A bruised reed and a dimly burning wick

Isaiah 42:1-4 (NASB)

“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; 
My chosen one in whom My soul delights.  
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
 He will bring forth justice to the nations.  He will not cry out or raise His voice,
 nor make His voice heard in the street.  A bruised reed He will not break 
and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
 He will faithfully bring forth justice.  He will not be disheartened or crushed 
until He has established justice in the earth;
 And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”

Servant---what comes to mind when you think of this word?  Those who serve you food at restaurants.  Those who are at the beckon call of someone very rich.  Those who are hired to help you with your house, e.g. domestic servants.  Those who are supposed to help you with government services, e.g. public or civil servants.  Christians should be well-aware of the term ‘servant leadership’ which is the model of Christ (Mark 10:45), that leaders are to serve not be served.   

Servant is a key word in the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah 53 is the famous “Suffering Servant” servant chapter prophesying about Jesus.  The word “servant” (Hebrew “ebed” meaning servant, slave, man-servant) is a popular word in the Old Testament, used 800 times, 36 times in the book of Isaiah.  The Servant described in this passage refers to Jesus Christ although Israel is also described as a servant (e.g. Isa 41:8, 49:3).  Many other passages in Isaiah make it clear that “My Servant” is referring to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (e.g. Isa 42:19, 53:11). 

The Lord through Isaiah shouts “Behold” in order for listeners/readers to be attentive to what He wishes to teach about “My Servant”.  The Servant’s role will be to bring forth justice to the nations, He will faithfully bring forth justice.  In bringing forth justice He will not cry out or raise His voice or make His voice heard in the street.   What does all this mean?

Biblically, justice is the same as judgment.  The King James version uses judgment rather than justice in this verse.  The Servant will judge all nations and bring them to a state of righteousness someday.  He started His “judgment” in a compassionate way when He came to earth and died on a cross for the salvation of all who will believe in Him.  He suffered died without crying out or raising His voice.  John 3:17 says that Jesus did not come to the world to judge people but to save them.  Yet, when He comes again, He comes to bring final justice/judgment upon all nations in the world (Matt 25:31-46, Acts 17:31, II Tim 4:1, Rev 19:11-16).   

The thrust of this passage are the phrases “bruised reed” and “dimly burning wick”.  What are these and what is their significance?  A reed is a stalk or stem of grass or any kind of vegetation and when it is bruised or injured it cannot hold the weight of the plant.  Symbolically, a bruised reed represents someone who has been weakened by external forces and can no longer bear any kind of burden.  A wick is a piece of porous material that allows liquid fuel to move by capillary action to produce a flame in a candle or lamp.  Symbolically, a dimly burning wick represents someone who has exhausted his resources and no longer has the strength to carry on.  Collectively, bruised reeds and dimly burning wicks are oppressed, weak, poor, hurting and suffering people for whom the Servant of the Lord will bring justice. 

The Servant of the Lord came to earth the first time to become a bruised reed and a dimly burning wick to suffer and die for the sins of the world.  Yet He will not be disheartened or crushed as He moves and works to bring justice to all the injustices of the world.  Interestingly the Hebrew word translated “bruised” in verse 3 is the same word translated “disheartened” in verse 4.  While people can be bruised/crushed/ discouraged, the Lord’s Servant cannot be.  That’s why He can minister to you if you let Him.  The mission of the Lord’s Servant is to establish eventually what God intended when He created the world and mankind---complete and perfect justice, peace, and love.

We all are bruised reeds and dimly burning wicks.  We all are burdened and weakened by the pressures of life, be it our jobs, financial pressures, overwhelming responsibilities, dealing with other people, physical and emotional burdens, and so on.  We are human, we have limitations, fragile bodies, minds and hearts, and we cannot handle all our burdens all the time.  We need the Lord, God’s Servant, who takes on our bruises and weaknesses and enables us to triumph in life through Him.  What a wonderful blessing, praise the Lord for what He has already done and will continue to do for us now and forever.  His help will never end until perfect justice has been established in the earth.  Amen.