Topical Bible: Visions: Often Multiplied for the Benefit of the People

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In the biblical narrative, visions are a significant means by which God communicates His will, guidance, and revelation to His people. These divine encounters are often multiplied, serving as a testament to God's desire to guide, warn, and encourage His followers throughout history. The Bible records numerous instances where visions are granted to individuals, often with the purpose of benefiting not only the recipient but also the broader community of believers.

Old Testament Examples

1. Abraham: One of the earliest recorded visions is given to Abraham. In Genesis 15:1 , "After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.'" This vision reassures Abraham of God's protection and promises, laying the foundation for the covenant relationship that would impact all of Abraham's descendants.

2. Jacob: Jacob's vision of the ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:12) serves as a powerful symbol of God's presence and the connection between heaven and earth. This vision reassures Jacob of God's promises to him and his descendants, reinforcing the covenant made with Abraham.

3. Joseph: Joseph's dreams, which are a form of vision, play a crucial role in the narrative of Genesis. His dreams of sheaves and celestial bodies bowing to him (Genesis 37:5-10) foreshadow his future role in Egypt, ultimately leading to the preservation of his family during famine.

4. Daniel: The book of Daniel is replete with visions that reveal God's sovereignty over history and future events. Daniel's visions, such as those in Daniel 7 and 8, provide insight into the rise and fall of empires and the ultimate establishment of God's eternal kingdom.

New Testament Examples

1. Zechariah: The father of John the Baptist receives a vision in the temple, where the angel Gabriel announces the birth of his son (Luke 1:11-20). This vision not only impacts Zechariah personally but also heralds the coming of the forerunner to the Messiah, affecting the entire course of salvation history.

2. Peter: In Acts 10, Peter receives a vision of a sheet filled with unclean animals, which leads to the understanding that the Gospel is for all people, Jew and Gentile alike. This vision marks a pivotal moment in the early Church, emphasizing the inclusivity of God's salvation plan.

3. Paul: The Apostle Paul experiences several visions that guide his ministry. In Acts 16:9-10 , "During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and pleading with him, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' As soon as Paul had seen the vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." This vision directs Paul to bring the Gospel to Europe, significantly impacting the spread of Christianity.

4. John: The book of Revelation is a series of visions given to the Apostle John, revealing the ultimate triumph of Christ and the establishment of a new heaven and earth. These visions provide hope and encouragement to believers facing persecution and trials.

Purpose and Impact

Visions in the Bible serve multiple purposes: they provide guidance, reveal future events, offer reassurance, and call individuals to specific actions. They are often given at critical moments in biblical history, underscoring God's active involvement in the lives of His people. Through visions, God communicates His divine plan, ensuring that His purposes are fulfilled and His people are equipped to carry out His will. These divine revelations are not merely for the benefit of the individual recipient but are intended to impact the broader community, advancing God's redemptive work throughout history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 12:10
I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Epistle of Judas
... church prays: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied.' Now for the ... but no sterner than
the language often used by ... Balaam also had dreams and visions, and he had ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of judas.htm

The Great Awakening.
... and the number of true saints multiplied, soon made ... convulsions, or faintings, nor
on visions or ecstasies ... the Presbyterian conflict, as so often in religious ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xi the great awakening.htm

Prayer.
... Pray often; for prayer is a shield for the soul, a sacrifice to ... with them, while
they cry out by these visions, My sorrows are multiplied; or, Because ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xix prayer.htm

Paul Before Festus and Agrippa.
... Often, we may believe, it had been the subject of ... are certain, that it is not by
visions and voices ... peace; tears are shed, and prayers are multiplied; and the ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxviii paul before festus.htm

A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
... that the seed of Abraham should be multiplied as the ... tabernacle; and as we do, and
us often as we ... prophet Ezekiel, unto whom, among many other visions, he gave ...
/.../knox/the pulpit of the reformation nos 1 2 and 3 /a sermon on isaiah xxvi.htm

Doctrinal and Moral Treatises. Index of Subjects.
... of goods at Jerusalem, [895]512; of goods, benefit of, [896 ... 540 sq.; unconscious
when seen in visions, [1032]545 ... Discourse, a, often pleasant to the hearer and ...
/.../on care to be had for the dead /doctrinal and moral treatises index.htm

The Mystery
... by supposed cures, and miraculous visions, by the ... written, that word so often repeated,
Lateinos. ... of the twelve apostles, apostolically multiplied; as alone ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

The Gods of Egypt
... The crocodiles there multiplied so rapidly as to constitute a ... lion's head with which
he is often represented ... frequent renewal in order that its benefit might be ...
/.../chapter ii the gods of egypt.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... And hence it is that he is so often said to be ... rest," or the keeping of a sabbath,
"to the people of God ... and made meet to be partakers of the benefit, and then ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... in the Scripture that they were once the peculiar people of God ... his unregenerate
state, were fearful dreams, and visions of the night, which often made him ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm