EGW → Biblical Foundation
Select an Ellen White book from the sidebar to see each passage mapped to the Bible verses it amplifies, cites, or echoes.
Scripture Index
Ellen White & Bible Cross-Reference
Isaiah 64:1
"Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,"
"Said the prophets of old, referring to scenes like these: “Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence! When Thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, Thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at Thy presence.” Isaiah 64:1-3 . “The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers.” Nahum 1:3, 4 . PP 109.2"
EGW directly quotes Isaiah 64:1 to describe God's power and presence.
Isaiah 64:1-3
"Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence."
"Said the prophets of old, referring to scenes like these: “Oh that Thou wouldest rend the heavens, that Thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make Thy name known to Thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at Thy presence! When Thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, Thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at Thy presence.” Isaiah 64:1-3 . “The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers.” Nahum 1:3, 4 . PP 109.2"
Ellen White directly references Isaiah 64:1-3 in this passage.
Isaiah 64:4
"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."
"Neither hath the eye seen a God besides Thee, Who worketh for him that waiteth for Him.” Isaiah 64:4 , A.R.V. MH 425.2"
Ellen White directly references Isaiah 64:4 in this passage.
"The Higher Course “Since the beginning of the world men have not...perceived by the ear, neither hath the eyes seen,...what He hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him.” Chapter 35—The School of the Hereafter Ed 301 “They shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads.” Heaven is a school; its field of study, the universe; its teacher, the Infinite One. A branch of this school was established in Eden; and, the plan of redemption accomplished, education will again be taken up in the Eden school. Ed 299"
EGW is alluding to Isaiah 64:4, although she quotes 1 Corinthians 2:9. The Isaiah passage is the original source of the sentiment.
"“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 . Only through His word can a knowledge of these things be gained; and even this affords but a partial revelation. Ed 301.2"
While EGW quotes 1 Corinthians 2:9, the sentiment originates in Isaiah 64:4, making this an explicit allusion to Isaiah as well.
Isaiah 64:6
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
"There was no excuse for the blindness of Israel in regard to the work of regeneration. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah had written, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” David had prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” And through Ezekiel the promise had been given, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes.” Isaiah 64:6 ; Psalm 51:10 ; Ezekiel 36:26, 27 . DA 174.1"
EGW directly quotes Isaiah 64:6.
This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6 . Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin. But the Son of God “was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin.” Sin is defined to be “the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:5, 4 . But Christ was obedient to every requirement of the law. He said of Himself, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8 . When on earth, He said to His disciples, “I have kept My Father's commandments.” John 15:10 . By His perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human being to obey God's commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we l…
Ellen White directly references Isaiah 64:6 in this passage.
"The prophet Hosea had pointed out what constitutes the very essence of Pharisaism, in the words, “Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself.” Hosea 10:1 . In their professed service to God, the Jews were really working for self. Their righteousness was the fruit of their own efforts to keep the law according to their own ideas and for their own selfish benefit. Hence it could be no better than they were. In their endeavor to make themselves holy, they were trying to bring a clean thing out of an unclean. The law of God is as holy as He is holy, as perfect as He is perfect. It presents to men the righteousness of God. It is impossible for man, of himself, to keep this law; for the nature of man is depraved, deformed, and wholly unlike the character of God. The works of the selfish heart are “as an unclean thing;” and “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6 . MB 54.1"
Ellen White directly references Isaiah 64:6 in this passage.
"We may have flattered ourselves, as did Nicodemus, that our life has been upright, that our moral character is correct, and think that we need not humble the heart before God, like the common sinner: but when the light from Christ shines into our souls, we shall see how impure we are; we shall discern the selfishness of motive, the enmity against God, that has defiled every act of life. Then we shall know that our own righteousness is indeed as filthy rags, and that the blood of Christ alone can cleanse us from the defilement of sin, and renew our hearts in His own likeness. SC 28.3"
The EGW passage directly quotes and expands upon the concept of 'filthy rags' from Isaiah 64:6. This is a clear and direct allusion.
"This is what the transgressors of God's law have done ever since the day of Adam and Eve's disobedience. They have sewed together fig leaves to cover the nakedness caused by transgression. They have worn the garments of their own devising, by works of their own they have tried to cover their sins, and make themselves acceptable with God. COL 311.1"
Both passages address the inadequacy of human efforts to achieve righteousness. EGW uses the metaphor of fig leaves, while Isaiah uses the image of 'filthy rags.' Both highlight the need for divine intervention and a righteousness that comes from God, not from human works.
Isaiah 64:8
"But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."
"The potter takes the clay and molds it according to his will. He kneads it and works it. He tears it apart and presses it together. He wets it and then dries it. He lets it lie for a while without touching it. When it is perfectly pliable, he continues the work of making of it a vessel. He forms it into shape and on the wheel trims and polishes it. He dries it in the sun and bakes it in the oven. Thus it becomes a vessel fit for use. So the great Master Worker desires to mold and fashion us. And as the clay is in the hands of the potter, so are we to be in His hands. We are not to try to do the work of the potter. Our part is to yield ourselves to be molded by the Master Worker. MH 471.3"
Both passages use the analogy of a potter and clay to illustrate God's shaping and molding of individuals. EGW expands on the process, but the core concept of yielding to God's will as the potter is directly derived from Isaiah 64:8.