Dreams Vs Word of God

There are the dreams that came from God, or from memory, or imagination.  Under the Christian dispensation, we read frequently of trances and visions, but dreams are never referred to as a vehicle of divine revelation.

In accordance with this principle are the actual records of the dreams sent by God. The majority were given for predictions, or for warning, to those alien to the Jewish covenant. When given to the Jews, they are referred to in their earliest history; a time when the understanding of God was less sure. 

Ecclesiastes 5:3, “For a dream cometh through the multitude of business = (effort or activity.)”

Isaiah 29:8, “When a hungry man dreameth, and behold, he eateth; but he awaketh and his soul is empty = (he is still hungry:) or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh and behold, he is faint = (still thirsty.)”

Those who do have dreams claim their from God, they point to,

Acts 2:17, “Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

In the days of Joel, dreams and visions were a mere accommodation in which the Holy Spirit operated under the ancient Jewish economy, this when a prediction was to be delivered by God. But in the N.T. visions and dreams are rather the exception than the rule.

Dreams of the imagination during sleep, may be from natural, or supernatural causes. The people of the ancient Eastern countries, and in particular the Jews highly regarded dreams, and sought after those who interpreted them.  God spoke to many Gentiles in dreams, those outside His chosen family.  Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Pharaoh’s butler and baker, Abimelechs, Laban, the soldier all had dreams. In the family of God were, Solomon, Jacob, etc.

But now we have the Bible. God’s revelations to mankind are finished; the book is closed. Many false prophets claim to receive new revelations through dreams, or visions; or by speaking in an unknown language, or having been taken up into heaven, or carried away by a spirit. This is error; men who are having delusions, or being guided by false spirits.

John 4:48, Jesus said,  “Except you see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”

Can God reveal His will in dreams today? Of course He can! But the Scriptures themselves and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit have made dreams of this sort unnecessary.

Satan is working overtime these days. But a time is coming when son of perdition will bring these things to the highest level of evil, and persuasion.

2 Thessalonians 2:9, “Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”

1 John 4:1 thru 6, “Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. — know ye the Spirit of God: verse 4, Ye are of God, — and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. We = (Christian’s) are of God: he that knows God hears us (Jesus, the apostles, and Bible writers) he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”

Christians are grafted into the Jewish promises made to them by God. We are to share in the word, and the inheritance, having become the sons of God through adoption. The Gospel came to the Jew first, and then the Gentile.

The LORD expressly forbids His people from observing dreams, and from consulting with those who explain, or interpret them. He condemned to death all that pretended to have these prophetic dreams, and for telling of the events envisioned, even when they came to pass. These would be condemned to death if they in any way promoted any form of idolatry.

Deuteronomy 13:1-2-3,  “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proves = (is testing) you, to know whether ye love the LORD God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Back when, the interpretation of dreams was not forbidden. The dreamer was to address, or consult the prophets of the LORD, (we have none today) or the high-priest in his ephod = (a sacred vestment,) to have any dream explained, and there are none of these today.

Saul, before the battle of Gilboa consulted a woman who had a familiar spirit. Why?

1 Samuel 28:6-7, “Because the Lord would not answer him by dreams, nor by prophets.” The Lord spoke to Saul thru the occult, by a spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel. Out of the mouth of a deceased prophet, death was pronounced upon King Saul, and his sons. And the saying of Samuel came to pass.

The Lord had made His will know in dreams, and enabled prophets like Daniel and Joseph to interpret them. Judges 7:13-14, A Midianite related to his friend a dream, and from that interpretation Gideon took it as a sign from God.  Even so, Gideon asked the Lord for further validation. In weakness, and doubt Gideon required another sign from God.

Jeremiah 23:25-28-29. The Lord said, “I have heard what the prophet said, that prophesy lies in my = (God’s) name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. Ver.28, “The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff = (the dreamers) to the wheat = (the written word?) said the LORD.  Is not my work like as a fire? said the LORD; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

The work of the dreamers will be burned like so much chaff.

Jeremiah spoke out against impostors who pretended to have dreams. He spoke out against their abusing the willingness of the people to believe in them. The prophet Joel writes, that in the reign of the Messiah, the effusion of the Holy Spirit should be so full of information, that old men should have prophetic dreams, and young men would receive visions.

Dreams may signify vain images held in a persons imagination while sleeping. They having no relationship to prophesy,

Job 20:8, “He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.”

American’s have become a superstitious people, as were the Jews in Jesus day. Matthew 12:39, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there shall be no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

Why do most Christians not get it?  “By faith are we saved,” not by works, signs, wonders, or other forms of hocus pocus. The wisest use we can make of dreams is to be admonished by them. We are to begin attending to God’s word with our hearts, and with the mind of a child, instead of a proud, arrogant, and puffed up attitude.

Jeremiah 23:28, “He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.”

Isaiah 56:10, His = (God’s) watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping = (dreaming) lying down, loving to slumber.”

Can we see ourselves in these verses, blind, ignorant and dumb, seeking after signs or visions? A dream may give us an unholy answer to a problem; as babbling will lead to a non-coherent Gospel. These are forms of idol worshippers; those without God, their works are as filthy rags.

Where are the true and honest workers for Christ? Those who care about the integrity of the Scriptures? Where are the true teachers? Where are the preachers of the word as God intended, and Holy Spirit guided?

Dreamers, having vain and empty opinions, deceivers: Compare,

Numbers 12:6, “God said, “Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” with,

Jude 8, “Filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominions, and speak evil of dignities.”

There are no more prophets of God, no Daniel’s, or Joseph’s to interpret these dreams. We have the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but for many who call themselves Christian, this is not enough.

The dreams of devils and visions of religious cult leaders rule today. Many have sightings of Mary, throughout the world. But who is this lady? There are no surviving portraits of her. This woman is seen dressed in blue, standing as if in prayer; some claim to see her in flames of fire, in reflecting glass, in smoke, or other objects. Ask, is this from God? If you believe it is, why would it be necessary to bring her forward when we have the living Christ with us?

Thousands of chapels have been built around the world to worship her, as compared to far few dedicated to Jesus Christ.  The visions of Joseph Smith, of Taze Russell having dreams, and visions of failed end time prophecies. Witch covenants abound; sooth Sayers, talisman rings and stones carved with symbols, believed to carry magical powers.  Charms, cards, palm, game boards, tea leaf readers, and horoscopes.

These things have led many away from the truth. Jesus Christ stands alone, we are to bow our knee to no-one else. But once we gets involved in these things, like any other bad addiction, breaking away becomes extremely difficult.

Today we have the Scriptures. Christians need to study them. We are to mirror our Lord and Savior in word and deed. In this we will honor and glorify Him.

Phillip LaSpino   www.seekfirstwisdom.com