the eternal rest that the Lord has for all who believe, now and those to come (Heb. 4:8). Teachers can address the questions surrounding life and death for the believer and unbeliever. In the Old Testament, longevity is a blessing that is sometimes tied to obedience (e.g., Exod. 20:12; Deut. 4:4) and to wisdom (Prov. 3:16). Yet long life is not an absolute promise, because covenant believers sometimes die as a consequence of their faith (e.g., Ps. 44:22; Rom. 8:36), and innocent people also sometimes