SECOND QUARTER 2026
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #13
JUNE 27, 2026
"INTO ETERNITY".

 

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, NKJV).  

When contemplating eternity in the light of divine revelation, we might envision the following: The glorious New Jerusalem with its streets of gold; the fruit laden tree of life on both sides of the river of life; the grandeur and beauty of God’s created works unmarred by sin; amazing encounters with God’s animal kingdom; freedom from pain, illness, and death; reunions with loved ones; fellowship with angels and the saints of all ages; exploring the Creator’s limitless universe; experiencing eternal happiness that deepens and broadens through the ceaseless ages; and worshiping before the throne of God.

How is it possible that we can look to the future with hope?  The answer is found in the Godhead's incomprehensible agape.  We may anticipate a joyous eternity with Divinity and unfallen beings because our Creator, our Lord and Savior, was given for and to us, loved us unto death, and has redeemed us from the bondage of sin.   Foundational to our study this week is the humanity of Christ and what His becoming flesh(John 1:14) means to our lost race.

“The humanity of the Son of God is everything to us.  It is the golden chain that binds our souls to Christ, and through Christ to God.”—Ellen G. White, The Youth’s Instructor, October 13, 1898.

“With His human arm, Christ encircled the race, while with His divine arm, He grasped the throne of the infinite, uniting finite man with the infinite God.  He bridged the gulf that sin had made, and connected earth with heaven.”—Ibid., June 2, 1898.

Christ Our All in All

“He (God) chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will (Ephesians 1:4, 5, NASB). 

For all who have ever struggled with loneliness or alienation; for all who have experienced disappointment, betrayal, or the feeling of being shortchanged by human relationships, the gospel provides full and complete healing. We are loved!  We are treasured!  We belong!

Jesus is family in the fullest sense of the word.  He is a Father to us (Isaiah 9:6), the second Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), Head of our ransomed race.  We are His “little children” (John 13:33).  He is our Brother, our nearest of kin (Heb. 2:17, Ruth 2:20).  His Father is our Father (John 20:17).  Our Redeemer is our Husband,married to humanity forever (Is. 54:5, Rev. 19:7).  He is our Lover, knocking at the door of the heart, hungering for a deeper, more intimate relationship with each soul (Rev. 3:21). Jesus is our Friend (John 15:13-15) fully identifying with our joys, our sorrows, and our struggle with temptations.  He is our Lord and King (Rev. 19:16).  And wonders of wonders!  He desires to share His eternal throne with us (Rev. 3:21).

“In taking our nature, the Savior has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken.  Through the eternal ages He is linked with us.  ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son’(John 3:26). He gave Him not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice; He gave Him to the fallen race.  To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 25.

Living Today

Sunday’s lesson reminds us that we are ever dependent upon God's saving grace.  Psalm 80 is referenced, and the closing verses of this psalm direct us to Christ, the Son of Man, who is our righteousness.

“Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.  Then we will not turn back from You.  Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.  Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine and we shall be saved!” (Psalm 80:17-19, Emphasis added). 

‘The Son of Man’ was the designation Christ most frequently used for Himself.  This Messianic title emphasizing His human nature appears over 80 times in the Gospels.

In Psalm 8 we read, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?  For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor” (vv. 4, 5).  Paul in the second chapter of Hebrews quotes this psalm and elaborates on just how fully Jesus shares our humanity and identifies with us.

“For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren…Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:11-15).

“Christ ascended to heaven, bearing a sanctified, holy humanity.  He took the humanity with Him into the heavenly courts, and through the eternal ages He will bear it, as the One who has redeemed every human being in the city of God, the One who has pleaded before the Father, ‘I have graven them upon the palms of my hands.'  The palms of His hands bear the marks of the wounds that He received.  If we are wounded and bruised, if we meet with difficulties that are hard to manage, let us remember how much Christ suffered for us.  Let us sit together with our brethren in heavenly places in Christ.  Let us bring heaven’s blessings into our hearts.”—Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald, January 7, 1905.

