The accepted teaching amongst most (I'm addressing fellow Witnesses here) is that 'alien residents' were merely "beneficiaries" of the Law Covenant, but were not equal with natural Israelites. The Insight Book has this to say; " The Law covenant between Jehovah and the nation of natural Israel was made in the third month after their leaving Egypt, in 1513 B.C.E. (Ex 19:1) It was a national covenant. One born a natural Israelite was, by birth, in the Law covenant and was thus in this special relationship with Jehovah".
The Law Covenant which Jehovah concluded with the nation of Israel is spoken of in
Exodus 19. In verse 8 it says, "After that all the people answered unanimously and said: “All that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do.”
Notice, that all the people agreed; none were excluded. In Exodus 24:3, this is what occurred; "Then Moses came and related to the people all the words of Jehovah and all the judicial decisions, and all the people answered with one voice and said: “All the words that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do.” Again, ' all' the people answered with ' one' voice". No exemptions - and no divisions were made.
When Moses received the unanimous acceptance by
everyone present, he then proceeded to validate the covenant by means of a blood sacrifice. (Exodus 24:8) It can be seen from the previous verses that non-Israelites were included in the Law Covenant, and would be willing subjects to all of its terms and conditions, as well as its benefits. Nowherein the Hebrew Scriptures is there even an inference that non-Isaelites were excluded from any aspect of the Law Covenant.
It is claimed that exclusion from the
Kingship and the priesthood is 'proof' that 'alien residents' were not included in the Law Covenant.
The priesthood was limited to members of the tribe of Levi, and the kingship was through the tribe of Judah - and guess who was assimilated and accepted as full members of the tribe of Judah? Read on.
The final and largest nail in the "beneficiaries" coffin is this; two
non- Israelite women had a part in producing the promised 'seed', someone who would become the greatest king/priest ever known to mankind. Those women were Rahab & Ruth - a Canaanitess and a Moabitess. And which tribe did they become part of of? The kingly and Messianic tribe of Judah!!!
Use the Watchtower CD ROM, and type in the Search bar "alien resident". There are approximately 60 references to them.
Every single reference demonstrates that Jehovah viewed such ones as equal to those born "natural Israelites".
"Test the inspired expression".