His Elect’s Perpetual Cry for Justice
at the End of the Age
Exposition of Luke 18:1-8
18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying,
'Get justice for me from my adversary.'
4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her,
lest by her continual coming she weary me.' "
6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.
7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him,
though He bears long with them?
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1-8)
I. JESUS’ PARABLE OF THE UNJUST JUDGE AND PERSISTENT WIDOW (V. 1-8)
A. The main themes of the parable (v.1)
1. Men always ought to pray
2. Not lose heart
3. In the context of highly unfavorable circumstances
4. God will avenge His elect with speedy justice.
B. The main characters in the parable
1. An unjust judge who neither fears God nor regards man
2. A widow who comes pleading for justice
3. An adversary
C. The main events in the parable
1. There was an unjust judge in a certain city who did not fear God nor man.
2. There came a persistent widow pleading for justice against her adversary.
3. The judge would not grant her justice.
4. The widow persisted in the pleading for justice night and day.
5. The judge changes his mind and begins to consider granting the widow the justice due.
6. The judge was not motivated by the sense of justice, but by the need to not be troubled and wearied by the
widow’s persistent pleading for justice.
7. The widow received her justice speedily.
D. The main truth in the parable
1. Speedy justice is released through the night and day cry of His elect.
2. The Lord bears long with the elect.
3. Justice is released in the form of avenging (vengeance).
4. The Son of man will come.
5. The Son of man desires to find faith on the earth when He returns.
E. The main challenge from the parable
1. Hear what the unjust judge said.
2. Shall the Son of man find faith on the earth when He returns?
II. JESUS’ SCRIPTURAL CHALLENGE TO THE END-TIME CHURCH (V.8)
A. When the Son of man returns, will there be elect on the earth who have faith like the persistent widow who cries out
night and day?
B. Will there be elect on the earth who will release speedy justice on their adversary through their persistent faith?
C. Will there be elect on the earth who faithfully hasten the return of the Son of man?
III. JESUS’ PROPHETIC CALL TO THE END-TIME CHURCH
A. Pervasive injustice at the end of age.
(theft, murder, sexual immorality, sorcery, Rev. 9:20)
B. Presence of human justice system that lacks respect for human dignity and fear of God. (measured by a legal
foundation and structure that is not undergirded by biblical morality)
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many
will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all
the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matt. 24:11-14)
C. Many elect who suffered loss at the end of age cry out for justice night and day.
(It will be a heaven and earth reality. Rev. 5:8-13)
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for
the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You
judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it
was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren,
who would be killed as they were, was completed. (Rev. 6:9-11)
D. Cry for justice of the elect results in the speedy justice (revenge) through the wrath of God. (Rev. 5:8, 15:7, 16)
E. God, the Just One, is the avenger of His elect.
(Acts 7:52, Acts 22:14, Acts 17:31, Rev. 15-16)
F. Longsuffering and forbearance of the Just One.
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was
being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. (1 Peter 3:20)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that
any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
G. The presence of the global church in Bridal identity is full of faith at the coming of the Son of man, expressing
night and day prayer and worship in agreement with heavenly saints.
16 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the
Bright and Morning Star." 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him
who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Rev. 22:16-17)