What About the Saints of the Old Covenant?

While writing an article recently about saints, I wrote about them primarily from the perspective of the New Covenant.   I began to consider whether or not there were saints during the Old Covenant period.

In Psalms 116:15 we are told:  “Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of his saints.”  This certainly confirms the importance of the saints to Yahweh. Paul tells us there are saints in Colossae, Ephesus, Corinth and other New Testament locations.  What about the Old Covenant?  Yahweh must have had some people he thought precious during the Old Covenant times.

John provides us with a clue about the existence of Old Covenant saints in John 10:16:  “and other sheep I have which are not of this fold:  them also I bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”  If you consider the New Covenant saints as the most recent fold, then the first fold must be the Old Covenant Saints.

In my study, it was revealed to me that there is one man who is called a saint in the Old Covenant scriptures.  Notice what we are told in Psalms 106:16:  “They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of Yahweh.” There he is!  This is the only reference that names a saint of Yahweh in the Old Covenant scriptures.

The Hebrew word translated here as saint is Strong’s number 6918, qadowsh. (kaw-dosh)  It can mean sacred, holy one or set apart. Its root word is Strong’s 6942, qadosh, which can mean appoint, consecrate, dedicate, purify or sanctify.  You will also find this word translated as saint in Psalms 16:3 and 89:5.

There is also a Chaldean word translated as saint in the book of Daniel. It is related to Strong’s 6918 and has its own number which is 6922, qaddiysh. (kaw-deesh)

Another Hebrew word translated as saint is Strong’s 6944, chaciyd (khaw-seed). This word means pious, holy, good or kind. This is a commonly used Hebrew word for saint. Here are some other verses where you will find this word translated as saint:  1 Samuel 2:9, 2 Chronicles 6:41 and Proverbs 2:8.

In my research on the Internet, the Catholic websites are well represented regarding the topic of saints. They have a significant interest in this subject.  They pray to saints and they believe that those designated as saints are in heaven and are therefore able to intervene on one’s behalf with the Creator.

Are the saints in heaven? Not according to the Messiah.  He says this in John 3:13: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.”

The apostle Peter echoes the same fact in Acts 2:34:  “For David is not ascended into the heavens.”

No saints from either the Old Covenant or New Covenant are in heaven. Those of the Old Covenant are in their graves and the deceased of the New Covenant are also in their graves.  The deceased saints are asleep awaiting the return of Messiah.

Notice the compassionate consideration Messiah YahwehShua shows for his sleeping saints in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:   

“For the sovereign himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of Elohim: and the dead in Messiah shall rise first:  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Sovereign in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Sovereign.”

There is no unfair advantage given to the living saints. The dead Old Covenant and New Covenant saints are awakened and rise first into the clouds. The living saints then join them. There is no preferential treatment here. There is only love for ALL the saints. Paul tells us this in 1 Thessalonians 4:18:  “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  I quote these words here for the benefit of the saints. Your Sovereign is very loving as are the saints who are copies of him. (1 John 3:2)  They are filled with His love.

Are there other Old Covenant saints besides Aaron? Of course there are.  Consider Matthew 17:1-3:

“And after six days Yahshua taketh Peter, James and John his brother, and bringeth them up in an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.  And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”

There you have two more saints with Messiah in the resurrection. There are more to be considered.  However, the number is still small. The two folds will be one with one shepherd, a good shepherd. (John 10:11)

Messiah, our shepherd, has known His saints before the foundation of the world. We are very precious to him. Perhaps you are being called to become a New Covenant saint. When Messiah returns you may be among both the Old Covenant and New Covenant saints. What great company!

Contact the elders of the Light of YahwehShua for more information.  If you wish to submit a question or comment, please email our Elder at john12e4567@gmail.com.

YAHWEH IS CALLING HIS SAINTS: Are You Listening?

Who are the saints?  Paul describes a saint for us in 1 Corinthians 1:2:

“Unto the church [in Greek, ecclesia. A better translation of this word is assembly or congregation] of Yahweh which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in the Messiah YahwehShua, called (to be) [not in the Greek] saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of YahwehShua Messiah, our Sovereign, both theirs and ours.”

 This is a very important insight. What does it tell us?

1.      Paul was speaking to the ecclesia not a church.  Who is the ecclesia?  Colossians 1:18:    “And he is the head of the body, the ecclesia.”

            Colossians 1:24:  “his body’s sake, which is the ecclesia.”

The saints are the body of Messiah and compose the ecclesia.  You must understand what the ecclesia is. It is not a church. That is an incorrect translation borrowed from pagan beliefs.

All saints are part of the body of Messiah. To find saints, you must know who and where is the body of Messiah.

2.    Saints are sanctified in Messiah YahwehShua.  The word sanctified is of Latin origin. The Greek word is hagiazo, which is Strong’s number 37. This word means to make holy, purify or consecrated.  It comes from the Greek word, hagos, Strong’s number 40. This word means holy or consecrated.

