Isaiah 42:3-4 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment to truth. Nothing is more common than for the inspired writers to represent spiritual and Divine things by an allusion to those which are natural. Notice — I. SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BELIEVER'S WEAKNESS. 1. He has knowledge, but it is as yet imperfect. 2. He has faith, but as yet it is comparatively powerless. 3. He has hope, but it is faint and feeble. 4. His joys are few and transient. But these characteristics of the Christian's weakness are also the sources of his sorrow. II. SOME OF THE PLEDGES OF THE BELIEVER'S SECURITY. "He will not break," etc. if faith be genuine, though but like the smallest grain of seed, He owns it; if hope be legitimate, though feeble, He owns it; if love be sincere, though languid, He owns it. The pledges of the believer's security are many and great. 1. Weak believers, equally with the strong, stand in a Divine relation to God. 2. They are, equally with the strong, the purchased possession of the Redeemer. 3. The weak believer is, equally with the strong, supplied out of the inexhaustible store of Divine grace. (S. Bridge, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. |
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