Topical Bible: Dreams: Visions in Sleep

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Dreams, as depicted in the Bible, are significant as they often serve as a medium through which God communicates with individuals. Throughout the Scriptures, dreams are portrayed as divine messages, warnings, or revelations, providing guidance, prophecy, and insight into God's will.

Old Testament Instances

In the Old Testament, dreams are frequently mentioned as a means of divine communication. One of the earliest examples is found in the account of Jacob. In Genesis 28:12, Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. This dream signifies God's covenant with Jacob and His promise to bless his descendants.

Joseph, the son of Jacob, is another prominent figure associated with dreams. In Genesis 37:5-10, Joseph dreams of sheaves of grain and celestial bodies bowing to him, symbolizing his future rise to power and the subservience of his family. These dreams foreshadow the events that lead to Joseph's eventual position as a ruler in Egypt.

Pharaoh's dreams in Genesis 41 are also noteworthy. He dreams of seven fat cows and seven lean cows, as well as seven healthy ears of grain and seven thin ears. Joseph interprets these dreams as a divine warning of seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, leading to his appointment as Pharaoh's advisor.

In the book of Daniel, dreams play a crucial role in revealing God's plans. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, experiences troubling dreams that Daniel interprets. In Daniel 2, the king dreams of a great statue, symbolizing successive kingdoms, and in Daniel 4, he dreams of a great tree, representing his own reign and eventual downfall.

New Testament Instances

In the New Testament, dreams continue to serve as a conduit for divine revelation. In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, receives guidance through dreams. In Matthew 1:20, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to take Mary as his wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Later, in Matthew 2:13, Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus to escape King Herod's massacre.

The Magi, or wise men, are also warned in a dream not to return to Herod after visiting the infant Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 2:12. This divine intervention ensures the safety of the Holy Family.

Theological Significance

From a theological perspective, dreams in the Bible are seen as a means by which God reveals His will and purposes to humanity. They often occur at pivotal moments in biblical history, providing direction, assurance, and prophecy. Dreams are not merely random or subconscious occurrences but are imbued with divine significance.

The Bible acknowledges the potential for false dreams and visions, cautioning believers to discern their origin. In Deuteronomy 13:1-3, the Israelites are warned against prophets or dreamers who lead them away from God, emphasizing the need for discernment and adherence to God's commandments.

Conclusion

Dreams in the Bible are a profound testament to God's desire to communicate with His people. They serve as a reminder of His sovereignty and the unfolding of His divine plan throughout history. As such, dreams hold a place of reverence and importance within the biblical narrative, illustrating the intimate relationship between God and His creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 33:15
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumberings on the bed;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Daniel 2:28
But there is a God in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head on your bed, are these;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Diversity of Dreams and visions Epicurus Thought Lightly of Them ...
... The Romans, too, were acquainted with dreams of this kind. ... But visions of this prophetic
kind were not confined to ... [1772] So likewise in sleep revelations are ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter xlvi diversity of dreams and.htm

Like Dreams, Moreover, are Also Some visions of Persons Awake...
... Like dreams, moreover, are also some visions of persons ... wrought upon by such-like
imaginary visions; just so ... abeyance than is the case in sleep, are occupied ...
/.../augustine/on care to be had for the dead /14 like dreams moreover are.htm

A Rationale of Sleep, of Yawning, and of Dreams .
... to rest, not from infirmity but by natural sleep, might appear as a ... that according
to the differences of complaints the visions of dreams appear differently ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/xiii a rationale of sleep.htm

The Impious See True Dreams and visions.
... "But it is manifest that the impious see true visions and dreams, and I can ... by
intercourse, and how he heard the commandment from God in his sleep, as the ...
/.../unknown/the clementine homilies/chapter xvii the impious see true.htm

Causes and Circumstances of Dreams what Best Contributes to ...
... is prescribed for such persons as mean to submit to the sleep which is ... wisdom for
his soul previous to receiving communication by dreams and visions, as if ...
/.../a treatise on the soul/chapter xlviii causes and circumstances of.htm

No Soul Naturally Exempt from Dreams.
... are said to pass through the night in a deep lethargic sleep, brings down on ... of Sardinia
that he used to withhold the power of visions and dreams from such ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter xlix no soul naturally exempt.htm

The Peculiar Sleep of the Beloved
... Surely, my sleep was sweet unto me." "So he giveth his beloved sleep.". ... put faith
in dreams: and, certainly God doth warn us in dreams and visions even now. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the peculiar sleep of the.htm

Of the Soul and the Mind, and their Affections.
... mind is kept occupied by the similitudes [1928] of visions. ... true sights, so that
it does not sleep; so is ... often testify that there have been dreams which have ...
/.../lactantius/on the workmanship of god/chap xviii of the soul and.htm

Stories are Told of Certain Appearances or visions...
... ofttimes to the living as they sleep, while they ... or commanded, that they seem in
dreams to say ... Sometimes however, by fallacious visions, [2739] men are cast ...
/.../augustine/on care to be had for the dead /12 stories are told of.htm

Dreams Variously Classified Some are God-Sent, as the Dreams of ...
... as utter prophecies" [1773] "must all those visions be regarded ... of mankind get their
knowledge of God from dreams. ... best he may in their very sleep, if unable ...
/.../a treatise on the soul/chapter xlvii dreams variously classified some.htm