08/31/2026
Pastor Carl McNeill
Sunday August30, 2026
Isaiah 40:5 ...the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together...
Isaiah can be referred to as the “Gospel of the Old Testament” because of the number of Messianic references that it contains. We read the first 5 chapters of Isaiah and we see Isaiah show glimpses of redemption, but only thru judgment. He proclaims many “Woe” words to God’s people to try to get them to turn back to God. But then something happens in chapter 6 and Isaiah has a personal encounter with the living God. He sees the Lord lifted up, and instead of preaching “woe” to everyone else, he says “Woe is me!” It is then that Isaiah not only sees himself compared to a holy God, but he receives God’s cleansing power from the fire of the altar. The altar of sacrifice. The sacrifice was Christ.
From that point forward Isaiah received a revelation of Christ unparalleled by anyone else in the Old Testament. Not only did it cleanse his lips, it changed his heart. Now he is willing to be used by God, and when God calls, Isaiah says “Here I am, send me!” Not only did he experience Christ’s cleansing sacrifice, but now he has become a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
It was this encounter with Christ that Isaiah is talking about in chapter 40 as well. Isaiah saw thru the Spirit the future encounter men would have with Christ in the world. It was this scripture in Isaiah 40:3-4 that John the Baptist used to reveal Christ in the flesh. Isaiah was telling men to prepare to have an encounter with Jesus, get ready to meet God in the flesh. It was exactly what Isaiah prophesied. The glory of the Lord was revealed and all flesh saw it in the face of Jesus Christ.
Today if you want to see the glory of God, prepare for an encounter with Jesus. Make way for Him. Make room for Him. He is coming, and He wants an encounter with you!
