Audio Messages:
Pastor Wade Burleson

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Thou God Seest Me

Genesis49.mp3 (12.6 MB)

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Genesis 16:7-16 (KJV)

7. And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
9. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13. And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14. Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15. And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

In the verse preceding our text the Bible says, "Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar" (v.6). Hagar represents two kinds of people. First, she represents those people who find themselves all alone. In Hagar we find a beautiful portrait of what God can do for that kind of person. God blessed Hagar. It is remarkable to some that He did. That's our God.

1. God Found Her . . .
   People are fond of talking about finding God. "I found it!" they cry. But when Hagar was in desperate need of help, the Bible says, "The angel of the Lord found her" (v.7). The little article "the" identifies this angel as Christ -- an Old Testament appearance. This Christophany teaches us a great deal about the graciousness of our God in heaven.
   1. He found her in a wilderness . . .
      The wilderness (v.7) is a picture of a person wandering from God. It is a place of isolation and desertion. This wilderness experience portrays the soul of Hagar.
   2. He found her against a wall . . .
      Christ found her in the wilderness "in the way of Shur" (v.7). Shur means "wall." On the southern border of Canaan and northern border of Egypt there was a great wall built by the Egyptians. It protected Egypt from the rest of the world. It kept people out from the greatest civilization of the day. Hagar is caught between two worlds. She is misfit among the people of God, and not a part of the world.
   3. He found her at a well . . .
      "By the fountain (well) in the way to Shur" (v.7). Wells in the Bible picture the blessings of God. God is in the habit of finding lost people and blessing them.
2. God Fetched Her . . .
   The people God blesses are those that he "fetches" for Himself. I know this word is an old fashioned word, but it is used in the Bible. "David fetched him" (II Samuel 9:5), in referring to the king's removal of Mephibosheth from Lodebar to the King's table. God claimed Hagar for Himself. How does God get somebody to follow after Him? He asks two questions that penetrate to the core of my sou:
   1. "Whence camest thou?" or in modern English, "Where have you come from?"
   2. "Whither wilt thou go?" or again, in modern English, "Where are you going?"
      Until you come to the place where you seriously take an inventory of your life, you will never be in a position to truly follow after Christ. How about you?
3. God Favored Her . . .
   He promised that her descendants, through Ishmael, will multiply exceedingly (v.10). There may have been other blessings, but one thing we know, Hagar met Christ that day. In meeting Christ she came to know a little of His character. She called Him "El Roi."
   Thou . . . If everybody in the world abandons me, I can count on one person -- Christ.
   God . . . Jesus Christ is more than just a mere man; He is God Himself in the flesh.
   Seest . . . more than just an observer, this word speaks of provision -- pro-vision.
   Me . . not Billy Graham. Not my grandma or other saints. God sees me.

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