The order given by God to the children of Israel to place a ribbon of blue in their garments was to have no direct influence on their health, only as God would bless them by obedience, and the ribbon would keep in their memory the high claims of Jehovah and prevent them from mingling with other nations, uniting in their drunken feasts, and eating swine's flesh and luxurious food detrimental to health. God would now have His people adopt the reform dress, not only to distinguish them from the world as His “peculiar people,” but because a reform in dress is essential to physical and mental health. God's people have, to a great extent, lost their peculiarity, and have been gradually patterning after the world, and mingling with them, until they have in many respects become like them. This is displeasing to God. He directs them, as He directed the children of Israel anciently, to come out from the world and forsake their idolatrous practices, not following their own hearts (for their heart…
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God."
EGW directly references and interprets the passage in Numbers regarding the blue ribbon, explaining its purpose and drawing parallels to her own time.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
Both passages discuss the concept of God's people being a 'peculiar people' or set apart from the world. EGW uses this concept to encourage reform dress and distinctiveness, echoing the sentiment in 1 Peter 2:9.
"To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten."
Both passages deal with the idea of separation and distinction. Leviticus 11:47 focuses on distinguishing between clean and unclean foods, while EGW discusses distinguishing between God's people and the world through dress and lifestyle. The underlying principle of separation for holiness is present in both.
"We should not wish to invent something to make a cross; but if God presents to us a cross, we should cheerfully bear it. In the acceptance of the cross we are distinguished from the world, who love us not and ridicule our peculiarity. Christ was hated by the world because He was not of the world. Can His followers expect to fare better than their Master? If we pass along without receiving censure or frowns from the world we may be alarmed, for it is our conformity to the world which makes us so much like them that there is nothing to arouse their envy or malice; there is no collision of spirits. The world despises the cross. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 . “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14 . [See Appendix .] 1T 525.2"
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
Ellen White directly references 1 Corinthians 1:18 in this passage.
"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
Ellen White directly references Galatians 6:14 in this passage.
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
The EGW passage directly discusses bearing the cross and being distinct from the world, which aligns with the concept of taking up one's cross as presented in Matthew 16:24. The connection is more than just thematic; it's a direct application of the biblical principle.
"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
The EGW passage discusses the world's hatred for those who are not of the world, directly echoing the sentiment expressed in John 15:19. The connection is clear and relevant to the overall theme of the passage.