PRESUMPTION by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 11.

PRESUMPTION

By G.

The Word of God lays particular stress on the heinousness of the sin of presumption. David prayed that he might be kept back from “presumptuous sins,” that they might not have dominion over him. And well he might, for even before his day there was abundance of historical evidence of the consequences of presumption. The destruction of the antediluvian world by a flood of water was because of their presumption. In the face of God’s care and great mercy “all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth,” until few, indeed, walked with God.

When the people had again multiplied in the earth, they again departed from the Lord, and presumed to build a city and a tower to make for themselves a name. Then the Lord confounded their language, in order to restrain them from the thing they had “imagined to do.”

When Moses went before the king of Egypt to demand the release of Israel in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh said: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.” Several times, after promising to let the Lord’s people go that he might be spared further affliction, the king went back on his word and compelled them to remain at their tasks. Then, after letting them go, he again falsified his word and sent an army to compel their return. And when the Lord opened a way in the Red Sea, and Israel were passing through by faith, the Egyptian host went into the way by presumption, and were all destroyed.

When Israel fell to worshiping a golden calf, altho the festival was proclaimed as “a feast to the Lord,” the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, with the result that three thousand perished. Again, when Israel demanded flesh instead of the manna that was given from heaven, their demand was gratified, but the result was a great plague, which destroyed many lives.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, with two hundred and fifty princes, rebelled against the authority of Moses and Aaron, and assumed an equal prerogative with the Lord’s chosen. But God showed His estimate of such presumption by an earthquake that swallowed up the whole company of rebels, together with their households and goods.

When Israel had sorely provoked Moses and Aaron by their continual murmuring, Moses “spake unadvisedly” at Meribah. God had told him to speak to the rock that it might give forth water for the people. But Moses smote the rock with his rod, and said to the people, “Hear now, ye rebels; shall we bring you forth water out of this rock?” This is the only fault recorded against Moses after leaving Egypt as leader of Israel; but it was presumption, and must receive marked rebuke, as a noted example. Even the making of the golden calf by Aaron was overlooked after a rebuke by Moses, he being actuated by fear of the people; but here was presumption, and a memorable judgment must be recorded against it. “And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed not in Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

When Israel “presumed” to go against the Amalekites and Canaanites at Kadesh, after the Lord had said He would not go with them, they were sorely beaten. When in their own strength they attempted to take the little city of Ai, thirty-eight years later, they were again humiliated in the eyes of the enemy. But the story of illustrations is too long to repeat in a brief article. Conspicuous, however, are the cases of the Bethshemites, who looked into the ark of the Lord (1 Samuel 6); of Uzzah, who put his hand to the ark to steady it (2 Samuel 6); of King Uzziah, who went into the house of the Lord to offer incense (2 Kings 2:26); of Nebuchadnezzar, who assumed the glory of building Babylon (Daniel 4); of Belshazzar, who used the holy vessels at a riotous feast (chapter 5); and of Ananias and Sapphira, and Simon Magus, who used the Christian profession to further their selfish ends.

We might also note the case of the Jewish exorcists (Acts 19:13–16), who undertook to cast out devils in the name of Jesus, and were badly discomfited. But enough has been cited to show that the sin of presumption will bring its sure and sore consequences. To attempt to walk in the way of the Lord without faith is presumption. To invoke the power of God

for an unholy purpose is presumption. To ask the blessing of God upon any work or institution that has not the sanction of His holy Word is presumption. To place any decree of man in the place of the commandment of God is presumption. To assume a duty or responsibility which God has plainly placed upon another is presumption. Presumption is the extreme of lawlessness, the persistent continuance in well-known sin, and is virtually setting self above God.

Peter, speaking by inspiration of the Spirit, shows how God will deal with the unrighteous in the judgment, adding, “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities.” These presumptuous souls are compared to Balaam, who tried to curse Israel for reward, after the Lord had plainly shown him that His desire was to bless His people.

It behooves us all to pray with David, “Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.” G.