Finally, Face-to-Face 

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).

“The plan of redemption will not be fully understood, even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known; but through the eternal ages new truth will continually unfold to the wondering and delighted mind.  Though the griefs and pains and temptations of earth are ended and the cause removed, the people of God will ever have a distinct, intelligent knowledge of what their salvation has cost.  The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity.  In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified.  Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space, the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore— humbled Himself to uplift fallen humanity; that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father’s face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His life on Calvary’s cross.  That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate himself from love to mankind will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe.”–Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 651. 

The Bride

“The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold.” (Psalm 45:13).

“In both the Old and the New Testament the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people, the redeemed ones whom He has purchased at the cost of Calvary. ‘Fear not,’ He says; ‘thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.’  ‘Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you.’  Isaiah 54:4, 5; Jeremiah 3:14.  In the 'Song of Songs’ we hear the bride’s voice saying, ‘My Beloved is mine, and I am His.’  And He who is to her ‘the chiefest among ten thousand,’ speaks to His chosen one, ‘Thou art all fair, My love, there is no spot in thee.’ Song of Solomon 2:16; 5:10; 4:7.”–Ellen G. White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, p. 64.

The Apostle Paul writes of the union of Christ and His people.  “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle of any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish…for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.  For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.  This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:25-32).

The marriage of humanity and divinity is a theme John dwells upon in his gospel.  John the Baptist is the friend of the bridegroom whose mission is to direct his hearers away from himself to the Bridegroom (John 3:27-30).  At the marriage of Cana, the first miracle Christ performs (2:1-12) foreshadows His giving Himself for His bride.  At the cross Christ's side is pierced and blood and water flow forth.  The marriage is ratified (19:34, 35).  At the last supper Jesus conveys to His disciples that He must leave them for a while to prepare a dwelling place for them.  However, He will come again to receive them unto Himself so that they may always be where He is (14:1-3).

The same author, in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, writes of the consummation of the marriage.  “Alleluia!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean, and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.  Then he said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” (Revelation 19:6-9).

At the marriage feast in Cana and in the upper room before He went to the cross our Lord looked forward to the ultimate marriage reception when He would serve and then sit down to a meal with His beloved.  

“To the mind of Jesus, the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father’s house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 94.

In God's Word both the church and the New Jerusalem are depicted as the bride of Christ.  Rightly understood, there is beautiful harmony here.  In both cases the Bible uses symbolic language to present beautiful spiritual truths.  

Revelation describes two cities that are founded upon vastly different principles.  The New Jerusalem, the pure and undefiled bride (Rev 21, 22) stands in stark contrast to Babylon, the great harlot (Rev. 17, 18).

“‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.  Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:9-11).

Isaiah prophesies of the New Jerusalem which will be the eternal home of the Father, the Lamb and His redeemed.  “You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married); for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.  ...And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you…And you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken” (Isaiah 62:5-12).

Follow the Lamb

“For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

“…These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.  These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.  And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:4-5).

“And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.  They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (Revelation 22:3-4).

“As the nations of the saved look upon their Redeemer and behold the eternal glory of the Father shining in His countenance; as they behold His throne, which is from everlasting to everlasting, and know that His kingdom is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song: ‘Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His own most precious blood!’”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 651.

“Come!”

“As man Christ ascended to heaven.  As a man He is the substitute and surety for humanity.  As a man He lives to make intercession for us.  He is preparing a place for all who love Him.  As a man He will come again with power and glory, to receive His children.”—Ellen G. White, Manuscript 16, 1890.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’  And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’  And let him who thirsts come.  Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

May we heed the gospel invitation and invite others to respond also.  May we turn from the lesser things of this passing world, and fix our gaze upon “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

“Surely I am coming quickly,” He tells us. 

“Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen” (Revelation 22:20, 21).

~Martha Ruggles