El Roi "The Strong One Who Sees" Part 2 Series

Purpose: To open our minds to God's total awareness of everything.

Aim: I want the listener to live every moment aware of God's presence.

INTRODUCTION: Abram and Sarai had been following the Lord for ten years now and they had learned a lot about living by faith. God promised that they would have a son, but He did not say WHEN they would have a son or HOW they would have a son. Ten years was as long as Sarai wanted to wait for a son so she gave her slave girl Hagar to her husband in hopes that they could have a son through her.

Hagar got pregnant pretty quickly, but that just started trouble. The pregnancy caused a lot of animosity between Hagar and Sarai. Hagar began looking down her nose at Sarai because she could get pregnant and Sarai couldn't. Sarai got very angry; partly perhaps, it was now obvious that she, not Abram, was the reason they hadn't had a child.

The animosity between those two women became so heated that Hagar ran away and headed for home. In order to reach Egypt she had to cross a treacherous desert.

Somewhere out in the wilderness God appears to Hagar at a well and challenges her to return to Sarai and submit to her and then promises that she would have a son who would be the father of a great people. Today we call them Arabs.

Hagar obeys and worships God as El Roi: "The Strong One who Sees."

What an amazing thing that God would pursue a poor slave girl. But, this is not the only time that God chose to bless the most unlikely of people. In the NT we read about another time that the Lord found a woman at a well who was also despised and rejected. We find that story it in John chapter four. Neither of these women were Jews or had a high standing in society and yet God appeared them both. What a testimony to the tender grace of God.

Those are not the only surprising examples of God's amazing grace in the Bible. Rahab was a Gentile prostitute who protected the Jewish spies in Jericho. She and her family were the ONLY ones that God kept alive when Jericho was defeated and later we learn that she was included in the royal line of the Messiah. Rahab is even mentioned the great hall of fame of faith in: Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace. (NAU)

"Four women are mentioned in Matthew's list of Christ's ancestors. One was Tamar, who tricked Judah and became pregnant by her father-in-law. The second is Rahab, who in her life before becoming a member of the Old Testament community of faith was a pagan who probably engaged in commercial prostitution. The third is Ruth, a Moabitess and not an Israelite at all. And the fourth is Bathsheba, whom David raped and later married." [1]

"We are in reality--just what we are before God--nothing less, nothing more." [2]

REVIEW:

Vs.13 I. What does the Name El Roi mean? "a God who sees"

A. God is all powerful "El"

B. God is all seeing "Roi"

Vs.1-7 II. El Roi Sees us when we are Rejected "the angel of the LORD found her"

Vs.8a III. El Roi Sees us as we Really are "Hagar, servant of Sarai"

Vs.8b-11 IV. El Roi Sees us as Individuals "where are you going?"

Vs.9 V. El Roi Sees what is best for us "Go back...submit to her"

Vs.10-12,14-16 VI. El Roi Sees the Future "I will...you will"

Vs.13 VII. El Roi is our Savior "the LORD"

VIII. What Should the Name El Roi Teach us?

A. All our sin is committed in full view of the I AM

LESSON:

B. In our most painful trials we can have an intimate encounter with God

"Hagar was a victim of circumstances beyond her control. She was away from her homeland and family. She had no one on her side. She had no choice in being used by an old man to produce an heir. She had nowhere to turn for refuge from her harsh and jealous mistress. While Hagar's attitude certainly contributed to her harsh treatment, one wonders whether Hagar would have been treated any better even if she had felt honored to be a surrogate for Sarah.

In spite of all the factors which robbed Hagar of control of her own life, and there were many, Hagar did respond in faith and with obedience to God." [3]

There are many modern day Hagars who feel all alone, weak, and vulnerable. Maybe you are one of them. But, in the midst of our desert experiences God is there.