"Of the millions of Israel there was but one man who, in that solemn hour of triumph and of judgment, had dared to transgress the command of God. Achan's covetousness was excited by the sight of that costly robe of Shinar; even when it had brought him face to face with death he called it “a goodly Babylonish garment.” One sin had led to another, and he appropriated the gold and silver devoted to the treasury of the Lord—he robbed God of the first fruits of the land of Canaan. PP 496.1"
"When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it."
The EGW passage directly quotes and elaborates on the events described in Joshua 7:21, including the 'goodly Babylonish garment,' the silver, and the gold. It's a clear and direct reference to the biblical text.
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings."
Both passages deal with robbing God, Achan with physical objects and Malachi with tithes. The connection is thematic.
"The deadly sin that led to Achan's ruin had its root in covetousness, of all sins one of the most common and the most lightly regarded. While other offenses meet with detection and punishment, how rarely does the violation of the tenth commandment so much as call forth censure. The enormity of this sin, and its terrible results, are the lessons of Achan's history. PP 496.2"
"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s."
The EGW passage directly discusses Achan's sin as rooted in covetousness, explicitly referencing the violation of the tenth commandment. This is a clear and direct application of the principle found in Exodus 20:17.
"Covetousness is an evil of gradual development. Achan had cherished greed of gain until it became a habit, binding him in fetters well-nigh impossible to break. While fostering this evil, he would have been filled with horror at the thought of bringing disaster upon Israel; but his perceptions were deadened by sin, and when temptation came, he fell an easy prey. PP 496.3"
"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
Both passages describe the gradual development of sin, starting with temptation and leading to destructive consequences. The EGW passage illustrates this with Achan's covetousness, while James 1:14-15 provides a general principle of how lust leads to sin and death.
"Are not similar sins still committed, in the face of warnings as solemn and explicit? We are as directly forbidden to indulge covetousness as was Achan to appropriate the spoils of Jericho. God has declared it to be idolatry. We are warned, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 . “Take heed, and beware of covetousness.” Luke 12:15 . “Let it not be once named among you.” Ephesians 5:3 . We have before us the fearful doom of Achan, of Judas, of Ananias and Sapphira. Back of all these we have that of Lucifer, the “son of the morning,” who, coveting a higher state, forfeited forever the brightness and bliss of heaven. And yet, notwithstanding all these warnings, covetousness abounds. PP 496.4"
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Ellen White directly references Matthew 6:24 in this passage.
"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
Ellen White directly references Luke 12:15 in this passage.
"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;"
Ellen White directly references Ephesians 5:3 in this passage.
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"
The EGW passage directly connects covetousness with idolatry, referencing Colossians 3:5 and other verses to support this claim. It explicitly warns against covetousness, drawing a parallel to Achan's sin and its consequences.