"In all that pertains to the success of God's work, the very first victories are to be won in the home life. Here the preparation for the Sabbath must begin. Throughout the week let parents remember that their home is to be a school in which their children shall be prepared for the courts above. Let their words be right words. No words which their children should not hear are to escape their lips. Let the spirit be kept free from irritation. Parents, during the week live as in the sight of a holy God, who has given you children to train for Him. Train for Him the little church in your home, that on the Sabbath all may be prepared to worship in the Lord's sanctuary. Each morning and evening present your children to God as His blood-bought heritage. Teach them that it is their highest duty and privilege to love and serve God. 6T 354.1"
"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
The EGW passage directly echoes the principle of Deuteronomy 6:6-7, emphasizing the importance of teaching children about God throughout the day and in the home. The connection is more than a thematic parallel; it's a direct application of the biblical command.
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."
The EGW passage aligns with Ephesians 6:4 by advocating for raising children in a way that avoids provoking them to wrath and instead focuses on nurturing them in the Lord. The emphasis on proper training and avoiding negative influences directly reflects the biblical principle.
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
The EGW passage strongly reflects the principle of Proverbs 22:6, emphasizing the importance of training children in the right way from a young age. The idea of the home as a school and training children for God aligns directly with the proverb's message.
"service. The precious words might well be often repeated: “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” Psalm 62:5 . 6T 354.2"
"My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him."
The EGW passage explicitly quotes Psalm 62:5, making it a clear and direct allusion.
"When the Sabbath is thus remembered, the temporal will not be allowed to encroach upon the spiritual. No duty pertaining to the six working days will be left for the Sabbath. During the week our energies will not be so exhausted in temporal labor that on the day when the Lord rested and was refreshed we shall be too weary to engage in His service. 6T 354.3"
"Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:"
The EGW passage directly expands on the principle of Sabbath rest outlined in Exodus 20:9-10, emphasizing the need to avoid temporal labor that would detract from spiritual engagement on the Sabbath.
"In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy."
Both passages address the issue of profaning the Sabbath by engaging in worldly activities. Nehemiah 13:15-22 provides a specific historical example, while the EGW passage offers a general principle against allowing temporal concerns to encroach upon the spiritual significance of the Sabbath.
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:"
Both passages emphasize the importance of honoring the Sabbath and refraining from pursuing personal pleasure or engaging in ordinary work on that day. Isaiah 58:13 focuses on the attitude and actions one should avoid, while the EGW passage highlights the need for preparation and avoiding exhaustion from temporal labor.
"While preparation for the Sabbath is to be made all through the week, Friday is to be the special preparation day. Through Moses the Lord said to the children of Israel: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” “And the people went about, and gathered it [the manna], and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Exodus 16:23 ; Numbers 11:8 . There was something to be done in preparing the heaven-sent bread for the children of Israel. The Lord told them that this work must be done on Friday, the preparation day. This was a test to them. God desired to see whether or not they would keep the Sabbath holy. 6T 354.4"
"And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning."
The EGW passage directly quotes Exodus 16:23 to support the idea of Friday as a preparation day for the Sabbath.
"And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil."
The EGW passage directly quotes Numbers 11:8 to illustrate the preparation of manna, connecting it to the concept of Sabbath preparation.
"And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."
EGW directly quotes and interprets Exodus 16:23 and Numbers 11:8 to support her point about Sabbath preparation on Friday. The connection is explicit and central to her argument.