Presumption: A Characteristic of the Wicked
Jump to: Torrey'sLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
Presumption, in a biblical context, refers to an overstepping of bounds, often characterized by arrogance and a lack of reverence for God. It is a trait frequently associated with the wicked, who act with undue confidence in their own abilities and judgments, often disregarding divine authority and wisdom.

Biblical Instances and Descriptions

1. Defiance Against God: Presumption is often seen in the actions of those who defy God’s commands and act according to their own desires. In Deuteronomy 17:12-13, the law warns against presumptuous behavior, stating, "The man who acts presumptuously by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, that man must die. You must purge the evil from Israel. Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly."

2. False Prophets: Presumption is a hallmark of false prophets who claim to speak for God without His command. Jeremiah 23:21-22 highlights this, "I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied."

3. Self-Reliance and Pride: The wicked often exhibit presumption through self-reliance and pride, believing they can succeed without God. Proverbs 21:24 describes such individuals: "Proud, Arrogant, and Mocking are the names of him who acts with excessive pride."

4. Ignoring God’s Warnings: Presumption leads the wicked to ignore God’s warnings and continue in sin. Psalm 19:13 pleads for protection against such behavior: "Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression."

5. Rebellion and Disobedience: The Israelites’ rebellion in the wilderness is a classic example of presumption. Numbers 14:44-45 recounts their decision to go up to the hill country despite God’s warning, resulting in their defeat: "But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither the ark of the covenant of the LORD nor Moses departed from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down, attacked them, and beat them down all the way to Hormah."

Consequences of Presumption

The Bible consistently portrays presumption as leading to downfall and destruction. It is a sin that blinds individuals to their need for God’s guidance and mercy. Proverbs 16:18 warns, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." The presumptuous, in their arrogance, often find themselves opposed by God, as James 4:6 states, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

Contrast with Humility

In contrast to presumption, the Bible extols humility and submission to God’s will. The humble recognize their dependence on God and seek His guidance in all things. Micah 6:8 encapsulates this ideal: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Presumption, as a characteristic of the wicked, stands in stark opposition to the biblical call for humility and reverence before God. It is a reminder of the importance of acknowledging God’s sovereignty and the dangers of relying solely on human wisdom and strength.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
2 Peter 2:10
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Blessed Prosperity Meditations on the First Psalm.
... The first characteristic given us is that he walks ... far more harm than that of the
openly wicked. ... Pride, presumption, and scorn are closely linked together, and ...
/.../taylor/a ribband of blue/blessed prosperity meditations on the.htm

Presumptuous Sins
... me counsel me to avoid the way of the wicked, and warn ... How fearful is presumption
in any ... 2. I said again, that another characteristic of a presumptuous sin was ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/presumptuous sins.htm

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for ...
... greater knaves we are; perpetrating every wicked deed, stirring ... It seems to be
characteristic of every phase of ... The presumption is that supreme honor and final ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/twenty second sunday after trinity.htm

The Poetical Books (Including Also Ecclesiastes and Canticles).
... poets in the original, this is a striking characteristic. ... mighty judgments of God
upon the wicked, lamenting the ... bar of human reason is folly and presumption. ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxi the poetical books.htm

The Tares.
... the old serpent is the opposer, and wicked men are ... By the use of this word the
characteristic feature of the ... It is not necessarily presumption in one of us to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/ii the tares.htm

The Seventh Book
... has met with disgrace for his presumption; he himself ... our own"a sacrilegious and
wicked conception that ... their inhuman avarice, an evil characteristic of most ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the seventh book.htm

Ananias and Sapphira.
... event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the ... As it discovers rashness and
presumption to construe common ... of spiritual things, and as characteristic of a ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture vi ananias and sapphira.htm

The Exile --Continued.
... 9), "Let the wickedness of the wicked come to ... time, and is, perhaps, a stronger
presumption of the ... Characteristic of these early psalms is the occurrence of a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/vii the exilecontinued.htm

The Crucifixion.
... and unprotected animal, we may without presumption or irreverence ... What if wicked
men took and crucified a ... mentioned in Scripture as a characteristic of those ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon x the crucifixion.htm

Preliminary Definition of the Subject
... All such presumption is of course disclaimed here; but ... and the historical temper
is as characteristic of the ... Christ was crucified and slain by wicked men, and ...
/.../the atonement and the modern mind/chapter i preliminary definition of.htm

Resources
What does the Bible say about anal sex? What is sodomy according to the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that God is holy, holy, holy? | GotQuestions.org

Is Jesus Yahweh? Is Jesus Jehovah? | GotQuestions.org

Presumption: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Presumption

Presumption in Asking Jesus, "What Will This Man Do?"

