Whats in a Name: El Roi

El Roi: The God Who Sees You {part2}

Scripture: Genesis 16 & Genesis 21:17-18
Date: September 14, 2025

Introduction

Hagar, an Egyptian servant, is the only person in the Old Testament to give God a name: El Roi, meaning "The God Who Sees Me." This reflects God’s intimate awareness of her struggles.

Hagar, pregnant with Ishmael, faces emotional and verbal abuse, rejection, and isolation in the household of Abram and Sarai.

I. The God Who Sees Your Past

  • Hagar’s life as a servant was marked by powerlessness. Sarai, barren and desperate, gave Hagar to Abram to bear a child, a culturally accepted but flawed plan.

  • Hagar’s mistreatment and flight into the wilderness reflect her pain and rejection, yet God was fully aware of her circumstances.

II. The God Who Sees Your Present

  • In the wilderness, God finds Hagar and engages her with compassion, asking about her past and future (Genesis 16:7-8).

  • God knows her struggles—pregnancy, rejection, and despair—and offers reassurance, proving He is present in her current condition.

III. The God Who Sees Your Future

  • God reveals Ishmael’s future, predicting his defiant nature and the conflicts his descendants will face (Genesis 16:12).

  • In Genesis 21, God saves Hagar and Ishmael from death, promising to make Ishmael a great nation, showing His care extends to future generations.

IV. God’s Love and Our Response

  • God’s sovereignty embraces human free will. Despite His care, Ishmael’s descendants reject Him, yet God’s love persists.

  • We are called to trust El Roi, who sees our pain and offers redemption. We must choose the path of Jesus, leaving behind bitterness and self-pity.

Conclusion

  • Like Hagar, you may feel unseen or rejected, but El Roi sees you up close—your past, present, and future.

  • God’s love is unwavering. Trust Him, knowing you matter to Him, and choose the path that leads to life.





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