"The first time he heard me speak, he manifested deep interest. After I had ceased speaking, he arose and said: “I am a doubting Thomas. I do not believe in visions. But if I could believe that the testimony the sister has related tonight was indeed the voice of God to us, I should be the happiest man alive. My heart is deeply moved. I believe the speaker to be sincere, but cannot explain in regard to her being shown the wonderful things she has related to us.” LS 95.2"
"The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."
The EGW passage explicitly references 'doubting Thomas' and his skepticism, directly alluding to the story in John 20:25. The context of the EGW passage mirrors Thomas's initial disbelief and need for tangible proof.
"Elder Bates was resting upon Saturday, the seventh day of the week, and he urged it upon our attention as the true Sabbath. I did not feel its importance, and thought that he erred in dwelling upon the fourth commandment more than upon the other nine. LS 95.3"
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 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: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
The EGW passage directly references the fourth commandment and the seventh-day Sabbath, which is the core of Exodus 20:8-11. While she initially questioned its importance, the reference is undeniable.
"But the Lord gave me a view of the heavenly sanctuary. The temple of God was open in heaven, and I was shown the ark of God covered with the mercy seat. Two angels stood one at either end of the ark, with their wings spread over the mercy seat, and their faces turned toward it. This, my accompanying angel informed me, represented all the heavenly host looking with reverential awe toward the law of God, which had been written by the finger of God. LS 95.4"
"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."
Both passages describe the opening of the temple of God in heaven and the presence of the ark. While the details differ, the core imagery is shared, making the connection significant.
"And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly."
Both passages describe the mercy seat and cherubim (angels) associated with it. The EGW passage provides a more detailed description, but the core elements are present in both, indicating a meaningful connection.