Sermon – El Roi, The God Who Sees Me
Scripture - Genesis 16:1-11 “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)
So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.
The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.”
Introduction: The book of Genesis tells about different people who heard directly from God. God spoke face to face with Adam and Eve in the Garden. He spoke to Noah and gave him instructions about building the Ark. Then you can see how God spoke with Abram and made a Covenant with him.
In this lesson, we are going to look at Hagar, a woman who never thought God would take notice of her. Hagar was not an important person. She was not wealthy. She was not full of faith. In fact, her only claim to fame was that she ended up in the middle of a big, ugly, complicated, mess. Hagar, a displaced and mistreated slave, first called God "El Roi," meaning "The God Who Sees Me," in Genesis 16 after fleeing from Sarah's cruelty and feeling abandoned in the desert. God responded to her suffering, not her prayer, revealing Himself to her and giving her the assurance that He had seen her affliction. This encounter provided Hagar with strength and the knowledge that she was not alone, but rather seen, known, and understood by God.
Hagar’s story is not a pretty one. But we can learn some important lessons from her story in Genesis chapter 16. The story of Hagar teaches us that God does care for us: He heals our broken hearts, gives us an identity and a hope but also, God's promises are true and He will keep them. The story of Hagar reminds me that God cares for those who are broken, hurting, and suffering.
After ten years of futile waiting upon God, Sarah became convinced that she would never bare any children to Abraham. She opted for a last resort and followed the general custom of the day, which was adopted in similar circumstances. She asked her Egyptian servant Hagar to bear a son with her husband in surrogate fashion. According to the law, the child that Hagar bore for her mistress would eventually become Sarah’s. While Hagar was pregnant, she began to flaunt the advantage that she had over her mistress, resulting in tremendous tension between these two women. As a result, Hagar could not handle the conflict any longer; she fled into the desert where she was met by the angel of the Lord.
Think with me about her situation: She was away from her family. She was away from her friends. She was alone and without shelter, food, water, help, or sustenance. She had none of the things she needed. Then the Lord’s angel appeared to her and rescued her. There are two first in this text: This is the first time the term, “the Angel of the Lord” is used in Scripture. Normally, this term is associated with the appearances of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Secondly, Hagar refers to God as “Jehovah Roi” or the God who sees me. God reveals himself in a brand-new way, and Hagar, the least likely person receives a brand-new revelation of God. This is an indication that everyone is important to God and that God is not willing that any should perish. There are several lessons to be learned from this text.
The first thing we can learn is also the first thing Hagar learned. And that is, quite simply, that life is a struggle.
1. Life is a Struggle Genesis 16:1-6
Life is a struggle because it's unpredictable. Unfortunate circumstances may happen anytime and anywhere. No matter how old or young you may be. Most of all, life is a struggle because good things can't last forever. Memories fade over time and people weaken as they age. Struggle is the nature of life, and it enriches life. Acknowledging that life is a struggle prepares us to face life squarely and work and love realistically. What may be most overwhelming for us is the expectation that there should be no struggle in life or the farther we go, the easier it should be. No, settle it, life is a struggle!” Hopefully, it will be a long, fruitful, and rewarding struggle for us all.
Have you ever watched that old classic Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life? Most of the movie shows how Jimmy Stewart’s life was not so wonderful but then it has a happily ever after ending. Well, the story of Hagar is not a story of a Wonderful Life. And it doesn’t have a happy ending. That’s how it is with a lot of stories in the Bible and with a lot of our lives. The Bible doesn’t sugar-coat reality. Consider the following scriptures: Job 5:7 says, “Man is born into trouble as the sparks fly upward.”
Job 14:1 says “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.” Jesus said, in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation…” .
At its best, life can be a struggle. And no one would say Hagar had an easy life. For one thing, when Hagar was sold as a slave to Abraham’s household … far removed from her own country of Egypt. The good news is that Abram treated her well. God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would be as numberless as the stars. But now years came and went, and Sarah became desperate. She decided to choose a surrogate to have a child for Abraham. Back then, that was a common practice --- but it wasn’t God’s plan.
There’s plenty we could say about the mistake of Abraham and Sarah here. But this is Hagar’s story today, so let’s look at it from her perspective. Hagar had very little control over what happened to her. She was a slave. She was far away from family and friends. She may have thought her life was going to get better when she conceived a child --- but instead things got much worse. Hagar evidently decided that … since she was going to have Abraham’s child … she no longer had to show respect to Sarah. As you might expect, Sarah complained to Abraham about Hagar’s attitude. And, as you might expect, Abraham tried to stay out of the middle. Abraham told Sarah to handle it any way she wished. If only giftedness and humbleness came in the same package! The Bible describes the end result in one short, telling sentence, “Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so, she fled from her.”
If you ever feel like life is out of your control --- if your situation seems hopeless --- if you feel like no one understands, no one can help, and no one even cares --- then look at the story of Hagar. Hagar teaches us that life is a struggle for the privilege and the unprivileged, the haves and the have nots. Secondly, Hagar teaches us that God sees us in our struggles.
2. God Sees Us in our Struggles. Genesis 16:7 says The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.
Hagar was homeless, hungry, broke --- all alone and pregnant in a vast wilderness. She was a “nobody” with nothing to offer. Worst of all, the very people who should have helped her … Abraham and Sarah … the people who knew God … they were the ones who were hurting her. But God did not abandon Hagar. God went to her … right where she was. Notice how specific this verse is. God knew exactly where Hagar was, and He knew just the moment when she would be ready to listen to what He had to say. In your darkest moment, when your problem seems too ugly and twisted and complicated to solve, God sees you. God knows exactly where you are --- and He will come to you. Hagar didn’t expect it. Genesis 16:13 tells how she reacted: She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me."
