Isaiah 40:5 (NKJV)

Bible Commentary

Isaiah 40:5 is a Bible verse from the Old Testament that promises we will all see the glory of the Lord together. We’ve probably all imagined in our minds how we think the Second Coming of the Lord will be. We’ve seen various pictures of Jesus coming down from the clouds in the sky. Most likely, in Isaiah 40:5 the writer was looking toward the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah upon the earth.

The Son of God came inconspicuously the first time. He arrived as a new-born baby to a very inconspicuous family.  Many were expecting a grand and dramatic entrance for a grand and dramatic rescue. The Jewish people called out to God for deliverance from the oppressive rule of the Romans, and they expected the Messiah to arrive in a kingly fashion in order to set them free.

But God doesn’t have to show up in rulers and people in authority on earth to make things happen. He is God, and He loves to root for the underdog, to watch them overcome difficult circumstances and become victorious. David and Goliath come to mind.

Jesus wasn’t born into a royal family, and yet He was King, Son of the Most High. He faced and conquered the most difficult of all—a shameful torture and public crucifixion.

Expectations vs. Reality

God’s promises most certainly come to pass, but many times things don’t transpire the way we expect them to. We look for the revelation of His promise one way, but He shows up in a very different way. His ways are not our ways.

He accomplishes far more with the fulfillment of a single promise than what we could possibly see, or even imagine. Most likely, it will be the same regarding the Second Coming.

Isiah 40:5 says, “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together…”

We picture scores of people looking up into the clouds, seeing Jesus come down. But let’s take a look at the Hebrew translation for the word “see”: appear, discern, have experience, perceive, have respect, view, visions.

Interesting. There are many ways we can see Jesus. There are many different ways He can reveal Himself to us. He is God. Let’s think outside the box for a moment.

Unlocking the Truth – He is Coming

Isaiah 40:5 says all flesh shall see it together, but it doesn’t say we will all see Him the same way.

To one person He appears, but another person discerns a revelation, and another person perceives Him, and still another has a vision.

He can give us instant understanding and knowledge of Him, from within. We can have a vision, from within. He can shine the bright light of His Presence from within, so we don’t have to rely upon our eyes, or even our own intellect.

The promise of Isaiah 40:5 does not depend upon man’s ability to see. It is simply a statement of what God says He will do. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Let’s go further outside the box.

What If He is Already Here?

What if God has already revealed the glory of the Lord to us? Stop and think. Have you ever had a personal encounter, or revelation of Christ? Have you ever had a very clear perception, or vision of His glory?

But Isaiah 40:5 says all flesh will see it together.

The word “together” in Hebrew means: a unit, that is, unitedly, alike. Will we be aware that others are seeing, or perceiving His glory? Will we make our own personal revelation known to those around us?

My point is this. He could be living among us as one of us, even now. 2 Peter 3:10 says, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night…”

He could be our neighbor, our co-worker, our boss or the person in the car next to us in traffic. He can reveal Himself through any one of us at any time. He comes as a thief in the night, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Let’s be watching for Him, aware that He is near, for He is.

The revelation of His glory might be quick and fleeting at first, and then longer and more pronounced the next time. He is coming. Let’s not lose sight of that hope…the hope of His glory.

Hallelujah and Amen! Study the Bible verse of Isaiah 40:5, and look for His coming.