RR Will He Find Faith? By David Harwood
Shavuah Tov,
Luke 18:1-8 is an important teaching about persevering, importunate prayer.
Then Yeshua told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not be discouraged,
He said, “There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected people. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ “He was unwilling at the time. But afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I don’t fear God or respect people, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice so she won’t wear me out by her incessant coming.’ ”
Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge is saying. Won’t God do justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He be slow to help them? I tell you, He will quickly give them justice. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1–8)
Yeshua said we should persevere in prayer even when it appears as if God is unjust. God is not unjust. He will answer and vindicate the righteous.
This parable is generally used to encourage those of us who are consistently praying for a righteous, favorable answer from God in our personal lives. Obviously, this is a good application of this parable, but let’s look at the context.
What are the immediately preceding verses to Luke 18 about? In Luke 17:20–37, Messiah Yeshua spoke about the Kingdom of God.
First, He spoke of the presence of the coming Kingdom as experienced through His person and ministry.
Then, lest He be misunderstood, Yeshua spoke about the longing His disciples would have to see “the days of the Son of Man.” Those who were yearning for His reign would have to endure age-long disappointment.
Next, He warned His followers not to frantically give in to enthusiasms. He wanted them to understand that the coming of the Son of Man would not be a mystery. It would be unmistakable. But first, before the “days of the Son of Man,” He would suffer and be rejected.
But, one might well ask, what about His coming in glory - like a thunderbolt lighting up the heavens? It will happen, but it will be preceded by the Days of Noah and the Days of Lot. Days of normal life. Days of eating, drinking, marrying, being given in marriage, buying, selling, planting, building. (Luke 17:27-28)
And then, lest His disciples get discouraged in the time of waiting, “Yeshua told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not be discouraged.” (Luke 18:1)
At the end of this age, the faithful, fervent followers of the Lord, will be under intense pressure. They will be longing for His appearing and it will appear as if it will never happen. Yeshua reassures us that it will.
What kind of faith is this, that the Lord will look for?
From my perspective it is faith that He will return as He said He would. But that confidence will have been under trial. After all, it has been so long. His coming has been so delayed. The believing community will be sorely tempted to give up their expectation, to surrender their hope in Yeshua’s return.
This parable is not just about individual prayer requests. It is eschatological.
It is faith for the full manifestation of the Kingdom at the time of Yeshua's return. It is a faithfulness maintained while the expectation of His return is mocked in the world and downplayed in the daily life of the believing community. I think that the faith that may be hard to find is the form of faith that affects the way people live. Its absence is seen in the adopting of the world’s aspirations, goals and habits, the pursuit of that which the world lives for: eating, drinking, marrying, being given in marriage, buying, selling, planting, building. (Luke 17:27-28).
This is faith that will be found in a faith-filled person who becomes the image of the faith they maintain. This widow may represent the One New Man who is vulnerable to “the vultures”. She needs protection and is longing for the Lord’s return.
The form of faith Yeshua will be looking for is likened to a widow who continually brings her case before an unrighteous judge. She has not had her day in court. But she will.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun 18-Oct-2026 7th of Cheshvan, 5787
Ge 12:1-13 Jos 14 Ps 14 Mt 12:1-21 (2 Pet 3)
Luke 18:1-8 is an important teaching about persevering, importunate prayer.
Then Yeshua told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not be discouraged,
He said, “There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected people. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ “He was unwilling at the time. But afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I don’t fear God or respect people, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice so she won’t wear me out by her incessant coming.’ ”
Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge is saying. Won’t God do justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He be slow to help them? I tell you, He will quickly give them justice. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1–8)
Yeshua said we should persevere in prayer even when it appears as if God is unjust. God is not unjust. He will answer and vindicate the righteous.
This parable is generally used to encourage those of us who are consistently praying for a righteous, favorable answer from God in our personal lives. Obviously, this is a good application of this parable, but let’s look at the context.
What are the immediately preceding verses to Luke 18 about? In Luke 17:20–37, Messiah Yeshua spoke about the Kingdom of God.
First, He spoke of the presence of the coming Kingdom as experienced through His person and ministry.
Then, lest He be misunderstood, Yeshua spoke about the longing His disciples would have to see “the days of the Son of Man.” Those who were yearning for His reign would have to endure age-long disappointment.
Next, He warned His followers not to frantically give in to enthusiasms. He wanted them to understand that the coming of the Son of Man would not be a mystery. It would be unmistakable. But first, before the “days of the Son of Man,” He would suffer and be rejected.
