A Bruised Reed and a Smoking Flax

Mt 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

Introduction:

A reed is a type of grass - Sometimes a stalk or rod of any plant, as of the hyssop, Mt 27:48; John 19:29.  Usually, however, the word reed denotes a reed or cane growing in marshy grounds, Job 40:21; Isa 19:6; slender and fragile, and hence taken as an emblem of weakness, 1Ki 18:21; Isa 36:6; Eze. 29:6; and of instability, Mt 11:7.  "A bruised reed," Isa 42:3; Mt 12:20, is an emblem of a soul crushed and ready to sink in despair under a sense of its guilty and lost condition.  Such a soul the Saviour will graciously sustain and strengthen.  Reeds were anciently used as pens and as measuring-rods, Eze. 40:5; 42:16.  The Hebrew "reed" is supposed to have been about ten feet long.

A "bruised reed" (Isa 42:3; Mt 12:20) is an emblem of a believer weak in grace. A reed was put into our Lord's hands in derision (Mt 27:29); and "they took the reed and smote him on the head" (30). The "reed" on which they put the sponge filled with vinegar (Mt 27:48).

A flax - "The flax was in bloom" (the King James Version "bolled"; Ex 9:31); (2) the "stalks of flax," literally, "flax of the tree," put on the roof to dry (Jos 2:6); (3) to the fine fibers used for lighting. This verse literally applied to the chosen nation Israel but also for the believers as well because every Christian can be both a reed and flax. A reed symbolizes weakness while flax is used for light. That even though we are weak and little compared to others but we can be used as a light of the world.

1.       The Perseverance of Christ to His Saints

It is not the Christian who is persevering in his service  but it is Christ who is persevering to teach His saints…

In the life of Jacob – God’s shows His perseverance to His chosen nation Israel. Jacob's name means a supplanter – a deceitful and a manipulator but God persevered to mold his character until God blessed him and called his name Israel –"as a prince he had power with God and prevailed."

God’s perseverance was also manifested in the life of Apostle Paul.  He was a blasphemer and injurious and even called himself the chief of all sinners.  But God persevered in the life of Paul and he became the apostle to the Gentiles. As a result, he helps to build more than 50 N.T. churches and he wrote almost 50% of the New Testament.

God’s perseverance is manifested in the life of every believer – It is not the believer who persevered to serve God – but it is God who is persevering to teach us, to train us, to develop us to be useful and fruitful to give glory and praise to His name.

2.       The Gentleness of Christ to His Saints

The prophet Isaiah, in speaking of the gentleness of the Messiah, makes use of a proverbial expression, which is also quoted by Matthew and applied to Jesus: "The bruised reed he shall not break, and the smoking flax he shall not quench," Isa. 42:3; Matt. 12:20.  Here "flax" is used for the wick of a lamp or taper, which was usually made of flax.  He will not break a reed already bruised and ready to be broken, nor extinguish a flickering, dying lamp, just ready to expire; that is, he will not oppress his humble and penitent followers, but cherish the feeblest beginnings of true grace.

Sometimes we are not only broken but our hope is flickering. There is no fire in our service – but praise be to God the Bible says – “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench”

Psalm 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

3.       The Care of Christ to His Saints

1Pet. 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Psa. 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Illustration: George Mueller -  (September 27, 1805 – March 10, 1898), a Christian evangelist and Director of orphanages in Bristol, England, cared for 10,024 orphans in his life^[1]

Not receiving government support and only accepting unsolicited gifts, this organisation received and disbursed £1.5 million ($2,718,844 USD) by the time of Müller's death, primarily using the money for supporting the orphanages and distributing about 64,000 Bibles, 85,000 Testaments, and 29,000,000 other religious texts. The money was also used to support other "faith missionaries" around the world, such as Hudson Taylor. The work continues to this day.

Through all this, Müller never made requests for financial support, nor did he go into debt, even though the five homes cost over £100,000 to build. Many times, he received unsolicited food donations only hours before they were needed to feed the children, further strengthening his faith in God.

It was on a daily basis because when God stop to care He ceases to be God. It is His nature – It is of the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed… - Lam. 3:22-23

4.       The Expectation of Christ to His Saints

God persevered with us; He is gentle on us and cares for us because He expects something out of us. Through us we can glorify Him and pleased Him.

As a reed:

- We can be used as a cane - a help, guide and foundation to the weak.

- It symbolizes greatness – as  Matthew 27:29 …and a reed in his right hand.

- We can be used as measuring stick, a standard on this wicked world – Ezek. 40:1-9, 42:16-19; Rev. 11:1, 21:15-16

- We can be used as staff, a rod that used by Moses to perform miracles– Moses has only a rod but it used to part the red sea and to smote the rock and water came out of it. That the greatest miracle this world wants to see is our changed life.

As a flax:

- We can be the light of the world

- Used to light – a fire for revival a wild fire everyone of us is a potential wild fire…

- We can be act as a clothing – a fine linen of Egypt – it is a flax used as a royal apparel. Ho 2:9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness..

- We won’t fire without a wind – it symbolizes the power of the Holy Spirit in order to send revival.

Ezekiel 40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

A vision signifying that God wants to use us in His hands… We are the standard bearer, the measurement and our light should shine among men that they should see our good works and glorify God which is in heaven. God wants to used us mightily in His hands –

Conclusion:

Just like a bruised reed and a smoking flax we are almost useless and very weak but at the hand of God we are mighty and more than conqueror. God wants to use us.

1. He perseveres in our every weakness and limitation

2.  He is gentle in His commands to teach us to follow Him

3. He is caring to supply all of our needs

4. And He is expectant to be fruitful in all our endeavors.

Rey Sandoval Dalde .
Ark Bible Way Baptist Mission
reydalde@gmail.com