Here, we see jealousy, and defiance toward Isaac. An incident pointing out the future enmity existent among them as nations, as the Angel of the Lord told Hagar that Ishmael would be as a wild ass among man and every man’s hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the borders of all his kinsmen hand. Ishmael’s future was not included in the promise God made to Abram concerning Isaac, as the son of the promise and his family. God told Abram, “My covenant, my promise and pledge, I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year” (Gen. 17:21). Paul confirms it in Gal. 4:30: Cast out and send away the slave woman and her son, for never shall the son of the slave woman be heir and share the inheritance with the son of the free woman.
Even though, this story is not a perfect story, as we expected, we see God’s plan been fulfilled and revealed to Hagar, who was just in the middle of it and through her God changed the course of history. She became a suffering servant in the hands of her mistress, who suggested the idea. As a mother, Hagar suffered with the idea of giving up her son. God took her side and appeared to her with a promise for her son.
Jacob, when fleeing from his brother experienced EL-Roi – the God Who sees me, and said when he awoke from his sleep, Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it. This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gateway to heaven. And he named that place Bethel [the house of God] (Gen.28). The Prophet Elijah, after a great victory against the false prophets, was afraid of Jezebel and fled from her into a wilderness and came and sat down under a lone broom or juniper tree and asked that he might die. As he lay asleep under the broom of juniper tree, behold, an angel touched him and said, to him, Arise and eat; he came a second time. He arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and nights to Horeb, the mount of God. He found a refuge in a cave, where he hid, when God came to him in a still, small voice. The Lord told him to return to the wilderness to perform a task He had for him. (I Kings 19). The servant of the Lord was faced with serious persecution from the Queen Jezabel, who wanted to kill him. But EL-ROI saw him and delivered him. Elijah didn’t experience death, but was taken to heaven in a chariot of fire and horses of fire. He went up by a whirlwind into heaven (II Kings 2).
“Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him, who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine” (Ps. 33:18); “The eye of the Lord is toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry” (Ps. 34:15). Our God is the One Who sees us in every circumstances. He is very near to those who are suffering; His eye is constant watching us for our good. He will neither sleep, nor slumber (Ps. 122: 1-8). “Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? Says the Lord Do not I fill heavens and earth? Says the Lord” (Jer. 23:24); Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Ps. 139).
Are you walking through the valley of life to get where God wants you to be? Has it been lonely, uncertain and fearful for you? Remember Hagar, who walked a physical desert without food or water. But El-Roi -the God Who sees saw her and provided for her. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. There is no change with Him. His sovereignty rules over us with a beautiful future ahead of us. He says, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome” (Jer. 29:11)