Hagar gave God the name “El Roi” – the God who sees. This is the only time this Title is applied to God, and it came from a runaway slave who found herself in the middle of a hopeless, tangled mess. God sees your heartache. He sees your struggles. He understands your turmoil. God is there with you at your lowest point. He is your El Roi – He is the God who sees you. Of course, God does more than see you. God has the solution to all your struggles. .
3. God Has the Solution to our struggles. Genesis 16:8 He said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" And Hagar answered honestly: "I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.” Genesis 16:8. It doesn’t matter how tangled and messed up your life is, God knows the next step you need to take. In the case of Hagar, God started with a question: He said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" And Hagar answered honestly: "I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.” Genesis 16:8.
I like Peanuts cartoons. I remember one where Linus and Charlie Brown are chatting with one another. Linus says, "I don’t like to face problems head on. I think the best way to solve problems is to avoid them. In fact, this is a distinct philosophy of mine. No problem is so big or so complicated that it can’t be run away from!" .
A lot of people probably feel that way. If they don’t like their job, they want to quit. If their marriage is difficult, they want a divorce. If their parents are too strict, they want to sneak out of the house. Drugs and alcohol and gambling and even working or shopping --- can all be ways of running away. We usually run away because we don’t think there is any solution. Sadly. Even if we successfully run away from the problem, we cannot run away from ourselves. Like Hagar, we must answer the same questions: where have you come from, and where are you going? No matter where we have come from, God is trying to get us back where we belong. God is seeking a genuine relationship with all of him creation.
God always knows the changes we need to make. He knows exactly what will make things better … and He knows exactly what will make things worse. In Hagar’s case, the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." Genesis 16:9
4. God’s Solutions are Often Includes Redirection - Genesis 16:9 the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." We all need redirection at times because we struggle to see our blind spot and our part in our struggles. God’s solutions are often unpopular because they require us to humble ourselves. Humility requires us to admit that we might be wrong, or we don’t understand all the issues of the situation. Pride can keep us in the deserts of life. Consider the following Scriptures: Proverbs 11:2 “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” Proverbs 13:10 “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom. Proverbs 14:3 “In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 29:23 “A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”
Hagar was gifted, but proud. Hagar did part of what God told her to do. She did return to Sarah. But Hagar did not do ALL God told her to do. If she had truly submitted to Sarah, things would have gone a lot better for her. As it was, hatred grew between Hagar and Sarah. Eventually, Hagar and Ishmael had to leave the protection of Abraham’s home. They ended up back in the wilderness … in the same desperate situation Hagar was in before. (We’re still suffering the ramifications of all this in the Middle East today!)
Sarah was privileged but proud. She never allowed Hagar to forget that she was her servant, and she didn’t belong. Sarah views Hagar and her son as outsiders. Sarah confessed this boy cannot inherit with my son. Ishmael grew up with this attitude. He was proud of his strength, his age. After all he is the firstborn Son of Abraham. So, he made sport of his little brother until they were put out of the home. Abraham sends them away with a piece of bread and a bottle of water. A war began that day that still rages. We must beware of the pitfalls that come with giftedness, privilege and position. Some of us are fighting battle today that we did not start.
Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
I know all of us will agree that Life is a Struggle; God Sees our Struggles; God offers a Solution and God’s solution is Often Unpopular but necessary. Hagar’s story provides several take-aways. The main thing I want you to hear today is this: no problem is too big for our God. You will never hear God say, “I can’t see any solution to this big mess. Why don’t you just give up!” God knows exactly what you need to do to turn your problem around.
I’ve known people whose lives were completely transformed after they “Consulted” with God and followed His advice. On the other hand, I’ve met people who started out doing what God said. But then --- after things got better --- they decided they didn’t need God anymore. And --- like Hagar --- they ended up right back where they started. When you face difficulties in your life, are you aware that somewhere above you is the watchful eye of “El Roi,” the God who sees? Will you allow God to be your Consultant? Will you obey Him?
No matter how ugly or complicated or hopeless your situation seems, remember that God sees YOU. He will show you what to do --- step by step --- if only you will listen and obey.
Notice that Hagar believed that even though Abraham and Sarah were the covenantal parents of the people of God, yet He saw her, an individual, single Egyptian slave and loved her enough to provide a future for her. With all the odds against her she made a claim on the character of God whom she called El-Roi. God is no respecter of persons and because He created you, He certainly has provided a future for you. Receive encouragement from these scriptures, the Word of God His promises to you.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” .
Psalms 139:14, 15 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.”
2Chronicles 16:9a “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…”
Let’s keep trusting God in old age - even when life may become extremely difficult, concluding with death. These years may very well be our most challenging years. The God who sees is in charge of our lives. He appointed the aging process. Our older years are His years, and they are ordained for His purposes.
Psalms 92:14-15, “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Philippians 1:6 says, “He who began a good work in you will continue to perform it until it’s complete.” One translation says, “He will bring you to a flourishing finish.” Not a defeated finish where you barely make it. You’re going to come to a flourishing finish, a finish more rewarding than you ever imagined. Amen.
