Hebrews and Saints
Have you ever paused to think why the Hebrews – Followers of the God of Abraham – never made saints out of their own people? Surely, with so many important men and women in their history, they would not have any shortage of people to praise and augment. Yet, they didn’t create saints for themselves.
These Hebrews understood one important thing about their God. They understood that the God of Abraham did not accept sharing his veneration, augmentation, praise, worship, authority or attention with any other entity – real or manmade.
The Origins
When the Orthodox Church broke away from the Hebrew principles of the God of Abraham, they began to introduce human philosophies and non-biblical principles to their organizations. Different levels of authority were bestowed unto dead humans as they assumed the dead were “closer to God” and able to intercede for the living. As history unfolded the Catholics took this concept to a higher level totally ignoring numerous instructions from God Himself.
“I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
Isaiah 42:8
The Birth of The “Saints”
As publically available online, both the Orthodox and Catholic organizations describe a saint as “a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness or likeness or closeness to God.”
The use of the term “saint” depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Oriental Orthodox, and Lutheran doctrine, all of their faithful deceased in Heaven are considered to be saints, but some are considered worthy of greater honor or emulation; official ecclesiastical recognition, and consequently veneration, is given to some saints through the process of canonization in the Catholic Church or glorification in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The Progression of Wickedness
The Catholic Church took this wickedness and gave much more depth as they persecuted and killed the Jewish and Nazarene peoples. As it is today, this church continues to godify several individuals. Some of these people were persons of the bible, some were from the secular world and some were good, God fearing people. These superstitions, legends and popular beliefs are a distorted and perverse creation fueled by their religious system and their earthly empires.
“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.”
Nahum 1:2
I prefer to not criticize the Orthodox and Catholic organizations. My position is that we must be zealous for whom we venerate and follow. Many of these dead people were followers of Messiah and therefore I look forward to chat with them someday in Heaven, but my reverence goes to the LORD only. Placing mere humans in the position of intermediators or intercessors perpetuates ignorance and a dangerous false doctrine we must avoid.
“They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger.”
Deuteronomy 32:16
During Paul and Barnabas’ visit to the Greek (Today Turkey) city of Lystra, as recorded in Acts 14:11-18, they met with ignorance and misguided praise. Paul and Barnabas reacted appropriately and witnessed against it. Likewise, today we need more preachers like Paul and Barnabas willing to uphold the LORD’s truth above popular belief, ignorance and wickedness.
“The people saw what Paul did. They called with loud voices in the language of the people of Lycaonia, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.” They said that Barnabas was Jupiter. Paul was called Mercury because he spoke more than Barnabas. The god of Jupiter was in a building near the gate leading into the city. The religious leader of that place brought cattle and flowers to the gate. He and many other people wanted to burn these as gifts in an act of worship to Paul and Barnabas.”
Acts 14:11-13
At the site of this wickedness, Paul and Barnabas rightfully refuted and corrected the people’s behavior and ignorance:
“When Paul and Barnabas heard this, they ran among the people. They tore their clothes and cried out, “Why are you doing this? We are only men with feelings like yours. We preach the Good News that you should turn from these empty things to the living God. He made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. Long ago He allowed all people to live the way they wanted to. Even then God did not leave you without something to see of Him. He did good. He gave you rain from heaven and much food. He made you happy.” Even with these words it was hard for Paul and Barnabas to keep the people from burning cattle in an act of worship to them.”
Acts 14:14-18
Paul and Barnabas Example Versus Today’s Preachers
Paul and Barnabas immediate refutal and example should be the inspiration for us all. The enemy uses pride and a false sense of righteousness to get and keep people off the path set out by the LORD.
How come today’s preachers are not “tearing up their clothes” at the prospect of humans worshiping humans? As It Seems, in today’s religious circles, people have been desensitized to the fact that the God of Abraham is a jealous God.
“You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,”
Exodus 20:5
A Jealous God
A popular misunderstanding defines Jealousy as covetousness, enviousness, envy, invidiousness, resentment, etc. The jealousy of the Hebrew God is different. HIS jealousy means that He expects your full devotion, full commitment and 100% of you. In an ideal world, all of your daily tasks (The things that compete for your attention daily) should be secondary to the attention you set aside for your God, Lord and Savior.
“…for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God,”
Exodus 34:14
“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”
Deuteronomy 4:24
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, …”
Exodus 20:4-5
“And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, …”
Exodus 20:1-26
“But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.”
Joshua 24:19
Conclusion
With all that said, make a commitment to be fully devoted to the God of Abraham. God is a jealous God as He protects what is rightfully His. His praise must not be shared with anyone or anything.
Be careful to whom you listen to. Some people tell you to not follow the Ten Commandments while promoting wickedness and false doctrine. These people are dangerous and you should stay clear of their teachings.
The LORD was, is and will always be who He is. The LORD is ELOHIM who created all things. He is the same LORD who showed up to Abraham and made a covenant. He is Yeshua (Salvation) who came and redeemed us. Don’t be fooled by false doutrine.
Shalom!
Rabbi Douglas