Zechariah 14:6 (ESV)

[6] On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. [7] And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the LORD, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.

[8] On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.

[9] And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

“On that day…” The last few chapters of Zechariah keep using that phrase, “On that day…” They are chapters of hope. There will be a day when all things will be set right. There will be a day when the King will come. There will be a day when the nations, willingly or unwillingly, will bow before the king. There will be a day when God’s people and God’s city will be at peace and the world will know that he is God. “On that day…”

Christians are people of hope. We are people of faith. We do not live by sight, but by the promises of God’s word. We do not live for today, but for eternity. We do not live for ourselves, but for the King. We do not live for now, but for then, for “On that day…”

So why do we so often act as though now is all there is? Why do we act as though the world is out of control. Throughout the Old Testament, from Genesis 3 on through Malachi, there was the promise of a Messiah. They didn’t see him. He didn’t come. The world was spinning out of control. From man’s perspective it appeared that the Serpent was winning. But… But, then came Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Then came Jesus. Then came the fulfillment of all those Old Testament prophecies. On that day what had begun to look hopeless came to fulfillment. That is why we celebrate Christmas. Because the King was born. The promises were about to be fulfilled. The Serpent wasn’t winning after all. So we celebrate.

Today is the same. The Savior, Messiah, came, lived, died, and rose from the dead. He commissioned us to make disciples, and left us with the promise that he would come again. Today the world appears to be spinning out of control. The Serpent seems to be winning. But… God’s promises are never forgotten. He does not work in our time, but in his. Whether we see the fulfillment in our day, we will see it “On that day.” Because of that truth we live in hope, by faith. Because of that truth we get on with our mission. Because of that truth we celebrate even in the darkest of times. Because “On that day” we will see his kingdom come and his will done. Christmas is not about what happened 2000 years ago. It is about the hope of what is coming. Because he came, because he died, because he lives, we know he will one day come again. And then, what a celebration!