Presumption in Objecting to Jesus' Statement That Jesus Must be Killed

Presumption in Objecting to Jesus Washing Peter's Feet

Presumption in Reflecting Upon his Knowledge when he Asked, Amid a Throng, Who Touched Jesus

Presumption in Reviling God

Presumption: A Characteristic of Antichrist

Presumption: A Characteristic of the Wicked

Presumption: Abraham, in Questioning About Sodom

Presumption: Benhadad

Presumption: Ben-Hadad

Presumption: Builders of Babel

Presumption: Complaining at Meribah

Presumption: David, in Numbering Israel

Presumption: David's Anger on Account of Uzzah's Death

Presumption: Diotrephes

Presumption: Exhibited in Esteeming Our own Ways Right

Presumption: Exhibited in Opposing God

Presumption: Exhibited in Planning for the Future

Presumption: Exhibited in Pretending to Prophecy

Presumption: Exhibited in Seeking Precedence

Presumption: Exhibited in Self-Righteousness

Presumption: Exhibited in Spiritual Pride

Presumption: Exhibited in Wilful Commission of Sin

Presumption: General Scriptures Concerning

Presumption: Israelites

Presumption: Israelites, in Ascending to the Top of the Hill Against the Amalekites

Presumption: James and John, in Desiring to Call Down Fire Upon the Samaritans

Presumption: Jeroboam

Presumption: Job, in Cursing the Day of his Birth

Presumption: Jonah

Presumption: Korah

Presumption: Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

Presumption: Men of Bethshemesh

Presumption: Men of Beth-Shemesh

Presumption: Moses, in Rebuking Jehovah

Presumption: Nadab and Abihu

Presumption: Pray to be Kept from Sins of

Presumption: Punishment For

Presumption: Reproved by Eliphaz

Presumption: Reproving Jesus

Presumption: Saints Avoid

Presumption: Satan, when he Said to Eve, "You Will Surely not Die"

Presumption: Saul, in Sacrificing

Presumption: Sennacherib

Presumption: Sons of Sceva

Presumption: Sparing the Amalekites

Presumption: The Disciples, in Rebuking Those Who Brought Little Children to Jesus

Presumption: The Disciples, in Their Indignation at the Anointing of Jesus

Presumption: The Sons of Sceva

Presumption: Theudas

Presumption: Those Who Reviled Jesus

Presumption: Uzzah

Presumption: Uzzah, in Steadying the Ark of the Covenant

Presumption: Uzziah

Related Terms

Presumptuous (3 Occurrences)

Zophar (4 Occurrences)

Immortal (3 Occurrences)

Immortality (6 Occurrences)

Genealogy (29 Occurrences)

Venture (10 Occurrences)

Jacob's (34 Occurrences)

Leviticus (1 Occurrence)

Lacedaemonians

Modest (2 Occurrences)

Modesty (4 Occurrences)

Presume (10 Occurrences)

Presumptuously (10 Occurrences)

Presumeth (1 Occurrence)

Canonicity

Arrogance (30 Occurrences)

Acteth (8 Occurrences)

Baptist (16 Occurrences)

Interpretation (45 Occurrences)

Drink (414 Occurrences)

Strong (736 Occurrences)

Proverbs (11 Occurrences)

Affliction (120 Occurrences)

Caesar's (10 Occurrences)

Code (6 Occurrences)

Latin (2 Occurrences)

Confusion (71 Occurrences)

Jehoiakim (37 Occurrences)

Temptation (22 Occurrences)

Election (6 Occurrences)

Josiah (51 Occurrences)

Hammurabi

Version

Samuel (129 Occurrences)

Heart (1223 Occurrences)

Tongues (67 Occurrences)

Testaments

Well (2882 Occurrences)

Between (2624 Occurrences)

Household (222 Occurrences)

Hebrews (24 Occurrences)

Job (60 Occurrences)

Discomfiture (6 Occurrences)

Pharisees (86 Occurrences)

Nehelamite (4 Occurrences)

Bible

Second (2060 Occurrences)

Borrowing (1 Occurrence)

Luke (4 Occurrences)

Canon

Backslide

Old (3966 Occurrences)

Peter (181 Occurrences)

Baptism (76 Occurrences)

Anem (1 Occurrence)

Gospel (108 Occurrences)

Testament (13 Occurrences)

Acts (271 Occurrences)

Epistle (13 Occurrences)

Presumption: A Characteristic of Antichrist
Top of Page
Top of Page