THE GOD WHO SEES/GENESIS 16:1-16

One of the great truths/doctrines of biblical Christianity is the eternal preexistence of Christ. This truth separates Christianity from all other world religions. So, as we come to the celebration of Christ’s birth, or what has been called Christ’s Incarnation, I would like to spend a couple weeks studying some of Christ’s preincarnate appearances recorded in the OT. We will do so by looking at a phrase in the OT that highlights His ministry in His preincarnate state, and that phrase is "Angel of the Lord." The first reference to "Angel of the Lord" is found in Genesis 16:7. I trust we will be encouraged from this brief study. As we begin, we turn our attention to ...

A) In Genesis 15 we find God giving Abram the promise that he and his wife Sarai would have a son. Note Genesis 15:5 and the promise of innumerable descendants. Then God let Abram know that his seed would be like strangers in the land, and would be enslaved for four hundred years (15:13), but God would give them a land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates (15:18).

B) But then, we come to Genesis 16 and Abram and Sarai’s impatience with God’s fulfillment of His promise, and they took things into their own hands. Sounds like a plan filled with troubles, but into this trouble comes encouraging words from the "Angel of the Lord." But, before we get to that, let’s consider the details of the story in verses 1-6.

C) According to verse 2 it was Sarai who, first, became impatient with God’s plan and decided He must need some help. But, Abram is not without fault here as he willingly, and without hesitation follows his wife’s ungodly advice in verses 3-4 ... a very bad idea. And, as hoped, Hagar, the maid of Sarai, becomes pregnant (v.4), but this immediately causes a problem. Hagar now despises Sarai (v.5), and very soon Sarai is going to mistreat Hagar who is carrying Abram’s son (v.6). But, we find Sarai blaming Abram for all the problems associated with her plan to help God out. All of this proved too much for Hagar and she flees attempting to find her way back home to Egypt (v.6). This story should sound familiar to us cf. Genesis 3–Adam and Eve. But, in the midst of all this we need to see ...

A) In Genesis 3:15 Adam and Eve are left with a renewed hope of blessing in the midst of despair, so too here in Genesis 16 there is a renewed hope of blessing in the midst of despair, even for an Egyptian maidservant. Note in Genesis 16:7 that it is the Angel of the Lord that finds Hagar on her way back to Egypt (a place of sin and bondage, yet where she lived her life) in the wilderness. Yet, she was by a spring in the wilderness needing refreshment. Have difficult times in your life tempted you to flee and go back to old, familiar, and maybe sinful, ways of life? Even the Children of Israel, after leaving captivity in Egypt as was prophesied, were all complaining about the harsh conditions on the way to Canaan–The Promised Land. They were thinking it would be easier to go back to captivity, at least they had what they wanted. This often describes how we deal with difficulties in life. We say, "Why try? What’s the use? It was easier when I was a sinner without Christ." No so! Let’s continue in our story to see why.

B) The Angel of the Lord asks Hagar where she is going in verse 8 ... sounds familiar ... cf. Genesis 3:9. Hagar answers truthfully in verse 8. The Angel of the Lord knew exactly where she was going and why, but He wanted to hear Hagar’s answer. God wants us to be honest with Him about our difficulties. He wants us to come clean about our sin so we can repent and be restored. This is what happens in our story in verse 9 when the Angel of the Lord tells Hagar to return to where her troubles began, and deal with them for He will bless her. We hear similar words in Revelation 2:4-5. Is there something you have left, and God is calling you back to make things right? Trust Him as did Hagar! Note with me the Angel’s blessing in verses 10-11. Sounds a bit like the promise given to Abram in Genesis 15:5: a great number of descendants "too many to count." The Angel even tells her what to name her son–Ishmael which means "God hears." Yet, there is more He has to say about Ishmael and his descendants in verse 12. But yet, God blessed Hagar for reasons known only to Himself, and the same is true of us. Our God, revealed in the person and work of Christ (preincarnate or incarnate), hears our cries and gives attention to our affliction. Note how Hagar responds to such a God in verses 13-14: "You are Elroi," "the God who sees me." I think she’s saying something like this: "What a God, a God who sees even me. Little ole me of Egyptian birth, used by others and mistreated, a stranger among your people, one who runs from problems, one who wants to return to the old ways of life." This is the Lord Jesus Christ who sees us in our desperate condition of sin and hurt, and the one who offers us His saving love and sustaining grace. What should your response be? Embrace Him! Love Him! Serve Him! Enjoy Him! Will you? Come to Him today by faith and know Him as the God who sees, and still loves! Jesus offers us refreshment by a stream of living water. Come to the fountain and drink freely!