In this final part of this series, we will conclude with a number of further false assumptions that can be made that, when reviewed correctly, will shine a different light on these matters.
FALSE ASSUMPTION No.13
Another false assumption is that the rejection of God’s rule and preferring a human king or ruler guarantees that things will get better.
It is interesting to read in 1 Samuel 8 that Israel demanded a king. In verses 5-8, we read:
“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’”
Samuel was getting older and his sons did not walk in the ways of God. Here, the Israelites mistakenly believed that having a king would make them stronger than relying on God. This is also the prevailing view today. Politicians are elected usually with great rejoicing, only to fail and their replacements go through the same cycle. To rely on God and follow His ways does not enter their minds, nor does it enter the minds of those who vote for them. As is the case today, what the Israelites did was to reject God’s rule over them.
Samuel was told by God to heed the voice of the people (verse 7) but they were warned about what would happen by God’s servant in the rest of the chapter. They refused to obey his voice, and the rest, as they say, is history!
God chose Saul as king, but he did not remain faithful to God. On the collector.com website, we read:
“King Saul was the first king of Israel and, unfortunately, also the first to show that God’s warnings against a monarch in Israel were justified.
“King Saul was the first king of Israel, appointed by the prophet Samuel. Israel insisted on being like surrounding nations by having a monarch. Though he was physically strong and attractive, he was from the least of the tribes of Israel. Initially, he was a humble and spiritual man, but during his reign, he became jealous, arrogant, and progressively more disobedient to God. Many years passed between the time God informed Saul that he would lose his kingship and when he ended his own life.”
Many think today that in voting for a political leader, they are fulfilling God’s Will. Nothing could be further from the Truth. In fact, when they do this, they act like ancient Israel did, in rejecting God’s rule over them.
The people made the false assumption that a king was the answer, mistakenly believing that having a king would make them stronger than relying on God.
It did not!
FALSE ASSUMPTION No.14
Interestingly, the prophet Samuel was also guilty of making a false assumption. Saul was rejected as king, as we read in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: “So Samuel said: ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.’”
In the following chapter, Samuel was sent by God to Bethlehem, as we read in 1 Samuel 16:1:
“Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’” The elders of the town trembled at his coming and following God’s instruction, he said that he had come to sacrifice. This was true, but it was not the only or even the main reason. God had sent him to anoint the next king. But Samuel did not lie when he did not mention this. One does not have to say everything one knows, but what one does say must be true.
We read further in verses 5-7:
“And he said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, ‘Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!’ But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”
Samuel looked at the outward appearance but God looked at the heart and Eliab, and the rest of the sons of Jesse were rejected, except for David, who was keeping the sheep. He was the chosen one, as we know, and even Samuel the prophet made a false assumption in thinking, initially, that Eliab might be the one.
As we read in Isaiah 55:8-9: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’”
Again we see that even Samuel the prophet made a false assumption. One has to be careful not to judge a person or a matter according to the outward appearance. (John 7:24).
FALSE ASSUMPTION No.15
We can make false assumptions by thinking that socialism or communism (Marxism) is the solution to our problems.
We recently covered Acts 2:44-45 in a Q&A asking if this was a biblical example of socialism. https://www.eternalgod.org/isnt-acts-244-45-a-biblical-example-of-socialism/ There have been those who may have used this as an example of communism/socialism. However, this passage describes a temporary situation that arose after the extraordinary events on the day of Pentecost, and no other examples exist in the New Testament which might be used to suggest that socialism is a system which God upholds. In fact, no human system is righteous, but compared with all other existing systems, democracy has been described as the least of all evils. But it cannot solve our problems either. Only Christ’s righteous rule on this earth will bring lasting peace, prosperity and equality for all.
But it is certainly one matter that can mislead those who carelessly read this account in Acts 2:44-45 and make false assumptions.
FURTHER FALSE ASSUMPTIONS
The Topical Encyclopedia states that “in the biblical narrative, assumptions often lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and spiritual pitfalls. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that highlight the dangers of making assumptions without seeking divine guidance or understanding the full context.”
They also give further examples of making false assumptions which are very well worth reviewing.
Old Testament Examples
“1. Joshua and the Gibeonites: In Joshua 9, the Israelites are deceived by the Gibeonites, who pretend to be from a distant land. Joshua and the leaders of Israel assume their account is true and make a covenant with them without seeking the LORD’s counsel. ‘So the men examined their provisions and did not consult the LORD” (Joshua 9:14). This assumption leads to an alliance that was contrary to God’s command.
