17:15 the thing that dies to itself is considered unclean. The stranger is permitted to eat what Israel is not, but the stranger that dwelleth is suppose to be considered as one born among Israel. Seems contradictory to give that which dies of itself to a stranger in the gates when one would not give it to an Israelite. Maybe the difference is in stranger simply in the gates vs stranger that sojourneth or stranger that dwelleth.

Deu 14:21 Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk.
Exo 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 
Exo 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Lev 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 17:15 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall be unclean until the even: both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and then shall he be clean.

The more I looked into it, there does appear to be a difference between a stranger simply in the gates vs. a stranger that dwelleth/ sojourns (same Hebrew word). Also, the stranger that does not sojourn is oft mentioned with Levites, fatherless and widows relating to not having an inheritance or not have a head of household to provide.

Thanks,
D____

Hi D____,
It is so good to hear from you. You ask:

Why [ is] a distinction made in Deuteronomy here between the Israel and the stranger in the gates? Israel is commanded not to eat of that which dies of itself, but it is okay to give or sell to the stranger in the gates. In Lev 17:15, the thing that dies to itself is considered unclean. The stranger is permitted to eat what Israel is not, but the stranger that dwelleth is suppose to be considered as one born among Israel. Seems contradictory to give that which dies of itself to a stranger in the gates when one would not give it to an Israelite. Maybe the difference is in stranger simply in the gates vs. stranger that sojourns or stranger that dwelleth?

You notice in your next e- mail that there is a difference between a stranger who sojourns or dwells with you, and a stranger in thy gates. You are right, there definitely is a vast difference. A stranger who sojourns with you, and a stranger that dwells with you, are one and the same. They are essentially proselytes who have converted to the laws of Israel and want to become an Israelite. There is to be no discrimination towards a convert and a free born Israelite. They are both one Israelite, and there is one law for both.

Exo 12:49  One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

The word stranger means an outsider who has no interest in converting or changing his ways and being assimilated into Israel and Israel’s laws. As a convert we may not be native Israelites, but we are to be considered as such. Here is the law as it concerns a convert.

Exo 23:9  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Israel had lived in Egypt for nearly 400 years, and the Egyptians still did not consider the Israelites to be Egyptians with “one law for both him that is ‘homeborn’, and… the stranger that sojourns among you.” That was a big mistake on the part of the Egyptians, and God wants His nation to be careful never to make the same mistakes that the Egyptians made. Here it is again in even clearer language:

Lev 19:34  But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

A “stranger that dwells with you” is a stranger who should no longer be considered a stranger, but “as one born among you.”
Giving and selling that which dies of itself to the stranger that is within your gates is just spiritual type and shadow for these New Testament words:

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

If we “give not that which is holy to the dogs”, and we “cast not our pearls before swine,” then this is what we are doing:

Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

The Levites who were not priests were themselves counted by God as being unworthy to handle the holy implements of the temple. If the priests allowed a Levite who was not a priest to touch the holy things, then the priest and the Levite were both to be put to death.
Read the series on The Temple, The Court and The Camp on iswasandwillbe. com All of these things, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs; He which is filthy, let him be filthy still; Let not a Levite who is not a priest touch the holy things, and sell that which is unclean to the stranger that is in your gates, is all saying one and the same thing, and that one and the same thing is that God’s elect are never under any circumstance to ever allow the Truths with which they have been entrusted to be contaminated by that which is not Truth. They are not to allow that which is holy to be contaminated by that which is not holy. Let the stranger that is in your gates have the unclean, but see that you “touch not the unclean thing, and I will be your God…”
I hope this has helped you to understand that “we brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise,” and that these promises made to Israel are really made to you and to me if we are in Christ.

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2Co 6:15  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

You have hit the nail on the head with this statement:

The more I looked into it, there does appear to be a difference between a stranger simply in the gates vs a stranger that dwelleth/ sojourns (same hebrew word). Also, the stranger that does not sojourn is oft mentioned with Levites, fatherless, and widows relating to not having an inheritance or not have a head of household to provide.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike