“Genesis 16:13-16”

Sunday, December 01, 2019

“Then she called the name of the Lordwho spoke to her, 'You are a God who sees'; for she said, 'Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?' Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“You are a God who sees...” (verse 13) This truth about God is both reassuring and unsettling. It is comforting to know that the Lord who created us and loves us sees all the problems and heartaches that we endure, and He doesn't turn a blind eye to our troubles. When we turn to Him in trust and dependence He helps us, strengthens us, blesses us and will never forsake or desert us. But, when we abandon Him, His love and His perfect will for our lives, He sees and knows that as well. In that case He will deliver us over to our own devices, dilemmas and eventual destruction if we refuse to return to Him with penitent hearts (Romans 1:18; 1 Corinthians 5:5).

“Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” (verse 13) This is a very difficult phrase to translate into English. The main thrust is Hagar's amazement that she has seen the One who sees all. She is astonished that God is a God who allows himself to be seen, and that she can still see after gazing upon His glory. Of course we know that He has manifested himself in ways that are bearable for human eyes to behold (theophanies), the ultimate manifestation being the incarnation of God in the form of a human servant, Jesus Christ. “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18)

“Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi...” (verse 14) “That is, Well of the living-seeing (of God), the well where God has been seen, and the beholder still lives. It became afterwards a favourite dwelling-place of Isaac (Genesis 25:11), and was probably, therefore, surrounded by pastures, but its site has not been identified.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) “It is between Kadesh and Bered.” “Kadesh is the same with Kadesh Barnea in the wilderness, Numbers 13:3. The Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan call it Rekam, the same with Petra, the chief city of Arabia Petraea, inhabited in later times by the Nabathaeans, the posterity of Ishmael: and Bered is nowhere else mentioned, it is called by Onkelos Chagra or Hagra, by which he interprets Shur, Genesis 16:7; and by the Targum of Jonathan it is called Chaluza, a noted town in Idumea, the same with Chelus, mentioned with Kades in the Apocrypha...”

“Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.” (verse 15) The boy's name means “God hears” or “God will hear.” In verse 11 the Angel of the Lord said to Hagar, “Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lordhas given heed to your affliction.” The Lord had heard Hagar's cries of affliction and seen her struggles at home and in the wilderness, and He gave “heed,” or responded favorably. And this to a woman who was not seeking the Lord's guidance, protection or deliverance! How much more will He fly to the aid of those who love and serve and reverence Him! “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

“Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.” (verse 16) “Which is easily reckoned, for he was seventy five years of age when he left Haran, Genesis 12:4; and he had been ten years in Canaan when Hagar was given him by Sarai for his wife, Genesis 16:3; and so must be then eighty five years of age, and of course must be eighty six when Ishmael was born.” Of course this means it would be another fourteen years before God would fulfill His promise to Give Abraham a son through Sarai (Genesis 21:5)! How trying that near decade and a half must have been for that godly couple! But the Lord delivered on His promises like He always has, always does and always will! Patience, patience, patience! Wait on the Lord! He will never disappoint you!

Please read Genesis 17:1-8 for tomorrow.

- Louie Taylor

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