“Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord.” – Zechariah 2:10
What a wonderful promise to a demoralized nation in exile! As Israel despaired of ever experiencing God’s love again, He promised He would once more come and dwell in their midst! They weren’t alone! They weren’t abandoned! They had a future and a hope in the living God of the universe.
Centuries later, this promise would be fulfilled when, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). As Christmas draws near, this is what we celebrate! God the Son, eternally and forever God, took on a human nature and body and became a newborn lying in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem! Born to live a sinless life, die a sacrificial death, and rise from death, God once more dwelt with mankind so that all who believe in Him will dwell with Him forever. Sing and rejoice!
We certainly do sing and rejoice during this sweet season of Advent. However, let us remember that the anticipation we feel during this special time isn’t just for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. At this time, we anticipate, sing, and rejoice that Jesus will one day return in victory over all the evil and darkness we see surrounding us!
When Christ returns, He’ll ultimately bring about the renewal of this fallen world. Heaven will come down to earth and God’s promise in Zechariah 2:10 will be our everyday experience forever and ever. God will dwell in our midst and we will rejoice in the glory of God the Father and Christ the Son day and night! Come, Lord Jesus!