(6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? (8) I tell you, That he will avenge them speedily, nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Now our Lord most blessedly makes application of the parable. Hear (saith Christ), hear what the unjust judge saith. As if Jesus had said, Hear, my poor afflicted redeemed ones, what an unfeeling judge saith, when overcome by the ceaseless and unremitting importunity of a poor widow, and take comfort and encouragement in all your approaches to the throne. After such an instance as this, never never despond. And shall not God avenge his own elect? There is an uncommon beauty and strength in the expression, His own elect. Not simply an elect, but God's elect; not only a chosen seed, but God's chosen, and which God delights to call his own. Not simply a people set apart, and set apart for God, but set apart by God himself. His own elect. I cannot say enough in endeavouring to point out to the people of God the blessedness, and the peculiarity of the expression. His own elect. They are his. And they are his choice, his elect. And they are so before all others, and in preference to all others. And the Father gave them to his dear Son, not only before all others, and in preference to all others, but as a choice manifestation of his love. In short, his own elect. Reader! pause over the blessed thought, for it is a very blessed thought! and learn, that amidst all the cavils and disputes of infidels, that God hath an elect, and which are specially and personally his own. And learn, at the same time, that though they are God's elect, yet are they as this poor widow was, much oppressed by the adversary; yea, they have many adversaries: and do not forget also, that as they are God's own, God cannot but regard them.
And (saith Jesus) shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? Shall this time-serving wretch, this unjust judge, be at length overcome to do, what he delighted not to do; and shall not God do that, which is his glory and his pleasure to do? Shall this poor widow prevail with an unjust judge, and shall not the married wife of Jesus prevail with a just Father? Shall a cruel unfeeling man be at length overcome, and shall not a merciful tender God be gracious? Is it possible to suppose, that she, who had no one to speak for her, and no interest in the mind of this earthly judge to aid her petition, should yet at length by importunity succeed; and shall not the poor of Jesus's family be successful who have Christ to speak for them, and have in the very bosom of God our Father an advocate in his own everlasting love, which in Christ must ensure their acceptance? Yea, saith Jesus, (thus putting a blessed positive emphasis upon it), I tell you, he will avenge them speedily. But, Reader! what a humbling thought is it at the close of the parable in the Lord's question, when Jesus saith; Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith on the earth? It is a kind of question which carrieth with it its own answer, as if he had said; No! he will not. For, notwithstanding all the covenant faithfulness and promises of God in Christ Jesus, who is there that lives up to the enjoyment of the whole by faith? Reader! what a reproach is it to the truly regenerated soul, that Jehovah's word and oath, with all Christ's precious salvation, should be so little rested upon by faith?