THE GOD WHO SEES
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THE GOD WHO SEES
THE GOD WHO SEES
7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”
10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”
11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Life can be a struggle.
All of us here today know that to be true.
All of us at some time or another have had difficult & hard times.
2. Hard times come to us in different ways.
Financial problems - maybe the economy takes a downturn…or maybe you lose your job.
Health issues - Diseases such as cancer, heart problems or accident related issues strike us or a loved one when we least expect it.
Catastrophes - natural disasters such as storms/hurricanes can strike & cause loss & suffering.
Relational conflicts - things go wrong at times in our relationships with those close to us…the marriage struggles or ends…children get into trouble with drugs or develop acting-out issues…someone you care about dies an untimely death.
3. The list could go on & on…There is no limit to the struggles that we experience in life.
And when hard times come, we feel overwhelmed…and can’t think past the next day.
We may even get discouraged or depressed.
4. As believers…hard times affect us just as they do everyone else.
And when hard times come to us - the question that we often ask is this - WHERE IS GOD?
Our hard times leads us to believe that God has forgotten us or left us alone.
When our prayers aren’t being answered…or our needs aren’t being met…it’s easy to ask the question - WHERE IS GOD WHEN I NEED HIM?
NOTE: It’s difficult to feel abandoned by God.
And all of us have felt that way at one time or another.
That’s how Hagar must have felt when she fled from Sarai. Things had seemed to look up for a brief moment. Her lowly status as a servant had changed when Abram, according to the custom of the day, had taken her to produce a child on behalf of the barren Sarai. But when Hagar became pregnant, she communicated an air of superiority toward Sarai, who then mistreated her. Finally, things got so bad that Hagar took off in the direction of her homeland, out through the desert. It was a dangerous thing for a woman to do. She could have been abused or taken captive by nomadic traders. Being pregnant, she could have lost her baby from the rigors of traveling in that rugged terrain. Having had to escape, probably in the night, she would have had few supplies. But somehow she made it to a spring of water in the desert and sat down exhausted.
5. That’s how Hagar must have felt when she fled from Sarai.
Things had seemed to look up for a brief moment.
Her lowly status as a servant had changed when Abram, according to the custom of the day, had taken her to produce a child on behalf of the barren Sarai.
But when Hagar became pregnant, she communicated an air of superiority toward Sarai, who then mistreated her.
Finally, things got so bad that Hagar took off in the direction of her homeland, out through the desert.
It was a dangerous thing for a woman to do...She could have been abused or taken captive by nomadic traders.
Being pregnant, she could have lost the baby from traveling in that rugged terrain.
Having had to escape, probably in the night, she would have had few supplies...But somehow she made it to a spring of water in the desert and sat down exhausted.
6. Hagar knew about Abram’s God, the living and true God.
And she must have wondered if that God knew or cared about her situation.
In her mind, her future was uncertain & her past too painful to think about.
She must have felt abandoned by everyone on earth and even forgotten by God in heaven.
7. It’s in that context that we read, “The angel of the Lord found her” (16:7).
This a beautiful picture of the compassion of our God about this poor, confused servant girl!
The angel tells her what to do and then promises that he will multiply her descendants through the child she is carrying.
Hagar, encouraged and amazed by this experience, gives a new name to God--”El Roi,” “the God who sees.”
8. I believe that this story will be an encouragement to you if you are suffering and feel that God has abandoned you.
NOTE: He hasn’t forgotten you...He sees your affliction.
And because He sees your affliction, you can see His mercy.
9. So, this morning I want to share with you 3 thoughts from this passage.
1) GOD SEES OUR STRUGGLES (V 7, 13)
1) GOD SEES OUR STRUGGLES (V 7, 13)
Gen. 1
7 Now the angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
Gen. 16:
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”
14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees”; for she said, “Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
1. God saw Hagar’s struggle: “The angel of the Lord found her....”
That’s encouraging to me.
The Good Shepherd went looking for her & found her.
NOTE: Our God is a seeking God!
We may think that we found Him, but the reality is, He found us.
We were lost and confused, wandering away from Him…but He came looking and found us!
tells us that Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost.
And it’s our sinful pride that keeps us from seeing our true condition: We are lost & we need saving.
But the good news is, no one, not even a lowly Egyptian servant girl, is too lost in God’s sight.
Just as He found Hagar…He found you & me.
The angel of the Lord found Hagar!
2. But who is this angel of the Lord?
There is debate among scholars, but I believe that it’s the Lord Jesus Christ in a preincarnate appearance.
In verse 13 it is stated that it was the Lord who spoke to Hagar.
So Hagar was found by and was speaking to the Lord Jesus Christ!
NOTE: Hagar could flee from the presence of Sarai, but she couldn’t flee from the presence of the Lord.
You can try to run from difficult circumstances, but you can’t hide from God.
He sees where you are & He sees your struggles & affliction.
NOTE: God sees you as if there were not another creature in His universe.
Those are good questions to ask yourself when you’re in a difficult situation: Where have you come from? Did God allow that trial for some reason? Where are you going? Did you seek His permission to run? Our real need in a bad situation is not to escape, but to seek and to submit to the Lord.
Try to wrap your mind around that for a moment.
If I try to see each of you, I am forced to look at one person at a time…but God can see all things at the same time and still give each person His full attention!
