The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Luke 18:1-8, 1 And he (Jesus) told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
John Gill says of verse 7: And shall not God avenge his own elect: “Who are a select number, a special people, whom he has loved with an everlasting love, so as of his own sovereign good will and pleasure to choose in his Son Jesus Christ unto everlasting life and salvation, through certain ways and means of his own appointing, hence they are peculiarly his: and these he will avenge and vindicate, right their wrongs, do them justice, and deliver them from their adversaries, and take vengeance on them; as may be concluded from his hatred of sin, his justice, and his holiness, from his promises, and from his power, and from the efficacy of prayer, and the regard he has to it: for it follows, which cry unto him day and night; whose prayers he always hears; whose tears he puts up in his bottle; and whose importunity must surely be thought to have more regard with him.”
John Calvin says of verse 8: Shall he find faith on the earth? “Christ expressly foretells that, from his ascension to heaven till his return, unbelievers will abound; meaning by these words that, if the Redeemer does not so speedily appear, the blame of the delay will attach to men, because there will be almost none to look for him. Would that we did not behold so manifest a fulfillment of this prediction! But experience proves that though the world is oppressed and overwhelmed by a huge mass of calamities, there are few indeed in whom the least spark of faith can be discerned.”
The focal point of this passage is, the persistent prayers of the righteous. That it will be a normal part of a true believer’s life, to pray and pray often. An exercise of constant communion with God. But, the question remains, for what and how are we to pray? Well, according to the text, it is acceptable to God, to pray for His justice against those who harm us. We see David do this often throughout the Psalms. Knowing we have this avenue in prayer, how should we word our plea? Just as Jesus would, something to the form of, “Holy Father, bring justice to your servant and declare the power and glory of Your name. I pray that You would bring me justice by breaking the hearts of those who have oppressed me, that they would truly repent of their sins and place their hope in Your Son Jesus Christ, nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done.” It is for God alone to decide how He will bring about His justice, but, as Christian’s we shouldn’t be praying for God to bring upon those who harm us, the same level of harm that we received from them. But, that they would be changed and given a new heart, that they may have eternal life in Christ Jesus the Lord.
Verse seven, comes with a promise. That God does indeed hear the prayers of His chosen people and will vindicate them at the proper time and in His own way. This should bring us great hope.
In verse eight, Jesus ends this portion of Scripture with a prophetic warning. In the form of a question, He tells us that upon His second coming, true saving faith will be scarce. That few will follow and obey the biblical mandates of a Christian. That few would truly love Him above all else, and seek intimate fellowship with Him. This is a sad but true case, but, our hope lies in knowing that God will save every last one of His elect, because Jesus never fails.
The truth of few true believer’s roaming the earth when Christ returns, shouldn’t surprise us, for the Scripture speak elsewhere of this.
Matthew 7:12-14 (Jesus speaking), 12“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Signs of the End of the Age
Matthew 24:3-14, 3 As he (Jesus) sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you (Christians) will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
2 Timothy 3:1-9, 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
2 Timothy 4:2-4, 2 preach the word (Christian); be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
So then, will you be one of the few that endure to the end? Will you be a lover of Christ, with an unfailing love that moves for Him with every beat of your heart?
Daniel C. Rodgers