|
Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 29 - Unjust Judge
Luke 18:6-8
6 And [de] the Lord [kurios] said [epo] , Hear [akouo] what [tis] the unjust [adikia] judge [krites] saith [lego] .
7 And [de] shall [ekdikesis] not [ou me] God [theos] avenge [ekdikesis] his own [autos] elect [eklektos] [poieo] , which [ho] cry [boao] day [hemera] and [kai] night [nux] unto [pros] him [autos] , though [kai] he bear long [makrothumeo] with [epi] them [autos] ?
8 I tell [lego] you [humin] that [hoti] he will [poieo] avenge [ekdikesis] them [autos] speedily [tachos] [en] . Nevertheless [plen] when [ara] the Son [huios] of man [anthropos] cometh [erchomai] , shall he find [heurisko] faith [pistis] on [epi] the earth [ge] ? KJV-Interlinear
6 And the Lord said, 'Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 'I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?' NASB
Mankind lives in the devils world. It is not a perfect place, but despite its unfair tendencies, those who believe in Christ have an outlet for relief. They are the chosen, not in the sense that God chose arbitrarily, but that God looked down through the tunnel of time and saw who would believe and who would not. Those who believed in the Savior, Jesus Christ, become the chosen by virtue of their positive decision to believe.
History does not unfold all at once, but unfolds chronologically. History saw the defiance of Satan, followed by his judgment. That judgment was challenged, and so mankind came on the scene to prove that the justice of God was sound and fair.
Beginning with Satan's deceit of Eve, followed by the conscious decision of Adam, Satan has deceived the nations throughout history, looking for a single excuse or reason in which he can condemn God and gain his freedom from his judgment.
Mankind on the other hand lives his life through the generations. We are born, we grow up, we are given every opportunity to see truth and pursue God rather than pursuing the temporary appeal of this world. Life is accompanied with pressures of many kinds. But we are commanded to pray, and to wait. Why wait?
We wait for two reasons. The first reason is so that we can grow up in our spiritual life, and see and understand, and appreciate the tremendous grace of God. And second, so that each believer in succeeding generations can be born into the world and exercise their faith in Christ.
To cut off history now, would prevent future believers from having their chance in life and in heaven.
But there will come a day when all faith will nearly cease from the earth. That will be the day of the Second Advent of Christ. Up until that time there will be someone somewhere praying to God in obedience to His command.
If man can gain some semblance of justice from this evil world, then how much more can man expect help in time of need, from God? And that answer should be obvious. God is infinitely greater than anything under creation, infinitely more caring, infinitely more gracious. His love and grace never end.
Therefore since God is infinitely greater than anything in this world, then it only stands to reason that we should look to Him rather than to the functions of this world, for help. In praying we accomplish two things. First we take our eyes off of this world and off of our problems. Second, we focus on God and our spiritual life. Focusing on the positives of our spiritual life, we then build up treasure (our spiritual life) for eternity. That is the greatest investment that anyone can possibly have.
God permits us to suffer in this life. In the next life there will be no suffering. Suffering helps to put arrogance in check and to keep ones eyes on God and doctrine. When there is no suffering, then the spiritual life often becomes ho hum and the believer will slip away from his focus on God. Also, suffering helps God to show each individual the marvelous miracles that He will bring into ones life. Sometimes it is on a national scale, more often though, miracles come on a personal basis for only you to better see and appreciate.
Knowing all of this - that we are given time to grow up and experience life, that future generations need to come into the world and have their chance to believe and so forth, and that history has a definite plan which it is following, then we simply need to persevere in our faith and allow history to unfold. We have Gods promise that we will be avenged in full one day. Perhaps not today, perhaps not tomorrow, but sooner or later, God will come swiftly and suddenly and with His full fury and power, and in that day, then there will be no doubt in your personal mind.
Isa. 62:6
6 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen; All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves; NASB
Isa. 40:27-28
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD, And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God'? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. NASB
Jesus finally teaches us that one day, at the second advent, when the entire world is under overwhelming pressure and chaos and war, there will be those who will be hiding in caves and in whatever isolated place they can find, living like scared rats as it were. Life will be so bad in that future day, that faith and prayer will come very near to going out like the flame on a candle. But, it won't. Jesus answers the prayers of His elect. Those believers even under such tremendous pressure will still be praying, because that is all they will have.
Throughout history, God has always had regions of sanctuary to which oppressed peoples could run. Armies and tyrants came and went, but there was always another country, or region that would either rise up to help or open their doors to care for those in need. There were also frontiers into which people could flee for deliverance from oppression.
In our current day, there is the free world to which oppressed peoples can turn. But one day, all sanctuaries will cease to exist, all sanctuaries that is except one, and that sanctuary is the fellowship sphere in which God desires for all believers to reside. Recall our many studies on fellowship. The principle of fellowship is the same as the principle of a sanctuary under the protection of God, and safety from the oppressions of the jungle (life outside of fellowship).
When the Tribulation arrives (beginning immediately with the Rapture) and continues for its designated seven year period, all places of safety will virtually vanish. There will be no USA, no freedom alliance, no army of the people, nothing. Every nation on the planet will be totally corrupt. Even mother nature will be turned loose in all her violence as never before in history. People will have no one to look to for help, except God. And that help is called by means of prayer.
What God promises, God keeps. If people under those extreme conditions can remain faithful and not become disheartened, then how much more so can we in our present day, remain faithful when our problems fall far short of those in that future day?
End of Lesson |
|
 |
Table of Contents
|
 |
Previous Page |
|
Next Page |
text-indent: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;">
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
If You Wish To Support This Bible Study,
Please Make Your Donation Here
Go To Home Page
|
|
