Would You Be a Crushed Reed or a Smoking Flax? Well, at first glance this might seem like an odd question, but is it? Let us go on a short journey and discover what these things really mean. Then we can decide whether they apply. We will begin in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 12.
“See, My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My being did delight. I shall put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall declare right-ruling to the nations. “He shall not strive nor cry out, nor shall anyone hear His voice in the streets. “A crushed reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He shall not quench, till He brings forth right-ruling forever. “And the nations shall trust in His Name.”
~ Matthew 12:18-21 ISR ~
These words were written by Matthew, a disciple of Yeshua (Jesus). Matthew was quoting from Yeshayahu (Isaiah) the prophet, who prophesied these things of Yeshua (Jesus) who was Yehovah’s “Servant”. Yeshua was to live and minister to mankind approximately 700 years later.
“See, My Servant whom I uphold, My Chosen One My being has delighted in! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He brings forth right-ruling to the nations. “He does not cry out, nor lifts up His voice, nor causes His voice to be heard in the street. “A crushed reed He does not break, and smoking flax He does not quench. He brings forth right-ruling in accordance with truth.”
~ Isaiah 42:1-3 ISR ~
Notice the phrase “My Chosen One My being has delighted in” was written in the past tense in Isaiah’s time. This Servant of Yehovah’s was so trustworthy he was given this special assignment to bring “forth right-ruling to the nations”. Therefore, what Yehovah empowered His “Servant” to do, was as good as done the moment it was spoken.
Wow. I pray that I would be so steadfast that Yehovah could have that kind of confidence in my obedience. To be found worthy of Yehovah’s delight. How wonderful.
But let’s take a closer look at this verse:
“A crushed reed He does not break,
and smoking flax He does not quench.
He brings forth right-ruling in accordance with truth.”
There is something significant about the “right-ruling in accordance with truth” that Yeshua was to bring to the earth. This right-ruling is the Hebrew word: šāp̄aṭ (pronounced: shaw-fat’) Strongs H8199. It means to avenge, condemn, contend, defend, execute judgment, be a judge, and to rule. So, this Servant (Yeshua) will do all these things according to truth and righteousness (as in right-ruling). This probably doesn’t look good for us sinners does it? In a sinful state, standing before a righteous judge, we all stand worthy of a punishment greater than that which we can bear, but let’s look closer at what precedes the Servant Yeshua’s judgement.
“A crushed reed He does not break…”
A crushed (or bruised – KJV) reed is a metaphor used representing humanity. A group of many people that are standing in a ‘crowd’ have some visual similarities to reeds growing together in wetlands. We stand vertical with our feet touching the ground. Likewise, a reed stands vertical with its roots in the ground. People gather in groups. Reeds gather in groups. As a metaphor, the literal crushing of a reed can represent the crushing of a person physically, emotionally, mentally and/or spiritually.
Yet Scripture does not say ‘a reed He does not break’, it says ‘a crushed reed He does not break’. What is it about a crushed reed that that is so important that Yehovah would send His Servant (Yeshua) who would not “crush” a reed, a person.
It is important to take note that this crushed reed metaphorically relates to an indivisual person and not ‘people’ as a group. You or I as individuals may or may not be “crushed” in this sense. The following definitions of the word “crush” will help us to determine if its use in Isaiah 42:3 and in Matthew 12:20 apply.
CRUSHED
THE HEBREW ~ Crushed ~ Isaiah 42:3
The word crushed is the Hebrew word rāṣaṣ Pronounced: raw-tsats’
Strong’s H7533
Meaning: a person who is oppressed or to grievously oppress (fig.), broken, to break or being broken, to crack in pieces, be bruised, crushed or being crushed, discouraged, struggling together.
THE GREEK ~ Crushed ~ Matthew 12:20
The word crushed is the Greek word syntribō Pronounced: soon-tree’-bo
Strong’s G4937
Meaning: to bruise, break or break down, crush, broken to shivers [to break into small pieces or fragments often as a result of sudden force or violence], be brokenhearted, break in pieces, to tread down (underfoot), trample, to tear one’s body and shatter one’s strength, to crush completely, i.e. to shatter (literally or figuratively).
