A Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax
Introduction. Generally, when we think of the “pride of life”, our minds go to the pride that “puffs up”, but low self-esteem is just as dangerous. Those immobilized by feelings of worthlessness, discouragement, or failure, are just as damaged as those who think “more highly than he ought to think.” (1Jn. 2:16; Rom. 12:3). When the ten spies returned from Canaan, their low self-esteem overwhelmed their faith in God. Their words: “We were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight,” led to an entire generation dying in the wilderness (Num. 13-14). As we assess our relationship with God, does “more than conquerors through Him that loved us” or “a grasshopper our own sight” better describe it? Although God exhorts us to “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees” (Heb. 12:12-13), many have legitimate reasons to feel low self-worth.
Like the Ethiopian eunuch, most of us “went on our way rejoicing” after we obeyed the gospel. God assured us that as we left the water of baptism, our sins were “washed away” and we were “saved.” (Acts 22:16; Mk. 16:16). But as we began to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,” we struggled, finding it was much more difficult than we anticipated to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” (Heb. 12:1-2). Over time, our failures lead to a sense of insufficiency making us feel more like a grasshopper than a conqueror. We continue struggling with fleshly lusts and while, “knowing to do good” we don’t always do it as well as we wanted to.
These thoughts must be answered if we are to “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.” There is no servant of the Lord who can perfectly keep all the commands. Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” John told us that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Thus a goal of perfection and sinlessness is not attainable! Only “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (Phil. 3:12-13; 1Jn. 1:8-9). As David picked up the pieces of his nearly perfect life, he said, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit (Ps. 32:1-2).
One of the prophesies of Isaiah was written to give us great comfort helping us “lift up the hands that hang down.” “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench” (Isa. 42:3). They are two idioms we need to understand. They will bring comfort when we are disappointed in ourselves.
A Bruised Reed. What is a bruised reed? Since its use was described earlier in this book, we can quickly understand it’s meaning. Assyria was taunting Judah over an alliance they had with Egypt. “Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him” (Isa. 36:6). This reed was something relied upon. In this case, it was Judah relying on Egypt to save them from Assyria. Yet Assyria knew that Egypt could not be relied upon. It was a reed bruised or broken and would not only break, but do damage to the one leaning upon it. A bruised or broken reed is unreliable and should be broken and thrown away. Yet Jesus will not do this with those He relies upon. His people are all broken reeds, damaged by sin, bad habits, selfishness and weakness. Yet regardless of the failure, Jesus will not break any bruised reed. When we are at our lowest, feeling bruised and broken and perhaps having let Jesus down in some way like Peter did in his denial, still, we will not be broken. As soon as we repent He will receive us back and continue to use us.
God also warned Judah not to lean upon Egypt for it was a bruised reed. “They have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their backs quiver” (Ezek. 29:6-7). Again, the best thing to do with such a reed is break it in half and be done with it.
Yet Jesus will not do that to His servants. Jesus is the head and we are His body. Even though He can’t always rely on us to do the right thing He will not break us. Peter acted as a hypocrite and Paul had to rebuke him (Gal. 2:11-12). We don’t know how Peter reacted, but it must have hurt to fail again. Yet Jesus will never break a bruised reed. No matter how many times it breaks and damages something, with repentance, it is a new day and all is forgiven and forgotten. “A bruised reed He will not break.”
A Smoking Flax. In Israel, the source of light in the darkness was the lamp. It held oil and used a wick to burn brightly. The wick, made of flax, was placed in the lamp and raised or lowered for optimum light. In the parable of the ten virgins, the wise not only took extra oil, but when the bridegroom came “all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps” (Mt. 25:7). They brought trimmers because as the wick burned, its upper portion became charred and the light dimmed. Once charred, when raised to give more light, it would smolder and smoke. Even the golden lamp stand had “wick-trimmers” (Num. 4:9). A “smoking flax” was an idiom for an untrimmed lamp casting a dim light and irritating the eyes and nose with smoke. The best thing to do with such a lamp is put it out (quench it).
Who are the “smoking flaxes?” Once again Isaiah speaks of those who serve the Messiah. Ideally, “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light” and “you shine as lights in the world” (Lk. 11:36; Phil. 2:15-16). When we are zealous and holy the light does indeed shine brightly, but dims and smokes when we are discouraged or when we sin and fall short. Yet Jesus is not like any other. He will continue to use the smoking flax. “A smoking flax, He will not quench.”
