One must be careful not to build “doctrine” on obscure verses of Scripture. Especially without parallel Texts, elsewhere in the Word of God. But I still think I’m safe in writing what follows.

Here’s today’s thought from the Bible, concerning the “Spirit” of God, the “Holy Spirit” we call Him today. Job 34:14-15 observes: “If he (God) set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.”

Wow!

We’ve just been told that the Spirit of God is essential to life itself!

That He is the Sustainer of humanity!

In other words (restating the verses above) … If God set His Mind to it, if God recalled His Spirit (the word “breath” is a synonym for “Spirit”), all life (flesh) would perish (cease to exist), altogether so! Man would decompose, returning of the dust of the earth!

Wow again!

I already realized that Jesus sustained life. Paul wrote of our Lord in Colossians 1:17, “By Him all this consist.” With “consist” (in Greek “sunistao”) meaning “to stick together!”

But I did not realize (until this morning) that the Holy Spirit is that essential to our very existence as well! I should have. After all … He, the Spirit, is God!

Maybe the Holy Spirit “withholds” evil on earth … to that extent! Should He be “recalled,” worldly life would rot beyond usefulness, self-destruct!

Maybe without the Holy Spirit, all vestiges of kindness, every shred of mercy and grace and love, would disintegrate as well! Again, should that be the case, the world could no longer stand!

Maybe without the Holy Spirit, sane logic and intelligence and reasoning would disappear. I do know that in the Tribulation, when the Spirit is “withdrawn” to some extent, mankind soon believes “the lie!” The “line” the Anti-Christ shall use! “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He (the Holy Spirit) who now letteth (hinder) will let, until He be taken out of the way (out of the midst). And then shall that Wicked be revealed.” Paul in Second Thessalonians 2:7-8.

I’m swimming in waters way over my head today!

The utter NECESSITY of God the Holy Spirit’s Presence!

Our Text one more time. ““If he (God) set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; ALL FLESH SHALL PERISH together, and MAN SHALL TURN AGAIN UNTO DUST.”

What a noble, exalted, inspired view of the Holy Spirit of God!

Worth pondering all day long.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell