Hebrews 3–4
Entering the Rest of the Lord
Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ desire to bless us with Their richest blessings. Unbelief and hard-heartedness prevent many from receiving these blessings. By encouraging the Saints to let go of unbelieving attitudes, Paul sought to help them return to the covenants they had made. This lesson is intended to help you overcome unbelief so you can receive the Savior’s promised blessings.
Listening to students to better discern their needs. When students respond to questions or share experiences in class, listen intently to what they are saying. As you listen to them and pay attention to promptings from the Holy Ghost, you will be able to discern their needs.
Student preparation: Invite students to think about why they believe in Jesus Christ and how they are blessed for believing in Him.
Possible Learning Activities
Our belief in Jesus Christ
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described a problem facing the world today:
In some parts of the world where His name has been proclaimed for centuries, faith in Jesus Christ is diminishing. The valiant Saints in Europe have seen belief decline in their countries through the decades. Sadly, here in the United States faith is also receding. A recent study revealed that in the last 10 years, 30 million people in the United States have stepped away from believing in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Looking worldwide, another study predicts that in the decades ahead, more than twice as many will leave Christianity as will embrace it.
(Neil L. Andersen, “We Talk of Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 88)
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What are some potential consequences, now and in the future, of people not believing in Jesus Christ?
This may be an opportunity to remind students of their preparation for class.
Think about your own belief in Jesus Christ.
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How strong do you feel your belief in Jesus Christ is?
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How can choosing to believe in Him bless your life?
Paul’s teachings about the children of Israel
In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul acknowledged that because of persecution, some converts had considered turning away from their belief in Jesus Christ.
Read Hebrews 3:7–19, looking for the historical account Paul referenced to help the Hebrews understand the danger of unbelief.
Invite students to share what they found. If possible, have a student summarize the account of Moses and the children of Israel that Paul refers to. Use the information in the following paragraph as necessary.
The “provocation … in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:8) refers to the time when, after being freed from Egypt, the Israelites provoked the Lord to anger and were denied blessings He longed to give them (see Numbers 14; Jacob 1:7–8; Alma 12:33–37).
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What blessings did the children of Israel miss out on? Why?
The Lord’s rest
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to experience Their rest. Study the following scripture passage and prophetic statement to learn what the Lord’s rest is. It might be helpful to look up the word “ rest ” in the Guide to the Scriptures, if available.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 84:24 to learn more about the rest of the Lord (see also Alma 13:6, 12–13, 28–29).
President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) taught how we can enter the Lord’s rest while in mortality:
The ancient prophets speak of “entering into God’s rest” [see Alma 12:34; Doctrine and Covenants 84:23–24]; 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.”
(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 56)
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How would you describe the rest of the Lord?
Alma shared a message similar to Paul’s with people in his day, some of whom also struggled to believe. Read Alma 12:34–37, looking for additional insights.
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What principle can you identify from Hebrews 3 and Alma 12:34–37 ?
One principle you may have learned is that if we remain faithful to the Savior and do not harden our hearts, we will enter into the rest of the Lord.
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How do you think a hard heart and unbelief can prevent us from obtaining the Lord’s blessings?
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Why do you think the Lord’s rest is a blessing worth pursuing?
Choosing to believe
Display the following verses. Consider grouping students into pairs and assigning each student to read the verses from one chapter. Then they could report to their partner what they learned.
Read Hebrews 3:7–8, 12–15; 4:2–3, 6–7, 11. As you read, look for what we can do to enter into the rest of the Lord. You may also want to read the Joseph Smith Translation of Hebrews 4:3 (in the Bible appendix).
This may be an opportunity for students to read additional verses from the Book of Mormon as suggested in the “Supplemental Learning Activity” section.
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What stands out to you from these verses?
President Russell M. Nelson taught how we can overcome unbelief:
Choose to believe in Jesus Christ. If you have doubts about God the Father and His Beloved Son or the validity of the Restoration or the veracity of Joseph Smith’s divine calling as a prophet, choose to believe and stay faithful. Take your questions to the Lord and to other faithful sources. Study with the desire to believe rather than with the hope that you can find a flaw in the fabric of a prophet’s life or a discrepancy in the scriptures. Stop increasing your doubts by rehearsing them with other doubters. Allow the Lord to lead you on your journey of spiritual discovery.
(Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 103)
Imagine you have a friend who is struggling to believe in Jesus Christ. Write a kind message to encourage them. Be sure to include at least one scripture verse for them to study. If appropriate, include your testimony of Jesus Christ. Thinking about President Nelson’s statement and the following questions might help you as you write the message.
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What might they experience if they choose to believe in the Savior?
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What might they miss out on if they choose unbelief?
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What would you encourage them to do believe in Jesus Christ?
Testify that as students seek to follow the Savior and work to eliminate unbelief from their lives, they will experience His rest.
Commentary and Background Information
How can I have a more believing heart?
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, stated:
There is no magic to belief. But wanting to believe is the necessary first step! God is no respecter of persons. He is your Father. He wants to speak to you. However, it requires a little scientific curiosity—it requires an experiment upon the word of God—and the exercise of a “particle of faith” [Alma 32:27]. It also takes a little humility. And it requires an open heart and an open mind. It requires seeking, in the full meaning of the word. And, perhaps hardest of all, it requires being patient and waiting upon the Lord.
If we make no effort to believe, we are like the man who unplugs a spotlight and then blames the spotlight for not giving any light.
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Be Not Afraid, Only Believe,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 78)
Who can help us find the Savior’s rest?
Elder W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy stated:
Heavenly Father loves each of His children and wants all of us to return to Him. He has provided prophets and priesthood leaders with true priesthood authority to help us stay on the strait and narrow path. We have, then, the guidance of these leaders to help us enter into His rest.
(W. Craig Zwick, “Enter into the Rest of the Lord,” Ensign, Feb. 2012, 24)
Supplemental Learning Activity
The Lord’s rest in the Book of Mormon
Many prophets in the Book of Mormon taught about entering into the rest of the Lord. Students may benefit from reading some or all of the following passages and cross-referencing them with Hebrews 4:3.