"Placed at the head of a nation that had been set as a beacon light to the surrounding nations, Solomon should have used his God-given wisdom and power of influence in organizing and directing a great movement for the enlightenment of those who were ignorant of God and His truth. Thus multitudes would have been won to allegiance to the divine precepts, Israel would have been shielded from the evils practiced by the heathen, and the Lord of glory would have been greatly honored. But Solomon lost sight of this high purpose. He failed of improving his splendid opportunities for enlightening those who were continually passing through his territory or tarrying at the principal cities. PK 71.1"
"And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."
Both passages discuss the idea of Israel (or a leader of Israel) being a light to the Gentiles. Isaiah 49:6 explicitly states this, and the EGW passage describes Solomon's missed opportunity to enlighten surrounding nations. The connection is thematic and significant.
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."
Both passages refer to the idea of being a 'light' to the world. Matthew 5:14 uses the metaphor of a city on a hill, while EGW describes Israel as a 'beacon light.' The connection is thematic, although not a direct quote or explicit allusion.
The missionary spirit that God had implanted in the heart of Solomon and in the hearts of all true Israelites was supplanted by a spirit of commercialism. The opportunities afforded by contact with many nations were used for personal aggrandizement. Solomon sought to strengthen his position politically by building fortified cities at the gateways of commerce. He rebuilt Gezer, near Joppa, lying along the road between Egypt and Syria; Beth-horon, to the westward of Jerusalem, commanding the passes of the highway leading from the heart of Judea to Gezer and the seacoast; Megiddo, situated on the caravan road from Damascus to Egypt, and from Jerusalem to the northward; and “Tadmor in the wilderness” ( 2 Chronicles 8:4 ), along the route of caravans from the east. All these cities were strongly fortified. The commercial advantages of an outlet at the head of the Red Sea were developed by the construction of “a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, ... on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Ed…
"And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath."
Ellen White directly references 2 Chronicles 8:4 in this passage.