No — Old Testament Jews had no concept of dying and going to heaven as their eternal destination.
In the Old Testament, Israel's hope was earthly: a coming kingdom on earth promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. An Old Testament believer who died went to paradise rather than heaven, and in resurrection Israel will remain an earthly people, not a heavenly one.
Jeremiah 31:33 — Shows the promised covenant with Israel is an earthly relationship with the law written on hearts, not a heavenly transfer.
1 Corinthians 15:48 — Paul's contrast between the earthy and the heavenly matches the distinction Les Feldick uses for Israel and the church.
2 Samuel 12:23 — David's hope to go to his child reflects an Old Testament expectation of reunion after death, not a developed doctrine of going to heaven.
The Old Testament frames Israel's hope in earthly promises — a land, a covenant nation, and a coming kingdom. In Jeremiah 31:33, God tells Israel: "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." The context is God's earthly people, not a heavenly abode. David, mourning his child, says, "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23). This is a personal hope beyond the grave, but it is not a doctrine of ascending to heaven. The New Testament later makes the contrast explicit: "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly" (1 Corinthians 15:48).
Les Feldick is emphatic: "There's nothing in the Old Testament pertaining to a Jew dying and going to heaven" (Clip 1). He means this in the sense of their eternal abode. An Old Testament saint who died went to paradise, not heaven, and Israel's promises were always earthly. Les explains that Israel was God's earthly people with earthly promises, so they never expected to go to heaven in their resurrected state. Their hope was the earthly kingdom promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Clips 1, 2, 7). He also shows that before Christ's atoning blood was shed, Old Testament believers could not enter heaven; they went to the paradise side of Hades because animal blood was only a stopgap (Clip 3). The bottom line for Les: everything concerning the nation of Israel is earthly, and everything concerning the Body of Christ is heavenly (Clip 7).
Les teaches that Old Testament believers went to the paradise side of Hades. He points to the account of Abraham and Lazarus, where there was a great gulf fixed. Because no atoning blood had yet been shed, the believer in the Old Testament could not go into heaven; the blood of animals was only a stopgap. God made two exceptions, but the general rule was paradise, not heaven.
Les explains that Israel was intentionally God's earthly people. From the Old Testament onward, Israel never had a concept of dying and going up to heaven; they saw only a kingdom on earth promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Scripture itself contrasts the earthy and the heavenly: "As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly" (1 Corinthians 15:48).
Their hope was resurrection to an earthly kingdom, not to heaven. Les says that when Jews experience their resurrection as believers, they will be an earthly people, not a heavenly one. Even David's words about his child — "I shall go to him" — show a seed of hope, but the Old Testament did not contain the explicit teaching that Christ died and rose from the dead. Nevertheless, all the seeds of those doctrines are back there, going back to Genesis 3.
The New Covenant Written on Israel's Hearts
Les reads Jeremiah 31 to show God's promised future for Israel is an earthly covenant — His law written in their hearts — not removal to heaven.
No Old Testament Concept of a Jew Going to Heaven
Les directly answers the question: there is nothing in the Old Testament about a Jew dying and going to heaven as his eternal abode; OT saints went to paradise, and Israel's promises are earthly.
Israel Never Envisioned Heaven
Les explains that Israel, as God's earthly people, never had a concept of dying and going up to heaven — their promised hope was an earthly kingdom for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Old Testament Believers Went to Paradise, Not Heaven
Les shows that before Christ's atoning blood, OT believers could not enter heaven; they went to the paradise side of Hades, and paradise was later taken to heaven by Christ.
Israel's Earthly Kingdom Promises Remain
Les stresses Israel will yet enjoy all covenant promises in a glorious earthly kingdom — God is not finished with His covenant people.
The Old Testament Program Points to an Earthly Kingdom
Les explains the OT program expected Messiah's return to set up His kingdom with Israel as the apple of His eye — an earthly rather than heavenly goal.
Seeds of Resurrection Hope in the Old Testament
Les notes the OT has seeds of truth — like David's hope to go to his child — but not the clear doctrine of Christ's death and resurrection.
Israel Earthly, the Church Heavenly
Les gives the bottom-line distinction: everything concerning Israel is earthly; everything concerning the Body of Christ is heavenly.
Jeremiah 31:33: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
This future covenant with Israel is grounded in earthly promises — hearts, land, and peoplehood — not in going to heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:48: As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
Paul uses the same earthy/heavenly contrast Les applies to Israel and the church.
2 Samuel 12:23: But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
David's words reveal an Old Testament hope of reunion after death, though not a developed doctrine of going to heaven.
No. Les Feldick says the Old Testament never presents a Jew dying and going to heaven as his eternal abode. Israel's hope was earthly — a kingdom on earth with all the covenant promises fulfilled.
Les says they went to the paradise side of Hades. Because no atoning blood had been shed, they could not enter heaven; the animal sacrifices were only a stopgap.
Everything God promised Israel is earthly — land, kingdom, and covenant. Only the Church, the Body of Christ, is a heavenly people with heavenly promises, as Les explains from the New Testament.
Watch the Teaching: The Boundaries of the Promised Land: What Does the Bible Say?