Names of God: El Roi

"The God who sees" or "the God who continually sees." 

  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth... {2 Chronicles 16:9}

For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; {Job 28:24} 

The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.  {Psalm 33:13}

 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. {Proverbs 5:21}

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.                          {Proverbs 15:3} 

 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD.            {Jeremiah 23:24}

The thought that God always sees us can be comforting and frightening at the same time. It's certainly nice to know that God sees when we're doing something that pleases Him or when we're being mistreated. But what about when we're choosing to act in a way we know dishonors God?

Let's examine both of these responses to this name of God through the lens of Scripture, starting with the "negative".

For his [God's] eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. {Job 34:21-22}

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. {Hebrews 4:13}

Nothing we do is overlooked by God. He sees everything.

He sees you when you witness to an unsaved friend, coworker, neighbor, or family member. He sees you when you are cross with your parents and when you are unkind to your sibling. He sees you when you decide to dishonor Him by putting harmful substances into your body and when you choose to use your body for immoral purposes. None of our actions escape God's notice. We cannot hide certain actions or pick and choose which deeds we want God to see. He sees all of them.

Because of Christ, your sins have already been paid for, but you will stand before God and give an account for everything you did on earth - good and bad.

Now, let's examine the "positive" side of the idea that God always sees us.

Abraham and Sarah desired a child. After decades of waiting, Sarah decided to take matters into her own hands.

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. {Genesis 16:1-3}

Abraham listened to Sarah's advice, and things took a turn for the worse.

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. {Genesis 16:4-6}

 Hagar met someone she didn't expect after she fled from Sarah.

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 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. 

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 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. 

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? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; {Genesis 16: 7-14}

Her encounters with El Roi, the God who sees, didn't stop there.

Several years later, Sarah conceived and bore Isaac.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. {Genesis 21: 8-11}

Hagar was forced to flee again, this time with her son.

"Hagar and Ishmael Perishing in the Desert"
by Gustave Dore

 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. {Genesis 21:14-16}

El Roi, the God who sees, saw Hagar's distress.

And the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. {Genesis 21: 17b-19}

El Roi, the God who sees, saw the Israelites' bondage in Egypt.

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey... {Exodus 3:7-8}

El Roi, the God who sees, does not see as humans see.

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. {I Samuel 16:7}

God sees you. Every part of you. Inside and out. Are you living your life in a way that brings Him glory and gladdens His heart as He watches you?