Conclusion. What a Savior! He is meek and lowly in heart and in Him we will find rest for our souls. Isaiah did not justify sloth or unfaithfulness. He gave hope to the weak, the immature, and even those who stumble in maturity. After a lifetime of hard work removing character flaws we are still bruised and as flax we still smoke. But as a bruised reed He will not snap us and if our light should become as a smoking flax He will not quench us.
Like the Ethiopian eunuch, most of us “went on our way rejoicing” after we obeyed the gospel. God assured us that as we left the water of baptism, our sins were “washed away” and we were “saved.” (Acts 22:16; Mk. 16:16). But as we began to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,” we struggled, finding it was much more difficult than we anticipated to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” (Heb. 12:1-2). Over time, our failures lead to a sense of insufficiency making us feel more like a grasshopper than a conqueror. We continue struggling with fleshly lusts and while, “knowing to do good” we don’t always do it as well as we wanted to.
These thoughts must be answered if we are to “strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.” There is no servant of the Lord who can perfectly keep all the commands. Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” John told us that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Thus a goal of perfection and sinlessness is not attainable! Only “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (Phil. 3:12-13; 1Jn. 1:8-9). As David picked up the pieces of his nearly perfect life, he said, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit (Ps. 32:1-2).
One of the prophesies of Isaiah was written to give us great comfort helping us “lift up the hands that hang down.” “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench” (Isa. 42:3). They are two idioms we need to understand. They will bring comfort when we are disappointed in ourselves.
A Bruised Reed. What is a bruised reed? Since its use was described earlier in this book, we can quickly understand it’s meaning. Assyria was taunting Judah over an alliance they had with Egypt. “Look! You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed, Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him” (Isa. 36:6). This reed was something relied upon. In this case, it was Judah relying on Egypt to save them from Assyria. Yet Assyria knew that Egypt could not be relied upon. It was a reed bruised or broken and would not only break, but do damage to the one leaning upon it. A bruised or broken reed is unreliable and should be broken and thrown away. Yet Jesus will not do this with those He relies upon. His people are all broken reeds, damaged by sin, bad habits, selfishness and weakness. Yet regardless of the failure, Jesus will not break any bruised reed. When we are at our lowest, feeling bruised and broken and perhaps having let Jesus down in some way like Peter did in his denial, still, we will not be broken. As soon as we repent He will receive us back and continue to use us.
God also warned Judah not to lean upon Egypt for it was a bruised reed. “They have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their backs quiver” (Ezek. 29:6-7). Again, the best thing to do with such a reed is break it in half and be done with it.
Yet Jesus will not do that to His servants. Jesus is the head and we are His body. Even though He can’t always rely on us to do the right thing He will not break us. Peter acted as a hypocrite and Paul had to rebuke him (Gal. 2:11-12). We don’t know how Peter reacted, but it must have hurt to fail again. Yet Jesus will never break a bruised reed. No matter how many times it breaks and damages something, with repentance, it is a new day and all is forgiven and forgotten. “A bruised reed He will not break.”
A Smoking Flax. In Israel, the source of light in the darkness was the lamp. It held oil and used a wick to burn brightly. The wick, made of flax, was placed in the lamp and raised or lowered for optimum light. In the parable of the ten virgins, the wise not only took extra oil, but when the bridegroom came “all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps” (Mt. 25:7). They brought trimmers because as the wick burned, its upper portion became charred and the light dimmed. Once charred, when raised to give more light, it would smolder and smoke. Even the golden lamp stand had “wick-trimmers” (Num. 4:9). A “smoking flax” was an idiom for an untrimmed lamp casting a dim light and irritating the eyes and nose with smoke. The best thing to do with such a lamp is put it out (quench it).
Who are the “smoking flaxes?” Once again Isaiah speaks of those who serve the Messiah. Ideally, “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light” and “you shine as lights in the world” (Lk. 11:36; Phil. 2:15-16). When we are zealous and holy the light does indeed shine brightly, but dims and smokes when we are discouraged or when we sin and fall short. Yet Jesus is not like any other. He will continue to use the smoking flax. “A smoking flax, He will not quench.”
Conclusion. What a Savior! He is meek and lowly in heart and in Him we will find rest for our souls. Isaiah did not justify sloth or unfaithfulness. He gave hope to the weak, the immature, and even those who stumble in maturity. After a lifetime of hard work removing character flaws we are still bruised and as flax we still smoke. But as a bruised reed He will not snap us and if our light should become as a smoking flax He will not quench us.