So, from Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments and from the definitions of the word crushed in both the Hebrew and Greek texts, we can see that the Servant’s (Yeshua’s) ministry was an extension of the Father’s (Yehovah’s) heart for mankind. It was not to further break those who were crushed, shattered, brokenhearted, oppressed, or fragmented. It was (and still is) to restore you and me into relationship with our Father in heaven. With Yehovah, who loves us, is gentle towards us, and who sent His son Yeshua (Jesus) to sacrifice His own life to pay the penalty for our sin which was death, meaning eternal separation from Yehovah.
Yeshua said of Himself:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son [Yeshua] is able to do none at all by Himself, but only that which He sees the Father doing, because whatever He [the Father] does, the Son also likewise does.”
~ John 5:19 ~
In this is true obedience to the Father, not doing anything of oneself because of such perfect dependency upon the Father in all things. I am eternally grateful to Yeshua for demonstrating this pattern for us to emulate.
BREAK
THE HEBREW ~ Break ~ Isaiah 42:3
The word Break is the Hebrew word šāḇar Pronounced: shaw-bar’
Strong’s H7665
Meaning: break, destroy, break in pieces, break down, hurt, torn, crush, quench, rend violently, wreck, crush, rupture (fig), to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked, to shatter, break, broken (-hearted), tear
THE GREEK ~ Break ~ Matthew 12:20
The word Break is the Greek word katagnymi Pronounced: kat-ag’-noo-mee
Strong’s G2608
Meaning: break, to break
FROM the root words G2596 and the base of G4486; to rend in pieces, i.e. crack apart:—break.
Now, how about we tackle the second part of the statement regarding the smoking flax?
“…and smoking flax He does not quench.”
SMOKING
THE HEBREW ~ Smoking ~ Isaiah 42:3
The word smoking is the Hebrew word kēhê Pronounced: kay-heh’
Strong’s H3544
Meaning: somewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, smoking, heaviness; dim, dull, colourless, be dark, faint; feeble, obscure:—somewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking
Okay. Now we need to dig a little deeper as the Hebrew word kēhê is derived from its root word.
FROM kāhâ Pronounced: kaw-haw’
Strongs H3543
Meaning: dim, fail, restrained. To be or grow dim or grow faint, falter, be weak, be darkened, be restrained; to faint, to be or grow weak, i.e. (figuratively) to grow dull of light (the eye), to despond [be cast down; be depressed or dejected in mind; to fail in spirits, to lose all courage, spirit or resolution; to sink by loss of hope]
THE GREEK ~ Smoking ~ Matthew 12:20
The word smoking is the Greek word typhō Pronounced: too’-fo
Strong’s G5188
Meaning: to cause or emit smoke, raise a smoke, to smoke; to make a smoke, i.e. slowly consume without flame
FLAX
THE HEBREW ~ Flax ~ Isaiah 42:3
The word flax is the Hebrew word pištê Pronounced: pish-taw’
Strong’s H6594
Meaning: flax (of the plant); as wick for lamp
FROM the Hebrew root word pēšeṯ Pronounced: pish-teh’.
Strongs H6593
Meaning: flax, linen; fibre used as material for garments
THE GREEK ~ Flax ~ Matthew 12:20
The word flax is the Greek word linon Pronounced: lee’-non
Strong’s G3043
Meaning: flax, linen, linen clothing made from flax
Back in the day, in Biblical times, the fibers of the flax plant (called linen) were braided together to make wicks for their oil lamps and candles. Sometimes wicks were made from other materials such as mullein, hemp, strings of papyrus, rushes, nettle – almost any kind of fiber would suffice. However, flax was the best wick material as it would burn long and steady.
QUENCH
THE HEBREW ~ Quench ~ Isaiah 42:3
The word Quenched is the Hebrew word kāḇâ Pronounced: pish-taw’
Strong’s H3518
Meaning: to quench or be quenched, to be or to put out, be extinguished; to expire or (causatively) to extinguish (fire, light, anger)
THE GREEK ~ Quench ~ Matthew 12:20
The word Quench is the Greek word sbennymi Pronounced: sben’-noo-mee
Strong’s G4570
Meaning: to extinguish, quench; of fire or things on fire; to be quenched, to go out; metaph. to quench, to suppress, stifle
We can see from the definitions of the words and their context in these verses, that ‘crushed’ and ‘break’ and ‘smoking’ and ‘quenched’ have some similarities as well as some differences. In the first segment of ‘crushed’ and ‘break’, Isaiah states that the Servant of Yehovah will not further destroy those people who have been devastatingly broken through violent trauma. No matter what they have believed, Father Yehovah Elohim wants these brokenhearted people to trust that He is gentle to those who suffer and that the bringing forth of His right-fuling includes vengeance for what has been done to them. Likewise, this is true in the ‘smoking’ and ‘quenched’ statement.
