Do You Want the Justice of God?

In Luke chapter 17 the Pharisees demanded of Jesus when would the Kingdom of God come.  Jesus said to them the Kingdom of God is not gained by careful observation, but is an unseen Kingdom.  Then he follows his teaching on the Kingdom with two parables on prayer.   The first one was about the persistent widow.

1And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

2Saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, neither regarded man:

3And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of my adversary.

4And he would not for awhile: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;

5Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she wearies me.

6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said.

7And shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him, though he bears long with them?

8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?

 

He had just been telling the Pharisees about the end time events, and the coming of the Kingdom of God.  And he concluded his teaching by saying that we should always pray, and not to faint;   Why did he use the word 'faint?'  He used this word because the last days would be so perilous.  The end times would be such trials and temptations.  He said it would be like in the days of Noah, that people would be going about their everyday lives and then the end would come upon them suddenly.    Be sure that your life is not so BUSY that you forget to pray.  In these days of stress, anxiety and trials anyone without a good prayer life is going to find themselves fainting in the wake of the sin and trials on the face of the earth.    When the disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray he gave a parable about a man who had company and went to a friends house at midnight for bread for his guest.  Jesus said though he may not get up and help him because he is a friend, if he keeps knocking on the door because of persistence he will get the help he desired.   Now Jesus is teaching another parable on prayer, and once again he is teaching the importance of persistence and consistency in prayer. 

 

The story is about a widow that did not get justice.  I know a lot of people that are not getting the justice they deserve in this life.  I know a lot of people that have worked hard all of their lives and have nothing to show for it.  I know a lot of people that have served God and yet the enemy has done all that he could to kill, steal and destroy from them.  Many today are in the same boat as this little widow, you have not gotten the justice that you deserve in life.  

 

This widow went to the judge everyday but he denied her. Yes, there are people that have prayed, and yet, nothing has changed.  There are people that have prayed and yet it is like they are getting a no for an answer.  The judge in the parable is not a representative of God, the judge is a representative of the legal system on earth.  Often justice in not served.  Jesus is making the point that this woman kept going to the dishonest judge until finally he said, "I'm giving her what she wants because she is wearing me out!"  If even a dishonest judge will rule in your favor if you bug him to death, how much more will God, who is faithful rule in our favor.    You can wear down a dishonest judge here on earth, so know that a continual, persistent prayer will get a response from Heaven. 

 

 

Jesus said, 

6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said.

7And shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him, though he bears long with them?

8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?

 

When did Jesus say that his own elect cry out to him?  They cry out day and night.  You have things that you desire in prayer.  How bad do you want them.  Are you willing to cry out day and night to God.  The persistent, faithful person will see their prayers answered, even in the last days, when this world has gotten so evil.