God Sees

Genesis is the book of beginnings and the last section of the book: Genesis 12-50 covers the three key narratives of Genesis: The stories of Abraham, Jacob and Esau, and Joseph and his brothers.

There is striking similarities not only in the titles of these stories, but many of the episodes run in parallel to each other. I don’t have time to delve into that this morning - but perhaps someday we can explore that.

(Wenham, G. J. (2003). Exploring the Old Testament: The Pentateuch (Vol. 1). Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. p 36)

The story of Abraham is a fascinating one:

He is called by God to follow him in Gen. 12:1-3 the first recorded words God has spoken to man since the flood.

Abraham was cradled in a world of polytheism and idolatry.

His father, Terah, appropriately traveled from Ur to Haran, for both were ancient centers for the worship of the moon god Sin.

Genesis does not even record as directly and plainly as does Acts 7:2 that God appeared to Abraham when “he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran”

In a sense, then, God’s voice comes to Abraham without warning.

The patriarch is perceptive enough to recognize that voice the first time he hears it.

Not only is he perceptive enough to hear, but also he is wise enough to obey: “So Abram went, as the LORD had told him” (12:4 NRSV).

Abraham’s adventure is made even more risky because he is merely pointed in the right direction by that voice, given only a minimum of directions and explanations: “Go … to the land I will show you” (12:1 NRSV). The direction is plain, but the destination is unknown. (Handbook on the Pentateuch (Abraham, Man of Faith, P 92-93)

He is promised four things

Land

numerous descendants (‘a great nation’)

A blessing, that is protection and success

blessing of the nations.

These promises are not simply repetitious - each statement of the promises develops them in some way - either by increasing their scope or underlining their validity (Wenham, p 40)

These promises are also often reaffirmed after an act of faith or obedience on Abraham’s part .

We also see that the promises are shown to be interestingly unique - some happen instantly - the protection, the blessing

But the promise of children faces an interesting delay and setback.

The first thing we learn about Abraham’s wife Sarah is that she is childless (Gen 11:30)

Abraham is then promised descendants (Gen 12:2)

Ten years pass and nothing happens (Gen 16:3)

So they try for a child by surrogate marriage - which is successful - and we see some of the fall out from that decision in our reading

Another 14 years go by and still Sarah has no child (Gen 17:1)

She is 91 when Isaac was born - the promise took years and years for fulfillment - but it wasn’t because God wasn’t paying attention or powerful enough, or had failed - it was that we have to trust God and God’s timing - because GOD SEES.

That is what we find dawning upon Hagar The Egyptian -

Chrysostom conjectured that she was given to Abram by Pharaoh when he was in Egypt (Gen 12:16)

Hagar’s name means “stranger or sojouner” She became Sarai’s maid and then in this story had become the surrogate mother of man’s attempt to fulfill the promise of God.

God’s promises stand on their own - they do not need to be caused to come to pass by humanity -

But God used this incident and brought about great nations through this child.

So Hagar - this stranger, this sojourner was also the surrogate

After Hagar conceives Sarai began to feel disrespected by Hagar and Gen 16:6 says she dealt hardly with her - she afflicted her - may have even brought stripes upon her.

Whatever Sarai did to Hagar - it was so much that Hagar felt as though she could not stay in those circumstances at all

So she begins to run - presumably back to Egypt as she is found on the road from Hebron to Egypt.

I love Gen 16:7 “And the angel of the LORD found her...”

Oh that was not an accident - This angel of the LORD” did not just stumble upon Hagar

That word “found” means to reach, or even better to succeed in reaching.

Just as the Lord sought Adam and Eve after the fall (Gen 3:9) the Lord seeks for Hagar - a stranger and sojourner. The underdog, the one who is an outcast, a refugee, the one on the run, and yet God doesn’t just say “Oh well, she will never make it, but I don’t know where she is”

No God said, “I will seek her” “I will find her”

Francis Thompson wrote that beautiful and moving poem The Hound of Heaven

talking about how “I fled Him” but “He pursued me”

Hagar thought she was alone, unseen, unheard, unknown, a stranger and a sojourner.

And yet the “angel of the LORD” found her - that means He knew her, he knew her situation, he knew her need, and he sought her, he pursued her.

This is the first time the “Angel of the LORD” is mentioned in the Bible. I love that it is to Hagar, a nobody, without any rights, help, hope, or chance of survival. Rejected, dejected, discouraged, depressed, giving up on her situation -

But this nobody becomes a somebody - the first person to be visited by the angel of the LORD

Many suggest and the evidence from scripture would agree - that the angel of the LORD was the pre-incarnate Christ. That it is what we call a Christophany - if that is what this is - and that seems to be what the text indicates - God himself steps down from heaven and walks along the road to a fountain in the way to Shur just to talk to Hagar

the nobody becomes somebody God has had his eye on all along

We may feel that we are alone and forgotten, forsaken, a has been,

But God doesn’t have any has beens

I love the song the Bible School Quartet sang last week:

There are no strangers, there are no outcasts There are no orphans of God So many fallen, but Hallelujah There are no orphans of God

Hagar is so moved by this visit by the angel of the LORD that she gives us a new name for God:

El Roi ~El-Oh-EE~ meaning The God who sees me or God of seeing

And look at all that God knew about her already. He knows things that have happened, what she needs to do next, and what is going to happen.

What she needs to do- Genesis 16:9 “9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.”

What is going on - Gen 16:11 “thou art with child…the LORD hath heard thy affliction”

What will happen - Gen 16:10-12 “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, it shall not be numbered for multitude” “thou shalt bear a son and call his name Ishmael…he will be a wild man, his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”

I want to tell you this morning - no matter where you are we have a SEEING GOD - He sees you - He knows what you are going through

He sees your pain

He sees your struggles

He sees your loneliness

He sees your spiritual failings and successes

He sees your prayers, devotion, good works, service, sacrifice, offerings, whether anyone else does or not

He is a God who sees right where you are - and is able to help you right where you are.