Reeds, or bulrushes, are not usually things of significance in the minds of many people. They are tall, simple plants growing in wetlands, drawing nourishment from their proximity to water. However, they can be harvested for a variety of uses: household items, parts of musical instruments, and according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, food for cattle and horses.
In the Bible, reeds can be overlooked when they are mentioned. In the Old Testament, the baby Moses is placed in a basket made of papyrus and set afloat in the Nile to protect him from the Egyptian soldiers who were ending the lives of Hebrew male infants. The Pharaoh’s daughter finds him among the reeds of the river (Exodus 1:1-8).
When Isaiah speaks about God’s long-awaited savior, he prophesies that “a bruised reed he will not break” (Isaiah 42:3); and during the Passion of Jesus, the Roman soldiers mock Him by putting a reed in His right hand as a scepter and then beating Him with it (Matthew 27:29).
These examples of reeds in the Scriptures reveal something of God’s character: that He chooses and bestows His favor on what appears to be insignificant. Isaiah’s prophecy also reveals His tenderness to what has been weakened.
Out of a peasant baby found in the reeds of the river, came a prince of Egypt and eventually the deliverer of Israel.
The Son of God took on our frail human nature and became the “bruised reed” in our place, to atone for our sins.
The reeds in the Bible demonstrate to us this recurrent theme: what looks like fragility to the eyes of the world, is gifted with His authority and blessing.