NOTE: Also, when God sees you, He doesn’t just see what you are wearing, where you are going or the expression on your face.
He sees you entirely, completely, inside & out...at the same time.
He knows every thought, every imagination, even before they are formed in the mind.
As you move through this life, your God sees you completely, perfectly and thoroughly.
3. The word “sees” in verse 13 is a present tense verb.
This means that God sees and He always sees.
This means there is never a moment when He isn’t aware of what’s going on in our lives.
NOTE: Others may not be aware of you struggles…but God knows.
So, when others are gone...when the door is closed...when darkness has enveloped us and when we think we are all alone, the eyes of Almighty God see us still.
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
4 Doesn’t he see everything I do and every step I take?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.
; ; .
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”—
12 even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.
; .
15 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, And their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”
24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.
.
You will never get away from His watchful eye.
The God who sees…sees our struggles.
2) GOD OFFERS A SOLUTION (V 8-9)
2) GOD OFFERS A SOLUTION (V 8-9)
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”
8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”
1. It doesn’t matter how tangled and messed up your life is, God knows the next step you need to take.
With 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.”
2. Just like Hagar, we usually try to run away from our problems because we don’t think there’s a solution.
But I can promise you that God has a solution for our struggles.
NOTE: 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.
3. The angel of the Lord tells Hagar to go back & submit to Sarai.
I can imagine what Hagar was thinking - Lord, don’t you know how I’ve been mistreated? Don’t you know how bad it is?
This solution to go back & submit to Sarai wasn’t what Hagar wanted to hear.
NOTE: The solution that God gives to us in our time of trial or hardship may not be want to hear.
In fact, the solution that God often gives us goes against what is natural for us.
Hear me - God’s solution may not be easy…but it’s always best to obey God.
4. Submit is a dirty word in our day.
4. Hagar had to go submit to Sarai…but first it involved submitting to God.
Submit is a dirty word in our day.
We Americans have a history of not submitting to anyone who oppresses us.
If we’re treated unfairly or harshly, we stand up for our rights.
The very word, “submit,” makes us mad.
But the Lord, who made us and who knows our real need, says, “Your number one need in a time of trial is to learn to submit to Me.
NOTE: Your number one need in a time of trial is to humble yourself & submit to God.
He is in control of the circumstances…and He cares for you.
He cares for you so don’t doubt His love.
Therefore, submit to Him & do what He asks you to do…even though it may be difficult to do it.
There are lessons which our rebellious nature cannot learn except by submitting to God in trials, even when we’re being treated wrongly or unfairly.
(Illus. Maybe God is saying to you that you need to forgive the person that hurt you…Or maybe He is saying that you need to trust Him with your finances by starting to give to His work.
NOTE: Some people never grow in the Lord because they have a habit of running from difficult situations where He has put them for their training.
God could be saying to you that you need to stop trying to give Him a hand & simply trust in His power.
He could be saying that you need to let go of some things that you’ve been holding on to…and let Him take charge of your life.
NOTE: GOD WANTS US TO SUBMIT TO HIM…AND WHEN WE SUBMIT TO HIM, WE EXPERIENCE HIS BLESSINGS!
3) GOD SHOWERS US WITH MERCY (V 10-11)
3) GOD SHOWERS US WITH MERCY (V 10-11)
10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”
11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
1. The Lord says that He heard Hagar’s affliction, not her prayer (16:11).
Whether Hagar was calling out to the Lord or not, we don’t know.
But the Lord hears our affliction, even when we fail to call out to Him as we should.
But He not only hears and sees our affliction, He sees the future after our affliction is over.
2. The Lord goes on to tell Hagar how He will multiply her descendants.
Concerning the son in her womb, the Lord tells her to name him Ishmael, which means “God hears,” because the Lord heard her affliction.
Every time she called her son’s name, Hagar would be reminded of God’s faithfulness, that He had heard her affliction.
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
Think about this - Hagar wouldn’t have seen the Lord if it hadn’t been for her trial.
NOTE: God often uses trials to give us a fresh vision of who He is.
It’s often in our struggles that we see God in ways that we would have missed w/o the struggle.
“Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God who sees’” (16:13).
In her rebellion & running away from the situation God saw her…but she also got a glimpse of Him.
NOTE: God sees you & He sees me...and in spite of our confusion and rebellion, He lets us get a glimpse of Him!
This is nothing but the mercy of God.
Notice that God doesn’t scold Hagar or get angry with her…but rather He shows her mercy.
And God will come to us in our hardship & trial…and He will come to us in our rebellion…and He will give us mercy.
God will come to us in our hardship & trial…and He will come to us in our rebellion…and He gives us mercy.
Rather than giving us what we deserve…He gives us what we don’t deserve.
Lam. 3
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
NOTE: The God who sees is a God of mercy.
B/C He sees our affliction, we can see His mercy.
CONCLUSION:
1. We need to realize that even as God saw Hagar, He sees us.
He especially sees our affliction.
And if in our trials we will look, like Hagar, we will see God in His mercy toward us.
2. The French writer, Paul Claudel, wrote, “Christ did not come to do away with suffering; He did not come to explain it; He came to fill it with His presence.”
3. If you’re suffering today…it is my prayer that - you’ll see the God who sees you.
Song: Chain-breaker