Entering into the Lord's Rest

Read Hebrews 3:8–4:16 and the institute student manual commentary for Hebrews 3:11, “What Does It Mean to Enter into the ‘Rest’ of the Lord?” (p. 383). Write answers to the following questions:

• What group of people was refused entrance into the Lord’s rest? The people of ancient Israel
• What sins caused them to forfeit this privilege? They hardened their hearts
• How does Doctrine and Covenants 84:23–24 help define what is the Lord’s rest? The last phrase states: "they should notenter into his rest while in the wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory."
• What sins did Paul repeatedly warn against so as not to incur the same punishment? Paul over and over again told the people to not harden their hearts
• How do you think the warnings in Hebrews 3:12–15 apply to us? I think they directly apply to us. We should have an open heart and share our testimonies with those around us frequently, that way we do not lose them and fall out of the rest of the Lord that is provided to us on this Earth.
• List the counsel found in Hebrews 4 that will help a person enter into the rest of the Lord.

1. Fear the Lord
2. Listen to the words being preached to us
3. Labor to enter into the Lord's rest.

• How do Matthew 7:21–23; John 7:17; James 1:22 help in understanding how the word needs to be “mixed with faith”? (Hebrews 4:2–3). This helps us know that we need to not only do what we know is right, but also believe and feel in what we do.

I feel the most helpful thing to help me understand what the rest of the Lord was the quote given by the Prophet Joseph Smith found in the New Testament Student Manual...

"The ancient prophets speak of ‘entering into God’s rest’; what does it mean? To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. … The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into ‘God’s rest.’ … I pray that we may all enter into God’s rest—rest from doubt, from fear, from apprehension of danger, rest from the religious turmoil of the world"