El Roi - The God Who Sees After Me

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Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You [Or You, God, see me ] are a [Elroi ] God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained [Lit. seen here after the one who saw me ] alive here after seeing Him?" ~ Genesis 6:13 (NASB with notations)

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Definitions:Strong's Hebrew from Lifeway's Online Bible Library (KJV with Strong's)
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EL ROI - is the combination of two Hebrew Words - 1.) El - a singular masculine noun translated God, and 2.) Roi which is translated sees.

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Strong's Reference # 410

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Transliteration: 'el
Root: shortened from , Greek and
Part of Speech: n m
Vines Words: God
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Usage Notes:
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English Words used in KJV: God 213, god 16, power 4, mighty 5, goodly 1, great 1, idols 1, Immanuel + 2, might 1, strong 1 [Total Count: 245]
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1) god, god-like one, mighty one; 1a) mighty men, men of rank, mighty heroes; 1b) angels; 1c) god, false god, (demons, imaginations); 1d) God, the one true God, Jehovah
2) mighty things in nature
3) strength, power
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Strong's Reference # 7210
Transliteration: ro'iy
Phonetic Pronunciation: ro-ee'
Root: from
Part of Speech: n m
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Usage Notes:
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English Words used in KJV:
see 4, look 1, gazingstock 1 [Total Count: 6]
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1) looking, appearance, seeing, sight; 1a) seeing; 1b) appearance; 1c) sight, spectacle

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El Roi is the name given to God after the very first recorded appearance of the "Angel of the Lord" literally translated a messenger or angel of the Lord. The commentaries, and most teachings on this subject consider the references to the Angel of the Lord in the OT to be a pre-incarnate representation or "type," a foreshadow appearance or a theophany - a preincarnate manifestation - of Christ. Hagar recognized that this messenger who met her in the desert was indeed God, and she identified Him in a very personal expression of revelation and truth. She called Him the God who sees after her, the God who is involved in her deepest, most personal difficulties and looking toward her very basic interests and needs. God exhorted or advised Hagar to return and submit in humility to Sarai, her mistress, and He promised that He would be with her son, Ishmael (God Hears). He gave her not only a glimpse of Himself, but a glimpse of her own future. You see, in the desert, when Hagar ran away, God saw and went after Hagar, but a few chapters later when Hagar is cast into the desert, leaving her son under a bush to die, it is Ishmael (God Hears) who God hears and responds to... Ishmael's name was indicative of God's present and future action in the lives of those who put their fait in Him. Ann Spangler notes in her book, "Praying the Names of God" that the God Hagar met with that day in the desert was the deeply personal and intimate God who looks after our daily needs and cares for us in a loving way.

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Can you see that in the passage? Do you realize that God sees you? Oh Beloved, He is looking upon you right now with concern, love and great pleasure - He wants to speak into Your life personally just the way He did with Hagar. Are you listening for Him? Do you expect Him to show up and act on your behalf? What is it you are looking for? El Roi delivers.

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As I studied El Roi, the only place I found a reference to this name is in Genesis 16: 13. Both words for see in that verse are Strong's reference 7210 "roi."

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God wants us to know He sees us... He sees us, beloved. He is watching and He is not for one moment failing to act. He saw Hagar's misery and the disgrace of her situation, He saw the despair later when she left her son for dead and could not bear to be near as the boy's life faded away. He heard and He responded and Hagar knew He was God. How has He seen, heard and responded in your life lately?

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Let me say that I have never experienced the presence of God in this way more than I did when my son was going through his darkest time. I remember reading Carol Kent's book "When I Lay My Isaac Down" and thinking to myself, but what do you do when your child is not Isaac, He's Ishmael? I remember it so clearly, I wrote the note in my Bible during that season - Justin is Ishmael. What do you do when you have Ishmael? You do what Hagar did, trust the God who has revealed Himself to you, search Him out more and when He speaks - you listen and you act. It is all we can do.

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I remember the moment I realized that God was not missing one moment of my agony over my son - it was a deep washing in my heart of peace. The discernment to know that God could see my child's suffering and my agonizing over the pain in his life. I knew He was bringing the answer and whatever that answer brought - I would trust Him. But, in those days I had moments of weakness, moments of crying out and weeping aloud to God just like Hagar did - I asked Him why change was not His will for Justin - what could I pray? And, God responded. I don't know if I was ready for the answer, but I knew enough about my God personally to trust His response even if I didn't understand it. Knowing God as El Roi is all about knowing Him deeply, personally and intimately. In this day and age, that kind of knowing does not come apart from God's Word. If I had not been deeply studying His Word the three years before Justin's accident I would have been afraid, angry with God and this day I would probably be dead or crazy - most likely alone. I could not have stood under such a test if I did not know that God went before me and prepared the way only to return and walk this entire journey right by my side. I could not have calmly rode to the hospital praying had I not known that God would be my peace and strength when nothing in my world was making sense. I could not have spoken with hope at Justin's funeral without the truth of my hoping in the Lord being the only constant that I knew in those days.

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Recently I have had the opportunity to see God working a new season in my life. He is in a season of planting/sowing into my life and preparing me for the season of harvest that is coming soon. He gently shows me truth in ways that help me to identify where we are on the same page and where I need to work toward drawing near to Him. He picks me up from my weeping mess on the floor brushes my hair away from my face and says, "Michelle, why are you crying?"

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He is so real to me, He is the air I breathe, the love I feel and the truth of all my days. He is El Roi, the God who looks after me.

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As you read Psalm 139... look for the ways God is speaking to you personally about who He was to you and who He is to you now! He wants more than just an occasional acquaintance with you ... He wants a relationship, intentional, meaningful and true.

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Psalm 139 (NKJV)

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God's Perfect Knowledge of Man
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

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1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

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2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them,

they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

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He is El Roi... He sees, He hears... He acts and He will never forsake you ever! Be blessed.