"Under the rule of the Roman Church the people were sunken in poverty and ground down by oppression. They were destitute of the Scriptures; and having a religion of mere signs and ceremonies, which conveyed no light to the mind, they were returning to the superstitious beliefs and pagan practices of their heathen ancestors. The nation was divided into contending factions, whose perpetual strife increased the misery of all. The king determined upon a reformation in the state and the church, and he welcomed these able assistants in the battle against Rome. GC 243.1"
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."
The EGW passage describes the people as 'destitute of the Scriptures' and returning to pagan practices, which directly relates to the 'lack of knowledge' mentioned in Hosea 4:6. Both passages highlight the consequences of spiritual ignorance and the rejection of God's law.
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
The EGW passage describes a religion of 'mere signs and ceremonies, which conveyed no light to the mind,' which aligns with the idea of 'teaching for doctrines the commandments of men' in Matthew 15:9. Both passages critique religious practices that prioritize human-made rules over genuine spiritual understanding.
"in the Bible in a clear and simple manner, so that all men may understand them. Christ said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me” ( John 7:16 ); and Paul declared that should he preach any other gospel than that which he had received, he would be accursed ( Galatians 1:8 ). “How, then,” said the Reformer, “shall others presume to enact dogmas at their pleasure, and impose them as things necessary to salvation?”—Wylie, b. 10, ch. 4. He showed that the decrees of the church are of no authority when in opposition to the commands of God, and maintained the great Protestant principle that “the Bible and the Bible only” is the rule of faith and practice. GC 243.2"
"Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me."
Ellen White directly references John 7:16 in this passage.
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
Ellen White directly references Galatians 1:8 in this passage.
This contest, though conducted upon a stage comparatively obscure, serves to show us “the sort of men that formed the rank and file of the army of the Reformers. They were not illiterate, sectarian, noisy controversialists —far from it; they were men who had studied the word of God, and knew well how to wield the weapons with which the armory of the Bible supplied them. In respect of erudition they were ahead of their age. When we confine our attention to such brilliant centers as Wittenberg and Zurich, and to such illustrious names as those of Luther and Melanchthon, of Zwingli and Oecolampadius, we are apt to be told, these were the leaders of the movement, and we should naturally expect in them prodigious power and vast acquisitions; but the subordinates were not like these. Well, we turn to the obscure theater of Sweden, and the humble names of Olaf and Laurentius Petri—from the masters to the disciples—what do we find? ... Scholars and theologians; men who have thoroughly mastered…
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
The EGW passage describes the Reformers as wielding 'the weapons with which the armory of the Bible supplied them,' which is a clear parallel to Ephesians 6:17, where the 'sword of the Spirit' is identified as 'the word of God.' Both passages emphasize the power and importance of the Bible as a tool for spiritual warfare.