Verse 20, a further quotation from Isaiah, says, “A bruised reed He shall not break, and smoking flax He shall not quench, until He brings forth judgment unto victory.” As the One anointed with the Spirit, Christ not only will make no noise in the streets, but He will not break a bruised reed or quench smoking flax. This indicates that while He was being rejected and opposed, He was still full of mercy. The Jews who were opposing Him were like bruised reeds and smoking flax. The Jews used to make flutes or reeds. When a reed was bruised, they broke it. They also made torches with flax to burn oil. When the oil ran out, the flax smoked, and they quenched it. Some of the Lord’s people are like the bruised reed that cannot give a musical sound; others are like the smoking flax that cannot give a shining light. Yet the Lord will not break the bruised ones or quench the smoking ones. Although the Lord was rejected, He was still merciful. Even those who had become bruised reeds He would not break, and those who had become smoking flax He would not quench. Rather, He would still keep open the door of mercy and grace to them all. Among His followers and believers today, many have become bruised reeds that can no longer give a musical song. As a rule, these bruised reeds should be broken and thrown away. But Christ will not do this. Moreover, many of His believers no longer burn as a bright light. As a rule, He should quench them all and cast them away. But He will not do this either. Instead, He is merciful. No matter how much opposition, persecution, and attack, this heavenly King is always merciful. He is a merciful, kingly Savior. You may reject Him today, but He will still be merciful to you. Tomorrow if you say, “Lord Jesus, I repent,” He will deal with you lovingly. What a merciful Savior He is! He will never break a bruised reed or quench smoking flax. Rather, He would wait for you to receive His mercy and grace.
Verse 21 says, “And in His name the nations shall hope.” Due to the rejection by the Jewish religionists, the heavenly King with His salvation turned to the nations. Now the nations put their hope in His name, believing in Him and receiving Him as their kingly Savior.
This portion of the Word reveals that, on the one hand, the Lord is bold and that, on the other hand, He is merciful. On the one hand, He is strong; on the other hand, He is merciful and meek. This is the King who established the kingdom of the heavens, and this is the way for Him to establish His kingdom. Do not think that in chapter twelve the Lord was defeated. That is a mistaken concept. He was not defeated; He was establishing His kingdom. It is the same with us today. Do not say, “There is so much attack and opposition. Many rumors are being spread against us. How difficult it is for the Lord’s recovery. The recovery will be defeated.” This is wrong. Although we are so small in number, it seems that all of Christianity is rising up against us. But actually we are not wrong. Who loves the Bible and knows it more than we do? Do we not live in the presence of God and love the Lord Jesus? Do we not take Him as our life day by day? Then why do so many dear Christians oppose us and not others? It is the same today with us as it was with the Lord Jesus when He was on earth. Although He was a little man, the enemy of God knew that He was the One who would defeat him and establish the kingdom of the heavens. The principle is the same today. The enemy knows that this is the Lord’s recovery and that the recovery will defeat him and establish the kingdom of the heavens. Never consider the Lord’s recovery as an ordinary Christian work. The more opposition, persecution, criticism, and attacks there are, the more we are confirmed. Do not expect the opposition to decline. If no one opposed us, that would be a sign that we are wrong, that we have lost the testimony. But as long as we are being opposed and attacked, this is an indication that we are right. Instead of losing by being attacked, we are gaining. This is the way the kingdom of the heavens is built. It is built through being attacked, persecuted, and criticized. In Matthew chapter twelve the Lord Jesus was not losing the battle—He was gaining. It is the same today. Praise the Lord that we do not fight the battle in a human way, but in the way of the Lord Jesus. While He was being attacked, He was gaining the victory. Likewise, the more the recovery is attacked, the more the kingdom of the heavens will be established. Without doubt, it is being established among us in the Lord’s recovery. Praise Him!