"Joyous Expectancy As we returned to our homes by various ways, a voice praising God would reach us from one direction, and as if in response, voices from another and still another quarter shouted, “Glory to God, the Lord reigneth!” Men sought their homes with praises upon their lips, and the glad sound rang out upon the still night air. No one who attended these meetings can ever forget those scenes of deepest interest. LS 56"
"Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them."
Both passages describe a joyous, public expression of faith and praise to God. The specific imagery of voices praising God and shouting is present in both, making the thematic parallel strong.
"Those who sincerely love Jesus can appreciate the feelings of those who watched with the most intense longing for the coming of their Saviour. The point of expectation was nearing. The time when we hoped to meet Him was close at hand. We approached this hour with a calm solemnity. The true believers rested in a sweet communion with God,—an earnest of the peace that was to be theirs in the bright hereafter. None who experienced this hope and trust can ever forget those precious hours of waiting. LS 56.3"
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Both passages discuss the anticipation of meeting the Lord and the peace and communion with God experienced by believers. The EGW passage describes the feelings of those awaiting the Second Coming, which aligns with the hope described in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
"Worldly business was for the most part laid aside for a few weeks. We carefully examined every thought and emotion of our hearts, as if upon our deathbeds, and in a few hours to close our eyes forever upon earthly scenes. There was no making of “ascension robes” for the great event; we felt the need of internal evidence that we were prepared to meet Christ, and our white robes were purity of soul, character cleansed from sin by the atoning blood of our Saviour. LS 56.4"
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"
The EGW passage directly echoes the call to self-examination found in 2 Corinthians 13:5, applying it to the preparation for Christ's return. The emphasis on examining thoughts and emotions aligns with the biblical call to 'prove your own selves'.
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;"
The 'white robes' mentioned by EGW as 'purity of soul' are a clear parallel to the white robes in Revelation 7:9, which symbolize righteousness and being cleansed. While not a direct quote, the imagery and its symbolic meaning are closely linked.