God Will Fill You With His Glory Again; The Law of Undulation

Discouragement does set in when situations in life are trying your faith. Looking at your situation, how it is now and comparing to how it used to be as you struggle to pick up any broken pieces, in your attempts to mend what was whole. The Book of Haggai Ch.2 expresses the same familiarity. The Israelites exhibited the same experience of discouragement when having to rebuild God’s House all over after Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. They could not help but compare the old state to the current. The new temple was not as glorious as it use to be, and by their natural eye it held less honor, which made the people extremely discouraged. But Haggai’s ministry was to urge God’s people to be obedient, especially in the rebuilding of the temple.

3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

House (bayith): Temple, Family, Ourselves within

When I read this, God began to speak to me; like the rebuilding of the temple (our selves or our family), sometimes our life goes through a reconstruction process from situations that feel so damaging it can’t help but to attract discouragement; picking up the broken pieces and having to build back up.

In the Book of Haggai, scriptures say something very captivating about what God said He will do during our process of rebuilding through one word “Shake.”

“I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the seas, and the dry land.”

Shake: to undulate; a motion of waves;

When God speaks a word of action such as “Shake,” scriptures see it as a decree or law. In the Book of Haggai, God speaks a decree of undulation; the Law of Undulation.

The Law of Undulation, as we see it, is our highs and lows in life, like waves. In our peaks, we feel God’s presence, His goodness, His favor, and during our lows in life, we sometimes feel God’s presence far away. It's during our lows in life wherein our natural state we feel weakened or defeated. It is during our lows; Satan’s attack is more prevalent; blow after blow. Because Satan has no authority over man’s will, his very nature is to exploit through temptation, wooing us into destruction and despair through our thoughts that orders our behaviors. It is also during our lows; God allows us to grow into the very purpose He called us to walk in. In those very moments when it feels as if He has removed His hand it is during these seasons of lows when we choose to continue the will to walk, God is pleased, even when we do stumble.

Interestingly enough, there is a fictional book, “Screwtape Letters,” written by C.S. Lewis, who speaks about the Law of Undulation. Here's what I found interesting. In Chapter 8 of The Screwtape Letters, the author speaks about the worrying matter of the enemy in regards to the Law of Undulation. “Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will (God), looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys” (Lewis, n.d.).

The danger the enemy realizes is our obedience to trust God. Trusting God in our discouragement, during our heartbreaks, in situations that are beyond our control is what makes the devil scared. It is our willingness to trust. So, here is what God’s word says about the Law of Undulation and our obedience to Him.

“be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts;

5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remains among you: fear ye not.

6 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it.

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

20 And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them;

I want to encourage you today if you’re going through a low season in your life stay in the obedience of trusting God. His word says, “the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former and, in this place, will I give peace.” Your situation may feel discouraging, but like the prophet Haggai's sense of urgency to God’s people, keep your conscious efforts to commit. Renew your drive in accomplishing the task that God has called you to, and do so with attentiveness. Don’t stop seeking God through His Word. Seek God for advice more than you do, man. Keep praying and worshiping God in Spirit and Truth even when everything around you says, “give up.” Make no excuses to deviate from your conscious efforts because, in due time, you are going to hit your peak again. God says He will move on your behalf through Undulation in both the heavens and earth. Remember, the war waged is in the unseen things. But take courage, we have been given the victory through our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. So this too shall pass, and we will overcome. Not only are you going to hit your high peak again, but God will take your current state, and it will be even greater than the last, and it doesn’t stop there, He will also give you His peace and bless you for your willingness to keep going because of your faith in trusting Him.