Daily Devotion

 

THIS PARABLE TELLS OF THE KIND OF THING WHICH COULD AND OFTEN DID HAPPEN. THERE ARE TWO CHARACTERS IN IT.

 

(1^ST) THE JUDGE WAS CLEARLY NOT A JEWISH JUDGE. All ORDINARY JEWISH DISPUTES WERE TAKEN BEFORE THE ELDERS, AND NOT INTO THE PUBLIC COURT. IF UNDER JEWISH LAW, A MATTER WAS TAKEN TO ARBITRATION, ONE MAN COULD NOT CONSTITUTE A COURT. THERE WERE ALWAYS THREE JUDGES, ONE CHOSEN BY THE PLAINTIFF, ONE BY THE DEFENDANT, AND ONE INDEPENDENTLY APPOINTED.

 

THIS JUDGE WAS ONE OF THE PAID MAGISTRATES APPOINTED EITHER BY HEROD OR BY THE ROMANS. SUCH JUDGES WERE NOTORIOUS. UNLESS A PLAINTIFF HAD INFLUENCE, AND MONEY TO BRIBE HIS WAY TO A VERDICT HE HAD NO HOPE OF EVER GETTING HIS CASE SETTLED. THESE JUDGES WERE SAID TO PERVERT JUSTICE FOR A DISH OF MEAT. THESE JUDGES WERE CALLED DAYYANEH GEZELOTH, WHICH MEANS "ROBBER JUDGES".

 

(2^ND) THE WIDOW WAS THE SYMBOL OF ALL WHO WERE POOR AND DEFENSELESS. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT SHE, WAS WITHOUT RESOURCE OF ANY KIND, HAD NO HOPE OF EVER EXTRACTING JUSTICE FROM SUCH A JUDGE. BUT SHE HAD ONE WEAPON-PERSISTENCE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WHAT THE JUDGE FEARED WAS ACTUAL PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. THE WORD TRANSLATED, LEST SHE EXHAUSTS ME, CAN MEAN, LEST SHE GIVES ME A BLACK EYE. IN THE END, HER PERSISTENCE WON THE DAY. IF IN THE END, AN UNJUST JUDGE CAN BE WEARIED INTO GIVING A WIDOW WOMAN JUSTICE, HOW MUCH MORE WILL GOD WHO IS A LOVING FATHER, GIVE HIS CHILDREN WHAT THEY NEED.

Life Application: How wonderful it is to have God as our Father, to watch over us and guide us all through life. He knows what we need more than we do. Do you trust Him to make the right decisions? He is the loving father.

Praise/Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for watching over me every day and all day long. I have trusted You all my life, and You have been so faithful. Ever since I was a child You have watched over me. I can look back as see all the things You have done for me. Great is Your Faithfulness! Amen!