Therefore, Isaiah, inspired by Yehovah and prophetically looking ahead and Matthew, who personally observed in the present and who witnessed Yeshua’s past earthly ministry as being one that was in all ways righteous and true as a Judge in His judgements, yet filled with gentleness and compassion for broken humanity.
Yeshua, by His own example, set the pattern for ministry of all of His subsequent disciples. We are not to break or to quench (to destroy or extinguish) those who have been ‘crushed’ and those whose fire is ‘smoking’ and in danger of slowly petering out. He did not come to condem sinners, but to redeem them.
Yeshua said:
“For Elohim [God] so loved the world that He gave His only brought-forth Son [Yeshua/Jesus], so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life. “For Elohim did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only brought-forth Son of Elohim. “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. “For everyone who is practising evil matters hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. “But the one doing the truth comes to the light, so that his works are clearly seen, that they have been wrought in Elohim.”
~ John 3:16-21 ~
Yehovah Elohim sent Yeshua to give eternal life to all who would trust in Him as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Yeshua’s first coming was not to judge mankind, but to make a way for us to enter into relationship with Elohim (God) the Father who is holy because we were separated from Him by our sin, our wicked works. If we choose to come into the light of Yeshua’s righteousness we will receive grace and mercy because of Yeshua’s sacrifice.
Yeshua will return again very soon. This time He will return as a King and Judge of all the earth. He is returning to bring judgment. On that day, there will be no more opportunity for repentance as NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!
“In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
~ 2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV ~
“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, יהושע [Yeshua] the Son of Elohim, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was tried in all respects as we are, apart from sin. Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of favour, in order to receive compassion, and find favour for timely help.”
~ Hebrews 4:14-16 ~
How comforting it is to know that it is not in the Father’s heart, nor is it in His Son’s (Yeshua’s) heart to break those of us who have been crushed, bruised, and even fragmented in this life. We no longer need to be afraid to come bodly before Yeshua’s throne to receive compassion and to find favor when we are in need. What does it take to qualify us to approach Yeshua’s throne of mercy? Well, we must have a need. Wouldn’t this qualify most of us?
One last thing…
As we have worked through definitions for certain words in the verse below in both the Old Testament (Tanakh) and the New Testament (Brit Hadashah), I thought I would try my hand at a more descriptive paraphrase with the understanding gained. Now keep in mind my paraphrase should not be considered Scripture, but merely an attempt this to bring added depth to the English words that do not provide the fullness of the Hebrew or Greek. So with that in mind, here is the Scripture:
“A crushed reed He does not break, and smoking flax He does not quench. He brings forth right-ruling in accordance with truth.”
And here is my paraphrase of Isaiah 42:3 and Matthew 12:20.
To the brokenhearted person who has been violently traumatized
and fragmented within your soul, who struggles to hold yourself together while bearing grievous oppression,
Yehovah’s Servant, Yeshua, will not add to your hurt.
Neither will Yeshua extinguish the weak, dimly lit, and smokey wick
of the one who has been restrained, whose diminished existance wanes
under the heaviness of the darkness in their mind,
that has become depressed from loss of hope.
Yeshua shall lead you forth with His right-ruling.
He will righteously pronounce judgement on your behalf
for he knows the wrongs that you have endured.
Yeshua, Himself will decide your case to utterly overcome evil,
and to bring you unto victory in Him.
As you contine to think upon the liberating words penned by Isaiah and Matthew, faith and hope will begin to rise within you. Certainly, Yehovah is the Elohim who has seen your affliction and who compassionately cares for you. Your suffering has not escaped His attention and in the day of His wrath, he certainly will not forget your cause.
Are you a crushed reed or a smoking flax?
If you are, then consider opening your heart to our Father in heaven. He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah saying,
“For I know the thoughts I have for you,” declares Yehovah, thoughts to prosper you and not to harm you, thoughts to give you hope and a future.”
~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~
Take comfort, You have at last, found a strong and safe advocate in Yeshua.
Please let us know if you have learned something new today through what has been shared. We pray that you will place your trust Yeshua Messiah for hope and for His great salvation and deliverance. We did, and our lives will never be the same.
