The God Who Sees
Hagar was a slave girl that Abram acquired while in Egypt. She was assigned to serve Sarai, Abram’s wife, and I am sure, she was quite beautiful. As Sarai was barren and quite advance in years, she suggested that Abram take Hagar as his second wife and have a child through her. They would adopt the child has their own, and thus resolving the problem of her barrenness. Abram agreed and in a short time, Hagar became pregnant. Hagar felt her state had now been elevated above her mistress and began to despise Sarai. Sarai complained to her husband and Abram gave her permission to do to Hagar as she desired. This led to her being harshly treated by Sarai, and so Hagar fled.
This story is told in the 16th chapter of Genesis and is blatantly honest in the description of both Hagar and Sarai’s faulty characters. I am sure both of these women felt justified in their attitudes and actions, yet it was Hagar who found herself on the road back to Egypt, a broken, rejected and defeated woman. It was in this state that the “Angel of the Lord” found her. This is the first appearance of the title, “Angel of the Lord” in Scriptures and when compared to other uses, one can only assume that it is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ. He approaches Hagar and asked this question: “Where do you come from and where are you going?” She is able to answer the first question, but hesitates on the second.
Hagar’s helplessness and fragility was quickly brought to the forefront. She had no direction, she was just fleeing from her past. The Lord’s word to her was not one she expected or desired. It was to return to her mistress and submit to her. She had to face her past. She had to confront her rebellion and arrogance. Hagar had to submit to the circumstances she disliked, yet with the assurance that God would work things out. When God found me wandering around Europe, running from the problems I had created in Alaska, He sent me back. I had to make amends, ask forgiveness from those I had done wrong and pay back those from who I had stolen. By returning and submitting, I could then go forward.
With the command to return, comes the promise of blessing. It would have been disastrous for Hagar and the child in her womb is she would have continued wondering in the wilderness. By returning the child was saved, Sarai’s behavior softened toward her and the promise given to her was fulfilled. Hagar’s son, Ismael, grew under the protection and provision of his father and when he was sent out, fathered twelve sons, which became the heads of the Arab nations.
The location of this divine encounter was at a well somewhere between Kadesh and Bered. Kadesh means holiness and Bered means hail or judgment. This is the place of grace. Hagar named this place: “Beer-lahai-roi”, which means “God who is seeing”. The Tree of Life Version translates v.13 this way. “You are the God who sees me”, for she said, “Would I have gone here indeed looking for Him who looks after me.” She had been running from her past, yet the longing of her heart was to find one who would look after her. When we begin to stray from the place of God’s blessings, as Hagar did, toward the certainty of judgment, God meets us at the well of grace. He has been watching over us all the time and He has a plan for our future. God sees us.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Gen. 16; Ps. 56.8; 91.1-2; 139.1; I Kings 19.1-18