Page 73 - Foundations

is not unlike King Saul continuing to have access to the Tabernacle of God, and the ability to inquire
of Yahweh’s prophets. It was only at the very end of Saul’s life that God refused to answer the King
of Israel. This is why Saul sought out a medium to summon forth the prophet Samuel from the grave.
Yahweh is patient, bearing long with His anointed servants who have turned to wickedness.

Job’s Trials

In the book of Job we see that Yahweh allows Satan to voice his complaint. Yahweh grants to Satan
the authority to test his claim that Job honors God only because Yahweh protects and prospers him.
At the same time, Yahweh always has in mind the welfare of his righteous servant. Although Job
suffered greatly, his suffering was temporal and resulted in no spiritual loss. On the contrary, Job
learned much about Yahweh, and of humility, through the things he suffered. Job was like a fruitful
vine that Yahweh allowed to be pruned back severely that it might bring forth more abundantly.

For many years I was troubled by a certain passage from the Gospels. Not having been taught
correctly about the continued authority of the fallen members of the host of heaven, I could not make
sense of a particular statement of Christ.

John 19:10-11
Pilate therefore said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to
release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Yahshua answered, “You would have no authority
over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you
has the greater sin.”

In my Baptist upbringing, the only being I was aware of who had authority in the heavens was God.
I could not conceive of Christ charging God with sin. This left me with the unresolved questions, “To
whom was Christ referring when He spoke of Pilate being granted authority from above? Who was
it that had the greater sin?” The answer is now readily apparent to me. Satan continues to bear
authority as the ruler of this world. His rule is in the heavens. He granted authority to Pilate to
condemn the Son of God to death. He goaded the Jews into crying out “Crucify Him!” It was Satan
to whom Christ said the greater guilt belonged.