But, one might well ask, what about His coming in glory - like a thunderbolt lighting up the heavens? It will happen, but it will be preceded by the Days of Noah and the Days of Lot. Days of normal life. Days of eating, drinking, marrying, being given in marriage, buying, selling, planting, building. (Luke 17:27-28)
And then, lest His disciples get discouraged in the time of waiting, “Yeshua told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not be discouraged.” (Luke 18:1)
At the end of this age, the faithful, fervent followers of the Lord, will be under intense pressure. They will be longing for His appearing and it will appear as if it will never happen. Yeshua reassures us that it will.
What kind of faith is this, that the Lord will look for?
From my perspective it is faith that He will return as He said He would. But that confidence will have been under trial. After all, it has been so long. His coming has been so delayed. The believing community will be sorely tempted to give up their expectation, to surrender their hope in Yeshua’s return.
This parable is not just about individual prayer requests. It is eschatological.
It is faith for the full manifestation of the Kingdom at the time of Yeshua's return. It is a faithfulness maintained while the expectation of His return is mocked in the world and downplayed in the daily life of the believing community. I think that the faith that may be hard to find is the form of faith that affects the way people live. Its absence is seen in the adopting of the world’s aspirations, goals and habits, the pursuit of that which the world lives for: eating, drinking, marrying, being given in marriage, buying, selling, planting, building. (Luke 17:27-28).
This is faith that will be found in a faith-filled person who becomes the image of the faith they maintain. This widow may represent the One New Man who is vulnerable to “the vultures”. She needs protection and is longing for the Lord’s return.
The form of faith Yeshua will be looking for is likened to a widow who continually brings her case before an unrighteous judge. She has not had her day in court. But she will.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sun 18-Oct-2026 7th of Cheshvan, 5787
Ge 12:1-13 Jos 14 Ps 14 Mt 12:1-21 (2 Pet 3)
Posted in Rabbis Reflections
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RR Psalm 42:12(11) Part 8RR Psalm 43:1 Part 1RR In Praise of Milk By David HarwoodRR Psalm 43:2 Part 2RR Psalm 43:3 Part 3RR Psalm 43:4 Part 4RR Psalm 43:5 Part 5RR Psalm 44:1-5(1-4) Part 1RR “The Priority & Power of Relationship” by Jerry MillerRR Favor on top of Favor By David HarwoodRR Psalm 44:6-9(5-8) Part 2RR Psalm 44:10-13(9-12) Part 3RR Psalm 44:14-17(13-16) Part 4RR Psalm 44:18-22(17-21) Part 5RR The Throne By David HarwoodRR Psalm 44:23-27(22-26) Part 6RR Psalm 45:1-3(1,2) Part 1RR PPsalm 45:4(3) Part 2RR Psalm 45:5(4) Part 3RR Psalm 45:6(5) Part 4RR Psalm 45:7(6) Part 5RR “Guarding our Relationship with the Lord” by Jerry MillerRR Doubting Favor by David HarwoodRR Psalm 45:8(7) Part 6RR Psalm 45:9(8) Part 7RR Psalm 45:10(9) Part 8RR Psalm 45:11-13(10-12) Part 9RR Favor and Calling By David HarwoodRR YESHUA BEYOND THE BIBLE By Dr. Raymond Finney RR Psalm 45:11-13(10-12) Part 10
February
RR Psalm 45:14-16(13-15) Part 11RR Psalm 45:17,18(16,17) Part 12RR Psalm 46:1,2(1) Part 1RR Psalm 46:3,4(2,3) Part 2RR Charismata - Signs of Favor By David HarwoodRR Psalm 46:5-8(4-7) Part 3RR “Guarding our Relationship with the Lord” by Jerry MillerRR Psalm 46:5-8(4-7) Part 5RR Psalm 46:5-8(4-7) – Part 4RR Psalm 46:5-8(4-7) Part 6RR Psalm 46:9-12(8-11) Part 7RR THE ONE AND ONLY YOU (Part 1) The Amazing Mystery of Light and You By Dr. Raymond FinneyRR Favor and Sanctity by David HarwoodRR Psalm 46:9-12 (8-11) Part 8RR Psalm 47:1-4(1-3) Part 1RR Psalm 47:1-4(1-3) Part 2RR Psalm 47:1-4(1-3) Part 3RR Psalm 47:1-4(1-3) Part 4RR Gratitude for Favor By David HarwoodRR Psalm 47:6(5) Part 5RR Psalm 47:7(6) Part 6RR Psalm 47:9(8) Part 8RR Psalm 47:10(9) Part 9RR Psalm 48:1-3 Part 1RR “Guarding our Relationship with the Lord, Part 3” by Jerry MillerRR Some Favorite Verses (1) By David HarwoodRR Psalm 1:1 Part 1 (rerun)
March
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April
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