The History

1. Hagar was an Egyptian – a God-forsaken nation of pagans void of the true worship (16:1).
2. The polygamy involving Hagar was Sarai’s idea, not based on Abram’s or Hagar’s love, but rather on using this slave woman to get a child for the barren and conniving Sarah (16:1-3).
3. Abram did not protect Hagar from his vindictive wife after having sex with her (16:4-6).
4. She had to run away to get free of Sarah’s harsh treatment out of angry jealousy (16:6).
5. The LORD found her in the wilderness by a fountain of water and told her to return (16:7-9).
6. The LORD heard her affliction and found her alone in the wilderness far away (16:11).
7. The LORD promised many blessings through the son by Abram she would bear (16:10-12).
8. Hagar: A pregnant, rejected, despised, abused, Egyptian woman slave was lost and alone.

The Text

1. Hagar named the LORD Who spake to her by His angel, “Thou God seest me” (Gen 16:13).
2. She did this after He had comforted her with guidance and blessings upon her unborn son.
3. This name is not spurious, but based on important and meaningful analysis of her encounter with the Lord – HAVE I ALSO HERE LOOKED AFTER HIM THAT SEETH ME?
   1. Have I also refers to Hagar being visited by the LORD Jehovah, Who only visited Abram, and of Whom it was thought that death should follow such a visual encounter (Gen 12:1,7; 13:4,14; 15:1; 17:1,22; 18:1,17,33; 21:12; 22:1,15; Ex 6:3).
   2. Here refers to God appearing in the wilderness rather than at Abram’s altar or tent.
   3. Looked after him refers to Hagar seeing a vision of Almighty God (Ex 33:8; Heb 11:3).
   4. That seeth me refers to the caring nature of God that prompted Hagar’s name for Him.
4. We may rephrase her words for understanding the proper sense of the obscure wording.
   1. “Did I, Hagar, truly have a loving visit from Abram’s own God in this desolate place?”
   2. “Does the blessed God of Abram actually care for me in this desperate situation?”
   3. “Has the gracious God of Abram actually appeared to me to promise to bless me?”
   4. “Did I correctly see the great God of Abram, Who appeared to me to comfort me?”
   5. “Have I seen the wonderful God of Abram, and has He promised to promote my son?”

The Lesson

1. God sees absolutely everything (Job 34:21-22; Pr 15:3; Jer 16:17; 23:24; 32:19; Heb 4:13).
2. God sees each sin and all sins (Is 29:15) i.e. Noah’s generation (Gen 6:5), the tower of Babel (Gen 11:5), Sodom (Gen 18:21), Onan’s marital bed (Gen 38:8-10), Israel’s stiff neck (Ex 32:9), complaining (Num 11:1), ungrateful idolatry (Deut 32:19), Achan’s hidden theft (Josh 7:1), David’s adultery (II Sam 11:27), Ahab’s treachery (II Kgs 9:26), David numbering Israel (I Chron 21:7), all men (Ps 14:2-3), marital infidelity (Prov 5:21), general corruption (Is 59:15), perverted worship (Jer 7:11), and a sinful nation (Amos 9:8).
3. God sees our good deeds i.e. the righteousness of Noah (Gen 7:1), the heart of David (I Sam 16:7), the humility of Ahab (I Kgs 21:27-29), the penitent (Job 33:27-28; Is 66:1-2), the soul of Jeremiah (Jer 12:1-3), the repentance of Nineveh (Jonah 3:10).
4. God sees our circumstances i.e. the land of Israel (Deut 11:12), the formation of David in the womb (Ps 139:15-16), and the fall of sparrows (Matt 10:29-31).
5. God sees our afflictions i.e. the pain of Leah (Gen 29:31), the need of Jacob (Gen 31:42), the trouble of Israel (Ex 2:23-25; 3:7-9; 6:5; Deut 26:7-8; Neh 9:9; Acts 7:34), the grief of Israel (II Kgs 14:26-27), the protection of Israel (Ezra 5:5), treachery to women in marriage (Mal 2:10-16), the womb of Elisabeth (Luke 1:25), and the widow of Nain (Luke 7:13).
6. God is afflicted by what He sees i.e. Israel under the judges (Judges 10:15-16), even under His chastening (Ps 78:38-39), and often throughout their history (Isaiah 63:7-9).
7. God has promised to see those who fear and love Him (II Chron 16:9; Job 36:7; Ps 11:4; 33:18; 34:15-20; I Pet 3:10-13).

The Application

1. If God saw Hagar (a pregnant, rejected, despised, abused, Egyptian woman slave lost in the wilderness), He certainly sees and commiserates with you! He will comfort and rescue you!
2. It will increase our faith (II Sam 16:12), our prayers (I Sam 1:11), and our worship (Ex 4:31)!
3. When our closest relations on earth forsake or hurt us, then the Lord takes us up (Ps 27:10)!
4. What does He do for a pained wife working with the criminally insane? Thou God seest me!
5. Are you frightened facing the unknown difficulty and pain of childbirth? Thou God seest me!
6. You may face surgery and be rolled away from friends and put under. Thou God seest me!
7. Are you scarred by an abusive childhood that left you angry and hurt? Thou God seest me!
8. Do you have a broken heart from a wayward or rebellious child? Thou God seest me!
9. What can a woman do when bearing secret marital pain and difficulties? Thou God seest me!
10. You may lose some or all of your mind before Jesus sends His chariot. Thou God seest me!
11. If you are single and wondering if God will send a spouse, think again. Thou God seest me!
12. Were you ever unemployed or underemployed and lost in the market? Thou God seest me!
13. Are you a teenager that thinks no one truly understands or cares for you? Thou God seest me!
14. When you face the curtain of death, and doubts seek to rise, remember – Thou God seest me!
15. This blessed God has appeared on earth in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He has promised to us of the New Testament, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Heb 13:5)