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.