Dreams are a great mystery. Our semi-conscious minds can run wild with imaginative and bizarre stories and scenes. But dreams are also the avenue which God has freely used to convey truth. Consider Joseph of the Old Testament:
"Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?" His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind." (Genesis 37:5-11)
From his brothers' perspective, Joseph's dreams were arrogant and self-serving. Little did they know that these dreams were God's revelation of the future. Their response put in motion the events that would lead to their fulfillment - and God's plan for His people.
Dreams are vitally important today. The Apostle Peter declared on the Day of Pentecost that the activity of God's Spirit would be manifested through dreams:
"this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: `AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, `THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy." (Acts 2:16-18)
There is an inherent danger in considering every dream to be a revelation from God, but it can be equally dangerous to dismiss dreams that may indeed be God's revelation.
Of all the dreams I have had throughout the years, there is one that stands out from my childhood. In it I saw what appeared to be resurrection day, with angels coming for both living and resurrected believers. I never forgot the dream but it was not until only a few years ago that I most clearly saw a truth in Scripture that I realized was part of the dream: "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." (Matthew 24:31).
I believe this childhood dream was validated by clearly-evident Bible truth, as all legitimate God-inspired dreams will be.
I believe that God continues to reveal His plans and will through inspired dreams. Many of you reading this have been given those dreams. We need to hear them and be inspired and guided by them. We need to bring them under the careful spotlight of Scripture, because God will not reveal anything contrary to His written word.
May the Giver of dreams reveal His Kingdom dreams to you.
Steve
"Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?" His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind." (Genesis 37:5-11)
From his brothers' perspective, Joseph's dreams were arrogant and self-serving. Little did they know that these dreams were God's revelation of the future. Their response put in motion the events that would lead to their fulfillment - and God's plan for His people.
Dreams are vitally important today. The Apostle Peter declared on the Day of Pentecost that the activity of God's Spirit would be manifested through dreams:
"this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: `AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,' God says, `THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy." (Acts 2:16-18)
There is an inherent danger in considering every dream to be a revelation from God, but it can be equally dangerous to dismiss dreams that may indeed be God's revelation.
Of all the dreams I have had throughout the years, there is one that stands out from my childhood. In it I saw what appeared to be resurrection day, with angels coming for both living and resurrected believers. I never forgot the dream but it was not until only a few years ago that I most clearly saw a truth in Scripture that I realized was part of the dream: "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." (Matthew 24:31).
I believe this childhood dream was validated by clearly-evident Bible truth, as all legitimate God-inspired dreams will be.
I believe that God continues to reveal His plans and will through inspired dreams. Many of you reading this have been given those dreams. We need to hear them and be inspired and guided by them. We need to bring them under the careful spotlight of Scripture, because God will not reveal anything contrary to His written word.
May the Giver of dreams reveal His Kingdom dreams to you.
Steve
posted by steve @ 11:43 AM
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