Moses beheld the disciples of Jesus as they went forth to carry His gospel to the world. He saw that though the people of Israel “according to the flesh” had failed of the high destiny to which God had called them, in their unbelief had failed to become the light of the world, though they had despised God's mercy and forfeited their blessings as His chosen people—yet God had not cast off the seed of Abraham; the glorious purposes which He had undertaken to accomplish through Israel were to be fulfilled. All who through Christ should become the children of faith were to be counted as Abraham's seed; they were inheritors of the covenant promises; like Abraham, they were called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son. Moses saw the light of the gospel shining out through the disciples of Jesus to them “which sat in darkness” ( Matthew 4:16 ), and thousands from the lands of the Gentiles flocking to the brightness of its rising. And beholding, he re…
"The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."
Ellen White directly references Matthew 4:16 in this passage.
"Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:"
Both passages discuss the idea that not all who are physically descended from Israel are truly part of spiritual Israel. EGW expands on this concept, connecting it to the Gentiles and the gospel, but the core idea is present in Romans 9:6.
And now another scene passed before him. He had been shown the work of Satan in leading the Jews to reject Christ, while they professed to honor His Father's law. He now saw the Christian world under a similar deception in professing to accept Christ while they rejected God's law. He had heard from the priests and elders the frenzied cry, “Away with Him!” “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” and now he heard from professedly Christian teachers the cry, “Away with the law!” He saw the Sabbath trodden under foot, and a spurious institution established in its place. Again Moses was filled with astonishment and horror. How could those who believed in Christ reject the law spoken by His own voice upon the sacred mount? How could any that feared God set aside the law which is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth? With joy Moses saw the law of God still honored and exalted by a faithful few. He saw the last great struggle of earthly powers to destroy those who keep God's law. He looked…
"But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"
Both passages address the hypocrisy of religious leaders who prioritize tradition over God's commandments. Matthew 15:3 is a specific instance of this, while EGW broadens it to include the rejection of God's law in the Christian world.