2 Esdras 2:42-48
42 I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.
43 And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly.
44 So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these?
45 He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms.
46 Then said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands?
47 So he answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord.
48 Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen.
Great Controversy p. 645, 646 is based on the same scene as 2 Esdras 2:42-48
“Before entering the City of God, the Saviour bestows upon His followers the emblems of victory and invests them with the insignia of their royal state. The glittering ranks are drawn up in the form of a hollow square about their King, whose form rises in majesty high above saint and angel, whose countenance beams upon them full of benignant love. Throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed every glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds His glory whose “visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Upon the heads of the overcomers, Jesus with His own right hand places the crown of glory. For each there is a crown, bearing his own “new name”, and the inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.” In every hand are placed the victor’s palm and the shining harp. …Rapture unutterable thrills every heart, and each voice is raised in grateful praise:”
Another example
2 Esdras 2:19
. . . and seven mighty mountains, whereupon there grow roses and lilies, whereby I will fill thy children with joy.
EW p. 19 is based on the same scene as 2 Esdras 2:19
“and about it were seven other mountains, on which grew roses and lilies. And I saw the little ones climb, or, if they chose, use their little wings and fly, to the top of the mountains and pluck the never-fading flowers.“
Both of these scenes are the same events with identical language in context. Literary experts would say she copied the work of others. Like the disciples, they saw the same events and used identical language for much of the descriptions. It is also true that as a child and young adult these were read to her and by her no doubt, but these descriptions were given in her personal testimonies many times that were extemporaneous and identical to what was later written. There are many references to the Law and the righteous who obey it and treasure it, that are similar in these books and her writings. She and James saw the same descriptions from her visions and descriptions of the end of the world in these books that they documented in A Word to The Little Flock. There are many references in these fourteen books that are also similar to statements found in the New Testament.
Hazen Foss said he saw the same scenes in the two visions he had as Ellen described. He said they are proven to be of God because they are the same scenes recorded in the Apocrypha. See ‘Adventism’s Hidden Book’ by Matthew Korpman.
Literary investigators would say Mrs. White copied. Understanding inspiration the way we are taught, she had no need to quote the identical scriptures; she stated on many occasions, “I saw this.” It is evident it all came from the same source of Inspiration and was about scenes that no demon would have knowledge of, or would ever want to repeat.
These books state some of the same things found in the SOP and 66 other Bible books but you will find it also completes and expands things that relate to the very end of time. The hiding of the tabernacle furniture by Jeremiah which Mrs. White repeats was first recorded here, preparing for its eventual discovery and display at the end of time. The only non-SOP description of Christ’s intercession in the Most Holy Place is recorded here. A beast Daniel saw in vision is expanded and explained in greater detail here. The Catholic translators left this vision out of their texts because they objected to the use many had made of these visions. The Catholic translation is not complete or reliable.
The character of the SOP testifies to its source. The character of these 14 books are unmistakably from the same source and originated hundreds of years prior. Many Biblical truths are explained and applied in the SOP, but not all are. The SOP is not a comprehensive restatement of all scriptures or truths. There are prophecies and descriptions of the end in these fourteen books that were not repeated to Mrs. White or other Bible authors. These books were understood by Reformers to be “Hidden Wisdom”. Today their messages are hidden no longer and they detail events that have transpired after the Reformation was met with a diabolical assault to undo its reforms, even in the time of the end, even among those who teach the Law of God. It tells what happens to those who, “suppose to judge God’s people by the ancient wisdom of Babylon.” It tells the only vision of prophecy recorded in the Bible that says, “no one who eats flesh will understand this vision”.
Is all this important now just before the end? If you see an army, on the field today completely trained and ready to fulfill Joel 2 over the whole earth. If you already know the rest of the story about the beast shown to Daniel but repeated in more detail to Ezra. If you have Bible verses that explain explicitly (as the SOP does) that we must be vegetarian to take one of the final 144000 positions in God’s last army. If you know already how to relate to those who today suppose to judge God’s people with the ancient wisdom (supposed) of Babylon. If you have completed the mental exercise that Solomon gave for preparation before entering mortal, and spiritual warfare. If you already like Elijah have seen the actual battle plans of the hordes camped on the plains about the faithful and the order in which heaven directs our delivering of those in captivity of cities, hostile countries and prominent agencies of control. If you have understood, studied, and trained others in all the light Mrs. White stated in the years after 1901 that still lay deep and undiscovered to be mined from God’s word. Yes, she stated truths were still hidden that were needed by God’s people. If all of this is true with you, where did you find it? Do we suppose that 268 more pages of Inspiration are not necessary today or just too much to include for the wise of these last days? Yes, she quoted from these books or saw the very same scenes. The question for us today is have we seen . . . do we have . . . every word that proceeds from the mouth of God in our heart and mind. Have we taken all the armor of God given today to quench all the fiery darts of the demons that have decimated the ranks of the church. Praise God! We have not been left without a more sure word of prophecy to undo the Omega assault.
The Faithful are:
Those who full of faith accept Christ’s Death Justifying them from Sin and much more are Saved by His Life and not only so, but now, Joy in His At-One-Ment,
Those who in the Power of His Victorious Life keep the Ten Commandments of God and Have the Testimony of Jesus.
Those who purpose to follow every word of Present Truth,
Those are looking into the Investigative Judgment in The Most Holy Place of the Heavenly Sanctuary by faith to Receive the Seal Of God,
Those who are giving witness to The Third Angel’s Message and all Three Angels’ Messages of Rev 14,
Those who follow the Spirit of the Ten Commandments and Keep the Seventh Day Sabbath as Christ did,
Those who are Baptized in the Name of the Father and in the Name of the Son and in the Name of the Holy Spirit the Three Members of the Godhead,
Those who have far more Witness and Words about the Marvelous, Gracious and Power of the God Head giving The Latter Rain, The Seal of God and The Final At-One-Ment, rather than the tragic, important, but fewer words needed about the Name and Mark of the Beast,
Those who do not observe, but rather transgress the Traditions of the Elders that are not taught by the Whole Bible,
Those who “ask for the Old Paths, where the good way is, and walk in it and find rest” for their souls.
BirthRight Bible Evangelistic Association 2022