“2. Eli and Hannah: In 1 Samuel 1, Eli the priest sees Hannah praying silently and assumes she is drunk. ‘How long will you be drunk?’ he said. ‘Put away your wine!’ (1 Samuel 1:14). Eli’s assumption is incorrect, as Hannah is deeply distressed and praying earnestly to the LORD. This incident underscores the danger of judging based on appearances.
New Testament Examples
“1. Jesus and the Pharisees: The Pharisees often make assumptions about Jesus, questioning His authority and actions. In Matthew 12:24, they assume that Jesus casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus refutes their assumption, explaining that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25-26).
“2. Peter and the Gentiles: In Acts 10, Peter initially assumes that associating with Gentiles is unlawful. However, God reveals to him through a vision that he should not call any person impure or unclean. ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’ (Acts 10:15). This assumption is corrected by divine revelation, leading to the inclusion of Gentiles in the early Church.
“3. Paul and the Corinthians: In 1 Corinthians 4:5, Paul warns against making premature judgments. ‘Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes’ (1 Corinthians 4:5). Paul cautions the Corinthians against assuming they fully understand God’s purposes or the motives of others.”
The Topical Encyclopedia then goes on to give some theological insights and practical applications as follows:
“The Bible teaches that assumptions can lead to false judgments and hinder spiritual growth. Proverbs 3:5-6 advises believers to trust in the LORD and not lean on their own understanding. ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight’… This passage encourages seeking God’s wisdom rather than relying on human assumptions.
“James 1:19-20 further instructs believers to be ‘quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger’…, emphasizing the importance of understanding before forming conclusions. Assumptions often arise from a lack of listening and a rush to judgment.
“Practical Applications:
“Believers are called to exercise discernment and humility, recognizing the limitations of human understanding. Prayer and seeking God’s guidance are essential in avoiding the pitfalls of assumptions. By relying on the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of Scripture, Christians can navigate complex situations with grace and truth.
“In relationships, assumptions can lead to conflict and division. Ephesians 4:2-3 encourages believers to ‘be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love’… This attitude fosters unity and understanding, counteracting the negative effects of assumptions.
“Ultimately, the dangers of assumptions remind believers of the need for reliance on God, careful listening, and a commitment to truth.”
We should also take note of the false assumption that the Bible contains “hate speech.”
Dated January 31, 2024 and taken from the website “The Voice of the Martyrs,” we read:
“Lawsuits in the Western world have challenged the Bible as hate speech for decades. In 2013, a lawsuit attempted to show that Bible verses commonly understood to forbid homosexual relationships were, in fact, hate speech. The lawsuit failed as have most attempts to legally classify Scripture in hate speech in the West…”
However, we see that the movement towards attacking the Bible by demeaning and mischaracterizing its commands as “hate speech” is growing.
It is interesting that the Bible, the written Word of God, is accused of hate speech because it condemns unnatural sexual behaviour. That behavioral condemnation has been there for thousands of years in the Word of God and then the particularly aggressive LGBT+ group expect the Truth to now be condemned because of their current lifestyle. The Bible contains condemnation of ALL non-godly types of behavior and stands firm because it is the instruction from the One who created all things and who knows best.
One other area that we need to be keenly aware of is that, after receiving a prayer request and not hearing anything further, all must be well. Perhaps it is, but perhaps it may not be. We can often say that no news is good news. But that is making an assumption which could be a false one. It is much better to ask and ascertain the facts, than jumping to a conclusion.
CONCLUSION
We must be aware of false assumptions which can lead to further problems and difficulties including the law of unintended consequences. This is particularly important when it comes to biblical understanding and spiritual matters. One error can lead to another which can become a real problem. It is best not to make false assumptions in the first place because the consequences can lead us off the path towards the Kingdom of God.
Also, making some false assumptions without really knowing the full facts can diminish what God has done and the mighty miracles that are beyond the understanding of man.
It has been remarked before that the word assume is made up of (humorously) ass, u/me – making asses of us if we assume any matter without being aware of the facts! Humorous, but having a great deal of Truth in it.
If we are making an assumption, or assumptions about someone else, while ignoring our own condition and mistakes, we may be doing them and us a disservice! It could lead to judging others and justifying our own wrong behavior which we are told not to do in Matthew 7:3-5:
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
This last scriptural reference above is a key to us removing any hypocrisy that we have been guilty of, and to avoid making false assumptions which are not helpful as we strive to be accounted worthy to be born-again members of the Family of God at the return of Jesus Christ.
Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link