And Shall Not God Avenge His Own Elect?

«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, Tho 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, tho 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?»

This judge was a man appointed by the law to give decisions upon cases that were brought before him. He had no love or reverence for God, and therefore no unselfish love for his neighbor. He had no regard for the rights of men. Judges were required to show a special attention to widows; but this man cared nothing for the rights of any. The Lord gave instruction through the prophet Jeremiah as to what judges should do for those who called upon them. «Thus saith the Lord: Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, and do no wrong; do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.» The widow and the fatherless were objects of the Lord’s special care, but those who feared not God, who had no regard for their fellow-men, took advantage of the cases of those who were helpless and destitute. A judge unfaithful to his trust suffered might to triumph over right.

The widow who came to plead with the unjust judge to avenge her of her adversary was determined that the judge should attend to her case. For a while he refrained from answering her request, but afterwards, because he was getting weary of the continual coming of the widow, he said that he would avenge her. In the position which he occupied, the judge could have immediately delivered this woman from her oppressors, but he had no disposition to do so. Instead of delivering her, he united with her adversaries to do that which would bring oppression upon her. For a long time justice was delayed, but at length because of sheer weariness on account of her persistent importunity, he decided to do the act that he should have done long before.

What revelations will be made in the day of final reckoning that will show how much suffering unjust judges have brought upon their fellow-men! It will be made manifest that their injustice has not come upon men because of ignorance of what were their rights, but because they were unmindful of the privileges that God had given to their fellow-men. Tho they stood as judges, they themselves brought upon men terrible oppression, and assisted the robber, the thief, in robbing their fellow-men. The day is coming when these judges will be arrayed before the throne of eternal justice, and will have to give an account before Him who is the judge of both the quick and the dead. When the books are opened and men are judged according to the works written in the books, sentence will be pronounced against the evil judges who have brought so great oppression upon the innocent and the helpless. They will be called upon to behold every deed of injustice, and to see the sufferings that they have thereby caused their fellow-men. Those actions that had the appearance of external propriety, and even of goodness, will be unmasked, and the hypocrisy of men will be seen in its true character. Those who do a deed of justice simply to rid themselves of the trouble of listening to the pitiful tales of suffering that the afflicted pour into their ears, are placed in sharp contrast with the all-merciful, all-pitiful Father, who considers the appeals of his suffering children with infinite compassion and love. The Lord calls upon men and angels to hear what the unjust judge said. Heaven is cognizant of the actions of men. The Lord places in contrast the spirit and action of the unjust judge with his own Spirit and action, saying: «And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, tho he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.»

These words are to administer comfort to all those who are oppressed. God hears the cries of his children. Jesus gives them the assurance that God has not forsaken, that he will come forth to vindicate their cause. There is One who has suffered in their behalf, who has borne with them their sorrows and afflictions, and who will appear as their deliverer. The people of God who suffer persecutions for their faith, who are falsified, scorned, and derided, are often tempted to think themselves forsaken of God. To the eyes of men they are in the minority, and to all appearances their enemies triumph over them, yet let them not violate their conscience; for the Lord will give them a signal victory. God will hear the humble prayers of his contrite ones. «For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.»

The question is asked, «And shall not God avenge his own elect?» The elect of God are the objects of his special care. Of his people Christ said, «Ye are the light of the world.» The elect are those whom God has made the depository of sacred responsibilities. They are those whom God has called out of darkness into his marvelous light, to show forth his praises, and to shine as lights amid the moral darkness of the world. The unjust judge had no special interest in the widow who importuned him for deliverance, yet to get rid of her pitiful appeal, he heard her plea, and delivered her from her adversary. But how different is the attitude of God toward his children! «God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.» He loves his people with infinite love. God has from the beginning chosen us for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

We are called to be laborers together with God. The Lord has a particular regard for those who are chosen and faithful, who cry day and night unto him. It may seem that the trials and sufferings continue, and that God does not regard them. Delay may seem long; but their prayers are not in vain; for he will avenge them speedily, that is, at last, and in a way not expected by them, when the most trying point is reached. There is no danger that the Lord will neglect to hear the prayers of his people. He will be true to his word. The danger is that his tried, tempted people will become discouraged and will not persevere in prayer, so that God will avenge them of all that wicked men have brought upon them. The Lord asks: «Can a mother forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.» ( Concluded next week .) —

The Saviour manifested divine compassion toward the Syro-Phenician woman. His heart was touched with pitying tenderness, as he saw her woe and grief. He longed to give her an immediate assurance that her prayer was heard, and her request fulfilled; but he desired to teach his disciples a lesson; and for a short period of time he seemed to act out the feelings that prompted them, and neglected the cry of her heart. He acted towards her in the same manner as the Pharisees taught the people to act toward all such so-called heathen. Christ even repulsed her. He knew the heart of the woman. He knew what sorrow pressed upon her soul, and understood her persistent determination not to be driven away until her request was granted. When she made known her request to Christ, he said, «It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto dogs.» But she had an answer ready, and said, «The dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the master’s table.» This is all I ask. Give me the privilege of eating the crumbs that fall from the table. Did she go away empty and discouraged?—No, she received her request. The Lord commended her for her great faith, and sent her away with the precious boon she had asked. He then turned to his disciples and said, «I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.» Did the disciples ever forget this lesson?—No. This case is placed on record to show what is the result of persevering in presenting our needs to the Hearer of prayer. Of Christ it was written. «The bruised reed shall he not break, the smoking flax shall he not quench.» No soul will be left to perish who asks in faith for the help of Christ. The weakest, the most struggling soul, may live, and find hope and sufficiency in God. When Jesus comes into the storm and the darkness, midnight is as bright as noonday. The faith that recognizes Christ leads the soul to rest implicitly upon the promises, because God is behind them. There is hope for the most desponding. Those who take Christ at his word, who surrender their souls to his keeping, their lives to his ordering, will find peace, quietude, and rest. He will impart grace to the needy soul.

The Lord calls attention to the words of the judge, saying: «Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him? He so presents the unjust judge and himself as to show that it is an impossibility that God shall fail his people in a time of necessity. Just before the Lord is near to come, the proving of God will be upon his people. The church will be tried until the time when the Lord shall appear in the clouds of heaven. Those who receive answers to their prayers are those who walk in the light of God’s commandments. But let not that man who walks contrary to the expressed will of God, expect that he will receive anything of the Lord. The Lord says: «And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter; that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world can not receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. . . . He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth men; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.» Again the Lord assures us: «If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my savings; and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.»

In order to receive the precious gifts of God, we must meet him upon the platform of his own devising, complying with the conditions that he has laid down in his word. There is much turning aside from the word of God. Because iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold. When a trial of faith comes upon those that profess to be the children of God, they do not perseveringly present their petitions before the throne of mercy, depending upon the Holy Spirit, waiting and watching, and continuing to present their requests, searching the Scriptures at the same time to know what is the mind of God. Place your feet in the path of God’s commandments, and be assured that your prayers will be answered. There is a great lack of earnestness, a great lack of vital interest in prayer. Yet we are exhorted to be «instant in prayer,» «to pray without ceasing.» We are to keep a spirit of intercession, and present all our wants to God. We are to tell him about the smallest things of life,—our cares, our business, our desires and needs. You can never weary the Lord by your importuning. It is by beholding Jesus that you become changed into the divine similitude. We may behold him by continuing in prayer, until we are not aware that we are praying; for our souls turn to the Sun of Righteousness as a flower turns to the light.

We should study the prayer of Christ that has been given to us in the seventeenth chapter of John. In living out that prayer, we may be lifted day after day into a pure, holy atmosphere, and thus have faith to believe that we receive that thing we ask of God. The Saviour said: «Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou has sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.» What a statement is this! How can the finite man grasp it? Man may become elevated, ennobled through obedience to the commandments of God, and become loyal and true subjects of his kingdom. We may become one with Christ in spirit and character, and testify to the world that God loves us as he loves his Son. What possibilities are there before the fallen human agent! Let perfect obedience be rendered to God through the imputed righteousness of Christ, and we shall reveal to the world the fact that God loves us as he loves Jesus. It will be made evident that «he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?»

Why is it that we are so disposed to distrust God? Why do we as a church doubt his love? Let faith increase by exercise. Let it be sustained by works of righteousness. It is sin that darkens the reason of man, and clouds the understanding. Let the affections be given to God in order that his law may be written in the heart, and the whole man will become a new creature, born again of the Spirit. Then it will be made manifest that the law of God «is perfect, converting the soul.» The Lord Jesus has revealed to us the value of the human soul. He says: «O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee; but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.» Again the promise is made, «I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.» Shall we co-operate with God, and possess the faith that works by love and purifies the soul? —