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Sermon #5275

The Godhead Revealed

A Sermon on Isaiah 40:5

Originally preached May 16, 1954

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Scripture

Isaiah 40:5 ESV KJV
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (ESV)

Sermon Description

This gospel is the most astounding thing the world has ever known. In this sermon on Isaiah 40:5 titled “The Godhead Revealed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones declares the character and kindness of God. The life of sin is one of misery, but God is ready to pardon iniquity and change one’s whole condition. One’s eternal destiny hangs upon their view of Christ. “What is God like?” Learn that glory is the extreme attribute of God. The supreme need is to know God. Listen as the ignorance and arrogance of humanity are addressed. Remember that the chief end of man is to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Both the Old and New Testaments serve as manifestations of the glory of God. “Have you ever considered the plan of salvation?” Through this plan, God revealed Himself in a way He never had before—look at the person of Christ. Jesus is the “brightness of God’s glory and the express image of God’s person.” Love, compassion, and holiness are put on display. How can anyone receive a new nature and pull themselves out of the mire? See the wisdom and grace of God in His solution. The righteousness and justice of God demands atonement.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Jesus Christ and the revelation of God's glory.
  2. God's glory refers to His attributes like beauty, majesty, splendor, and greatness. God's glory is too great for humans to comprehend on our own.
  3. God has revealed His glory in nature, creation, history, and Scripture. But the greatest revelation of God's glory is in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
  4. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a manifestation of God's glory. God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to save us.
  5. Jesus Christ is the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His person. Jesus revealed the Father to us.
  6. Jesus manifested God's glory through His miracles, holiness, love, compassion, and salvation.
  7. Jesus' death on the cross supremely displays God's glory. We see God's wisdom, power, holiness, righteousness, justice, and love.
  8. God's holiness and justice demand that sin be punished. Jesus was punished in our place so we could be forgiven.
  9. God's love is demonstrated in that He sacrificed His Son to save rebellious sinners like us. There is no greater love.
  10. One day, every person will see Jesus in His glory. For believers, it will be a joyful day. For unbelievers, it will be a fearful day of judgment.
  11. We must see God's glory in Christ and His cross now in order to be ready to meet Him in glory. We must believe in Jesus as our Savior.
  12. God has done everything necessary for our salvation by sending His Son to die for us. We must accept God's provision or face judgment.
  13. God's glory is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. We can begin to glory in it and be saved.

Sermon Q&A

What Is the Main Message of Isaiah 40:5 According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Isaiah 40:5 proclaims that "the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." This verse contains one of the central messages of Christianity - that God's glory has been supremely revealed through Jesus Christ.

What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "the glory of God"?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the glory of God refers to:

  • God's beauty, majesty, splendor, and greatness
  • Something that is "ineffable" and transcendent
  • God's essential being and all His attributes
  • Something that human minds cannot arrive at through their own efforts or imagination
  • The supreme attribute of God that is manifested in various ways

He states: "The glory of God and the being of God are such that no man can approach unto it. No man has ever seen it or can see it."

How is God's glory revealed according to the sermon?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that God reveals His glory in several ways:

  1. In nature and creation: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork."

  2. In history: "In the very story of the rise and the development and the ultimate wane and passing of great dynasties and great empires, I see nothing but the glory of God."

  3. In Old Testament events: The flood, the exodus, Mount Sinai, and the deliverances of Israel.

  4. Most supremely in Jesus Christ: "The christian salvation is the ultimate manifestation of the glory of God."

How does Christ reveal God's glory according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones explains that Christ reveals God's glory in several ways:

  1. In His person: "In him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily."

  2. In His power through miracles: "Look at his miracles... He's manifesting the glory of God."

  3. In His holiness: "There was no sin in him."

  4. In His love and compassion: "Always had time for a case of need and of suffering."

  5. Most supremely in His death on the cross: "The supreme manifestation of the glory of God is in the salvation that the Son has brought, and especially in the way in which it has been done."

Why is seeing God's glory important according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Lloyd-Jones, recognizing God's glory in Christ is crucial because:

  1. It determines our eternal destiny: "Either take the view that this gospel of Jesus Christ is the most wonderful thing in the world, or else it's nothing. It's one or the other. And my eternal destiny depends upon the view I take."

  2. It's the only way to truly know God: "The supreme need [is] to know God... The only begotten son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him."

  3. A day is coming when everyone will see Christ's glory: "A day is coming when every eye shall see him... what determines what you will feel at that moment is what you know about this glory."

Lloyd-Jones concludes by urging his listeners to see and accept God's glory revealed in Christ: "The glory of the Lord has been revealed. It's to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ... see it, begin to glory in it and be eternally saved by it."

Old Testament

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.