In the Eyes of the Divine: Being Overtaken by Mercy

Preliminary:

Invite to Genesis 16

Read: Genesis 16:7-14

Genesis 16:7–14 KJV 1900

7 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. 10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. 12 And 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. 13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

Introduction

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.

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.

Hagar lived in the tent of Abraham, a place where the light of God shone brightly.

Yet, despite being around Abraham’s faith, Hagar hadn’t personally encountered God until her life fell apart.

This resonates with many of us who may have been close to God’s Word without ever experiencing His voice personally.

Like Hagar, some might need to hit a place of loneliness or despair before realizing that God knows us personally and is calling us to Himself.

I. God’s Surprising Timing in Mercy

Genesis 16:7 “And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.”

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”

God met Hagar at an unexpected time, when her heart was filled with bitterness and hopelessness. She was running away, feeling wronged and hurt, but God found her there.

Application: God’s mercy often finds us in our lowest moments when we feel most defeated.

Like Hagar, some may be sitting by their own "desert well" right now, bitter and feeling isolated, but God’s love reaches us even then.

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.

Illustration:

I love the song by Lauren Daigle

You are not hidden There's never been a moment You were forgotten You are not hopeless Though you have been broken Your innocence stolen

I hear you whisper underneath your breath I hear your SOS, your SOS

I will send out an army to find you In the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you

There is no distance That cannot be covered Over and over You're not defenseless I'll be your shelter I'll be your armor

I hear you whisper underneath your breath I hear your SOS, your SOS

I will send out an army to find you In the middle of the darkest night It's true, I will rescue you I will never stop marching to reach you In the middle of the hardest fight It's true, I will rescue you

Many people feel abandoned by friends or family and may be tempted to run from everything they know. Yet, God’s timing is perfect, and He meets us right in those moments to turn us back toward hope.

Transition: God’s mercy doesn’t depend on us being in a good place—it finds us in our desert places, as it found Hagar.

II. God’s Direct Questions: “Where Are You Coming From, and Where Are You Going?”

Genesis 16:8 “8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

God’s angel speaks to Hagar by name and asks her probing questions, showing He knows her situation fully and wants her to consider her path.

First, the question “Where are you coming from?” calls Hagar to pause and examine her past—her painful experiences, her struggles, and the brokenness that led her to flee. Remember, Hagar was an Egyptian servant, a foreigner in Abraham and Sarah's household, used for a purpose she didn’t choose and then cast out because of strife and jealousy. God doesn’t ask this question to condemn her or to remind her of her lowly status, but to show that He sees her pain. In a single question, God recognizes the entirety of her suffering, as if to say, "I know every tear you have shed." Just as He acknowledged the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, He sees Hagar's plight and enters into her story.

Second, “Where are you going?” shifts the focus forward. Up to this point, Hagar’s life seems to have been largely dictated by others—her life controlled by her position, her duty, her pregnancy, and now her rejection. But this question hints at something greater. God’s messenger is asking her to consider her future, not through the lens of her rejection, but through the lens of God’s provision and plan. It is as if the angel is saying, “Hagar, I know the path you’ve walked, but you have a purpose that extends beyond your current pain.”

Through these questions, God is guiding Hagar into a transformative encounter. He’s not merely helping her to return to Abraham’s household; He’s inviting her to live in light of His promises, including the promise that her own son, Ishmael, will become a great nation. He’s saying, “Hagar, I am here with you in the desert. Trust in Me, for I hold your future.”

These questions reveal that God does not only care about His covenant people, but also the outcast, the foreigner, and the broken-hearted. And in this encounter, Hagar receives a new understanding of God, calling Him “El Roi,” the “God who sees me.” Her story becomes a testimony that when we face our own deserts, God is not distant—He is near, asking us, “Where have you been? And where are you going?” May we take comfort in knowing that God does not turn a blind eye to our struggles; instead, He meets us right in our wilderness, offering guidance, hope, and a future we could never have imagined on our own.

Challenge: Ask yourself, “Where am I coming from? Where am I going?” If you’re moving away from God, consider this an invitation to stop, listen, and turn back to Him.

Transition: When Hagar realizes that God sees her and knows her pain, it transforms her life. She recognizes she is not alone.

III. Hagar’s Discovery: “God Sees Me”

Genesis 16:13 “13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”

Point: Hagar’s encounter leads her to declare God as “El Roi,” the God who sees. She realizes that God’s eyes have been on her all along, even when she felt most invisible.

- **Application:** Like Hagar, we may feel ignored by others or unnoticed, but God sees us fully. This truth gives us strength to face our troubles because we know we are not alone.

The song by the McCraes a few years ago talks of this:

He counts the stars one and all He knows how much sand is on the shores He sees every sparrow that falls He made the mountains and the seas He's in control of everything Of all creatures great and small And He knows my name Every step that I take Every move that I make Every tear that I cry He knows my name When I'm overwhelmed by the pain And can't see the light of day I know I'll be just fine 'Cause He knows my name

- **Illustration:** Just as Hagar’s encounter empowered her to return and endure her challenges, we, too, can face our hardships differently when we understand that God knows us intimately and cares about our suffering.

**Encouragement:** Knowing that God sees us should inspire us to trust Him more. We can have hope because His eyes are always on us, offering grace and strength.

Conclusion: God’s Call to Us Today

The story of Hagar reveals that God’s love reaches out even to those who feel most forsaken. He sees us, knows us, and calls us by name. Just as He gave Hagar a future and a promise, He extends that same invitation to us today.

**Closing Challenge:** Consider where you are right now. Are you feeling isolated, defeated, or overlooked? Know that God sees you and is calling you to experience His love and grace. Respond to His call, just as Hagar did, and experience the power of His merciful presence.

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