Notice that the saints are made holy in Messiah YahwehShua. This necessary and correct name is not Jesus, Yeshua or Yahshua. Saints can only be made holy through the resurrected name of Messiah YahwehShua.

3.    These people made holy in Messiah YahwehShua are called or named saints.

It is important to identify who the saints are.  Jude tells us in verse three that:  “We should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  When you find the true saints, you will find true glad tidings.

Why do I say true saints? Because there is a wrong teaching from the Catholic Church that gives incorrect information about who are the saints.  Their belief is that the church authorities designate who the saints are.  They say a saint becomes one through canonization.  There is no scripture to support this belief.

Ralph Woodrow explains the origin of this belief:  “Looking back again to the ‘mother’ of false religion--  Babylon—we find that the people prayed to and honored a plurality of gods.  In fact, the Babylonian system developed until it had some 5,000 gods and goddesses. In much the same way as Catholics believe concerning their ‘saints,’ the Babylonians believed their gods had at one time been living heroes on earth, but were now on a higher plane.  Every month and every day of the month was under the protection of a particular divinity. There was a god for this problem, a guide for each of the different occupations, a god for this and they god for that.”

(Babylonian Mystery Religion: Ancient and Modern, 1981, p. 31)

I am not talking about these “saints”.  I am specifically speaking about those who are sanctified or made holy in Messiah YahwehShua.

4.    The true saints only call upon the name of YahwehShua Messiah.  The Messiah’s human or prophetic name of Yahshua was blotted out. (Deuteronomy 29:20)  When Messiah died on the tree, his blood absorbed all of mankind’s sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21)  His human name remained attached to his defiled blood so he had to inherit a new name when resurrected. (Hebrews 1:4)

The true saints pray to the Father only in the name of YahwehShua.  This is the name of both the Father and Son. Please note that the 144,000 saints referred to in Revelation 14:1 only have the name of the Father and Son written in their foreheads.

Yes, the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 14:1 are saints. They are called the firstfruits.  Firstfruits are saints. (James 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:23)

When Messiah returns, these 144,000 saints will be resurrected with him. (1 Corinthians 15:23)  The rest of mankind will be resurrected after the 1,000-year reign of Messiah. (Revelation 20:5)

Paul is very helpful in clarifying who the saints are. Many are called but few are chosen. (Matthew 20:16)  Perhaps the Father is calling you to be among the 144,000 saints resurrected when Messiah returns. You do not want to be deceived and choose the wrong path to the better resurrection. (Hebrews 11:35)

Paul reveals a very exciting insight in Colossians 1:26-27:

“Even the mystery which had been hid from the ages and from generations, but now is MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS: To whom Yahweh would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is MESSIAH IN YOU, the hope of glory.”

This mystery was ONLY revealed to the saints.  This mystery is part of the faith, “which was once delivered into the saints.” (Jude 3)  If you want to benefit from this mystery and faith, it is available only through baptism in the name of YahwehShua. Only the true saints practice this prescription for baptism.  This is why you must know who the saints are. Only they can help you take the correct path to the better resurrection and the kingdom of Yahweh.

Notice what we are told in Matthew 7:14:  “Narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few [144,000] there be that find it.” We are also told in verse 5 to:  “Beware of false prophets.”  There are many deceptions that will obscure the truth and attempt to lead you away from the path to life. Therefore, you must seek a reliable source for your information. This would be the saints. You must know how to correctly identify them and then find them.

We of the Light of YahwehShua are the true saints. We are the firstfruits and the body of Messiah. We follow the doctrine of Messiah found in Hebrews 6:1-2.  This is an important doctrine and John cautions us in 2 John 9: “Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Messiah hath not Elohim.  He that abideth in the doctrine of Messiah, he hath both the Father and the Son.”

We baptize only in the name of the Father and Son, YahwehShua. Upon the laying on of hands the Father’s Spirit is freely given and the seed of Messiah’s Spirit is planted within us beginning the process of forming which then leads to our overcoming.  (Galatians 4:19)  This is the narrow way to become a priest in the order of Melchizedek and serve with our high priest Messiah YahwehShua for eternity.

Pray to Yahweh for truth, pray fervently for guidance and study the articles on this website. In these articles, you will find the revelation of the mystery and faith given only to the saints. These will lead you to a deep understanding. If you are being called and chosen, you will desire to be baptized in the name of the Father and Son, YahwehShua.

We are here for those who are being called by the Father (John 6:44)  and chosen by the Son. (John 15:16)  Please consider asking for our guidance. There is no obligation to us. Your obligation is only to the Father and his Son.

Being called and chosen is the greatest opportunity a human can receive. The reward for overcoming is beyond our complete understanding. We are told in Philippians 4:13 that:  “I can do all things through Messiah which strengtheneth me.”  Not only is he offering you the opportunity of a lifetime, he will help you to overcome and be in the better resurrection.

What magnificent love!  It is wonderful to be a saint.  Why not consider it?

 If you wish to submit a question or comment, please email our Elder at john12e4567@gmail.com.