Dreams and Visions

Dreams and Visions

Dreams and Visions

regarded the Samaritans as a people to themselves, in spite of an obviously

Dreams and Visions

Nu 12:1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman;

12:2 and they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.

12:3 Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth.

12:4 And suddenly the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out.

12:5 Then the LORD came down in the column of cloud, and standing at the entrance of the tent, called Aaron and Miriam. When both came forward,

12:6 He said, “Now listen to the words of the LORD: Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal Myself to him, in dreams will I speak to him;

12:7 Not so with my servant Moses! Throughout my house he bears my trust:

12:8 face to face I speak to him,plainly and not in riddles.The presence of the LORD he beholds. Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant Moses?"

1) For the purpose of this discussion, Moses and the Cushite women will not be discussed.

"Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal Myself to him, in dreams will I speak to him". The Old Testament is series of Books that were written by God's prophets. In the verses above, God says "I speak to my prophets in visions and dreams". This is why many of the stories have a dream quality. Strange details are given that seem hard to believe. The reason why we all dream while we sleep is to be able to relate how dreams make no or little sense when compared to reality. God has made our dreams with no real meaning, but the Old Testament "dreams" hide very important spiritual facts. Where are the people that can interpret the "dreams"? Joseph and Daniel could interpret dreams. But even Daniel did not understand some visions. What is the purpose of visions and dreams? The answer is found in the Book of Job.

Jb 33:14For God speaks in one way,and in two, though man does not perceive it.

33:15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,when deep sleep falls upon men,while they slumber on their beds,

33:16 then He(God) opens the ears of men, and terrifies them with warnings,

33:17 that He (God) may turn man aside from his deed,and cut off pride from man;

33:18 He(God) keeps back his soul from the Pit,his life from perishing by the sword.

The purpose of dreams and visions:

1) "Opens the ears of men". The ear symbolizes our minds. And the mind stores facts. So God is giving us spiritual facts in dreams and visions. But the facts come many times in riddles.

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2) "Terrifies them with warnings". God gives men terrifying dreams to turn them away from their sins. Because sin leads to the pit called hell. And the sword is to escape their accusers at their Final Tests.

The list below are the dreams found in the Bible.

1) God came to Abimelech king of Gerar in a dream not to touch the wife of Abraham who was named Sarah. Gn (20:3)

2) Jacob, the son of Isaac, dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to the heaven; and behold, the Angels of God were ascending and descending on it! Gn (28:12)

3) Jacob had another dream and Angel to him to, "now arise, go forth from this land, and return to the land of your birth". Jacob was to leave his father-in-laws land and go back to the Promised Land. Gn (31:13)

4) God appeared to Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob his son-in-law. "Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad". Gn (31:24)

5) Joseph the son of Jacob had two dreams.

Gn 37:5Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more.

37:6 He said to them, “Hear this dream which I have dreamed:

37:7 behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf arose and stood upright; and behold, your sheaves gathered round it, and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Gn 37:8His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to have dominion over us?” So they hated him yet more for his dreams and for his words.

37:9 Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

Gn 37:10But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”

37:11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

6) A butler and baker in Egypt and their dreams.

Gn 40:8They said to Joseph, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, I pray you.”

40:9 So the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me,

10:10 and on the vine there were three branches; as soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes.

40:11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

Gn 40:12Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days;

40:13 within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his butler.

40:14 But remember me, when it is well with you, and do me the kindness, I pray you, to make mention of me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house.

40:15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.”

40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head,

40:17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.”

Gn 40:18And Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days;

40:19 within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you! —and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

40:20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and lifted up the head of the chief butler and the head of the chief baker among his servants.

40:21 He restored the chief butler to his butlership, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand;

40:22 but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

40:23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

7) Pharaoh had a dream and Joseph was called to interpret the dream.

Gn 41:1After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,

41:2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows sleek and fat, and they fed in the reed grass.

41:3 And behold, seven other cows, gaunt and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.

41:4 And the gaunt and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke.

Gn 41:5And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk.

41:6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind.

Gn 41:7And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

41:8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men; and Pharaoh told them his dream, but there was none who could interpret it to Pharaoh.

Joseph, the son of Isaac, who was held prisoner in Pharaoh's prison came and interpreted the vision. Pharaoh was grateful and made Joseph the second most important person in Egypt.

8) The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. 1 Kgs (3:5) In the Old Testament when the Lord would appear in dreams and visions, He would appear as Jesus. Being God, Jesus could do this miracle even though He had not been born.

1 Kg 3:5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”

3:6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward You; and You have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.

3:7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made Your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.

3:8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.

3:9 Give Your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern Your people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this Your great people?”

3:10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.

3:11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,

3:12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

3:13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.

3:14 And if you will walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and My Commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

3:15 And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream.

9) In the Book of Daniel, Babylon's king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream.

Dan 2:1In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.

2:2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

3:3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”

3:4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king, “O king, live for ever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.”

3:5 The king answered the Chaldeans, “The word from me is sure: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.

3:6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.”

3:7 They answered a second time, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.”

3:8 The king answered, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is sure

3:9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.”

3:10 The Chaldeans answered the king, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand; for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.

3:11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and none can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

3:12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.

3:13 So the decree went forth that the wise men were to be slain, and they sought Daniel and his companions, to slay them.

3:14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Ari-och, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to slay the wise men of Babylon;

3:15 he said to Ari-och, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so severe?” Then Ari-och made the matter known to Daniel.

3:16 And Daniel went in and besought the king to appoint him a time, that he might show to the king the interpretation.

3:17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Misha-el, and Azariah, his companions,

3:18 and told them to seek mercy of the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

3:19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

Dn 3:20Daniel said: “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever. To whom belong wisdom and might.

3:21 He changes times and seasons;he removes kings and sets up kings;he gives wisdom to the wiseand knowledge to those who have understanding;

3:22 He reveals deep and mysterious things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.

3:23 To You, O God of my fathers,I give thanks and praise,for You have given me wisdom and strength, and have now made known to me what we asked of You,for You have made known to us the king’s matter.”

3:24 Therefore Daniel went in to Ari-och, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said thus to him, “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.”

3:25 Then Ari-och brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can make known to the king the interpretation.”

3:26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?”

3:27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery which the king has asked,

3:28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:

3:29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be hereafter, and He who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be.

3:30 But as for me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living has this mystery been revealed to me, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

3:31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.

3:32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,

3:33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.