El Roi

The God Who Sees

What are you aware of at this very moment? With a microscope, you could explore minute details that are otherwise invisible. Through a telescope, distant stars and planets become visible. Even with a small camera, doctors can peer inside the human body. Yet, there are many things beyond our sight. What are these unseen things? We cannot perceive another person’s inner thoughts or emotions. We cannot foresee the events of tomorrow or the coming years. We cannot view all the individuals who have lived throughout history or those who are yet to be born.

However, God sees everything. He is El Shaddai, the Almighty God. He is also El Roi, the God Who Sees. He observes every individual, at all times, in every place. He perceives the deepest thoughts and intentions of our hearts. He knows the future, and the years to come, and comprehends the entirety of time. God sees, understands, and knows all things.

Consider Hagar, Sarai's servant. Sarai had given Hagar to Abram in hopes of having a child through her. When Sarai became enraged—angry at both Hagar and Abram—Abram permitted Sarai to treat Hagar as she wished. Sarai’s harsh treatment drove Hagar to flee into the wilderness, away from Sarai and Abram, and everyone else. Yet, Hagar was not abandoned. God was aware of Hagar’s plight and sent an angel to her. The angel instructed Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her authority. The angel also delivered God’s promise to her:

Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen. (Genesis 16:11-12)

God knew that Hagar would bear a son, Ishmael. He was fully aware of what Ishmael’s future would hold and his character. God could see within Hagar’s womb, the baby growing inside her. He could foresee the days ahead, not just tomorrow, but the years to come. He saw into Ishmael’s heart.

But God's vision extended even further. He saw Hagar's personal struggles—her thoughts, fears, and emotions. He understood her loneliness and the harsh treatment she received from Sarai. God was attentive to her suffering. He saw Hagar with compassion and care, responding with kindness and support. In this moment, Hagar also gained insight into the nature of God.

She named the LORD who appeared to her “the God Who Sees,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me” (Genesis 16:13). By calling God "the God Who Sees," Hagar revealed yet another aspect of His nature.

God is El Roi, the God Who Sees. He observes everything and watches over all creation with great care. As it says in Psalm 145:9, “The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” God did not simply create the world and then step away; He continually oversees it and every person within it. Nothing escapes His notice, no matter how small or distant. God sees everything, and nothing is hidden from His sight. He is El Roi, the God Who Sees.

Some people might think that God’s sight is solely to track our wrongdoings, assuming He is always angry. While God does oppose sin, He is also overflowing with love and compassion. He understands our pains, fears, and struggles. He delights in helping those who seek Him and place their trust in Him. As Psalm 34:15-16 says, “The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”

Do you want God to see and hear you with special love and kindness when you reach out to Him? Or would you prefer His face to turn away, opposed to you? El Roi, the God Who Sees, looks upon those who honor Him as Adonai, the Lord; who worship Him alone as El Kana, the Jealous God; who trust in Yahweh-El Emeth, the LORD God of Truth; and who rely on Jesus as their Savior, with profound love and kindness.