Yahweh Elroi: The God Who Sees (Galatians 4:1-7, Genesis 16:1-16)
Rev. William L. Barron, July 15, 2018Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
There are many names we have for God in Scripture. In Genesis 16 we see the first use of the name Yahweh Elroi, which means "The God Who Sees." It has been 10 years since Abram was promised a son who would be his heir and through whom Abram's offspring would become innumerable. Sarai conceived a plan to enact God's plan by providing her servant, Hagar, to Abram as a wife. When Hagar conceived a child, contempt and blame flared between all of them as a result of this attempt to rush God's plan. When Hagar flees toward Egypt, she is met by an Angel of the Lord and told to return to her mistress and told of her son's future. Hagar's response is where we first see this phrase "Yahweh Elroi," which can mean both "I have been made to see God" and "God sees me." Both of these interpretations are appropriate for Hagar, who sees God's providence. We can't avoid the presence of God or His providence for us, even if like Abram and Sarai we have difficulty seeing it at times. Indeed, God's faithfulness is so great that he sent His own Son into the world to die for us and provide for our salvation, which is the central message of the Bible.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
|---|---|---|
| « The Gracious Covenant Of Grace | None | Covenant of Circumcision » |
Galatians 4:1–7 (Listen)
4:1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
(ESV)
Genesis 16 (Listen)
16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.
7 The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the LORD also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the LORD said to her,
“Behold, you are pregnant
and shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
because the LORD has listened to your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man,
his hand against everyone
and everyone’s hand against him,
and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
13 So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
(ESV)