We had a guest pastor preach on Luke 18:1-8. He entitled his sermon "The Need for Persistence in Prayer." Would you please explain this passage to me, rightly divided?
First of all, you mentioned that you had a "guest pastor," and that he taught on Luke 18:1-8, right? Unfortunately, if this man does not study from a Pauline, dispensation viewpoint, he is not doing the will of God in your life, or anyone else's!
God desires that all of learn his word rightly divided...having men teach us Paul's understanding of the scriptures. If someone is "teaching" you, and they do not rightly divide God's word, God says not to listen to them.
Romans 16:17-18
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Philippians 3:17-19
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
So do not listen or sit under anyone who is not teaching God's word rightly divided from a Pauline-dispensational viewpoint. It is not God's will for you.
They might preach "Jesus" (like this "guest pastor" taught Luke 18), but it will not be what or how Paul teaches him.
2 Corinthians 11:3-4
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
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So I will expound on Luke 18:1-8 for you now...
Luke 18:1-8
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The very first thing to notice in this passage is the context of it. The chapter starts with the word "And." That means what our Lord is about to say is "in addition to" what He was already saying in chapter 17. What was he saying in chapter 17?
Luke 17:22-37
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
The context of what he is about to say in chapter 18 is a "carry over" from chapter 17. The context of chapter 17 is his second coming in wrath, and to set up his earthly kingdom!
He ends chapter 17 by talking about the wrath of God awaiting the adversaries and enemies of God in that day during the time of Great Tribulation right before his return.
Notice he mentions the "eagles" in chapter 17, verse 37. Why? Well, he is answering his disciples’ question about where people will be taken in his wrath. (This is not and has nothing to do with the rapture of the church the body of Christ, as some suppose. The church is nowhere in these passages of prophecy, as we are part of the mystery dispensation of grace)!
The enemies and adversaries of God here are taken in judgment and destroyed by the Lord in his wrath! The eagles (a type of God's power) will eat up their dead carcasses.
Job 39:27-30
Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
Revelation 19:17-18
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
So this is the context of Luke 18:1-8...
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect [the believing remnant of Israel], which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
So we see how that in the context of God's wrath, he now tells his disciples to pray. Why pray? Pray that they don't become part of those who "fall away" from Christ (unto the Anti-Christ—he was also dealing with that in chapter 17), because if they do fall away from him, they too will be subject to that awful wrath of God. But for those who remain faithful to Christ, they will be "avenged" of their enemies by him!
That why the Lord had them pray the way he did earlier in Luke chapter 11, when he taught them what is commonly and denominationally referred to as "the Lord's Prayer" (which is really the disciple's prayer. The true Lord's prayer is found in John 17).
Anyway…when Israel prays, part of their prayer was to have God help them.
Luke 11:4
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
These people were to pray that they would withstand [endure so as to overcome] the power of the Anti-Christ to fall away from the Lord Jesus Christ! That was a part of their prayer life. But also, that the Lord would come and avenge them of the Anti-Christ, as well.
Luke 18:1-8
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God [the Just Judge] avenge his own elect, which cry [pray] day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Notice, he says, "to this end." Then, he goes on to give a parable about a widow who goes to a judge. Widows represented those who were vulnerable in that culture (along with the fatherless). She was without a husband and was destitute and powerless. Judges represent those who have power and are in charge; therefore, this judge was able to change this woman's circumstance for the good if he wanted to. But, notice that this judge was not godly, nor did he fear God or man. In fact, the Lord said that he was, "unjust." He lived totally for himself, by his own way. This widow had a quarrel against an "adversary" (most likely someone more powerful) and she needed help from this judge. At first the judge would not move on her behalf even after she asked him, as it was his job to settle these matters. But after the woman's persistence and consistent "troubling" (that is, continually coming back time and time again to him for justice), he finally gave in, just to get "rid" of her.
So the Lord uses this extreme example of how this lowly, powerless, insignificant widow was able to move this powerful, self-centered, un-interested, unjust judge simply by staying on him day after day to do his job. Although she was a nothing, old widow in that culture, she got this powerful man to move on her behalf!
The point of the parable is, if that little old widow can get this unjust guy to "avenge" her of her "adversary," how much more can the "elect of God” (believing remnant of Israel) call of their Father, although he "tarries" and takes his time (seven years) to avenge them of their adversaries and enemies! That is why he adds this parable to the talk of destroying his enemies in chapter 17. Through much prayer and not fainting (giving up in despair) God will avenge his elect in that day of their enemies!
That is why the believing remnant of Israel was to pray "lead us not into temptation (to fall away from Christ), but deliver us from evil (the plan of the Anti-Christ to get them to fall away).
The Jew of that day will have to pray "fervently" to God and not give up....but wait patiently for Him to come back in his wrath and establish his kingdom of the earth!
James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Revelation 6:10
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Luke 21:19
In your patience possess ye your souls.
So we see that the context of the passage is the little flock of Jewish believers continuing in fervent prayer to the Lord is for them to withstand the Anti-Christ, and for him to come back to save them. And the pressure will be so severe in that day, with the Anti-Christ deceiving saints, getting them to fall away, that the Lord ends his parable by saying...
Luke 18:8
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Hopefully this helps!
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