Dreams have always been a mysterious and intriguing part of the human experience. We spend about a third of our lives sleeping and dreaming, yet we still don’t fully understand the purpose and meaning behind our dreams. As Christians, we know that God can speak to us in various ways, including through visions and dreams. But what does the Bible actually say about dreams coming true? Do our dreams contain hidden messages from God that will be fulfilled in the future? In this comprehensive blog post, we will explore the biblical foundations for dreams and visions, examine stories of dreams coming true in the Bible, look at what Christian dream interpretation says, and provide key takeaways for understanding dreams from a biblical perspective.
Introduction
Dreams have significance in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. There are approximately 226 mentions of dreams or visions in the Bible.[1] God chose to communicate with people in biblical times through the medium of dreams and visions, and there are many stories of Him sending messages that came to pass later. At the same time, the Bible warns against relying too heavily on dreams and commands us to test every dream against the truth of God’s Word. As Christians seeking God’s guidance, we need biblical discernment regarding dreams so that we can understand when a dream is from God versus our own subconscious. By looking at what the whole of Scripture teaches about dreams and visions, we can gain wisdom for interpreting our own dreams today.
Key Takeaways:
- God can and does still speak through dreams today, though discernment is needed.
- Biblical dreams contain messages from God that often come to pass or reveal God’s plans.
- While symbolic, some biblical dreams were interpreted plainly without the need for deeper meaning.
- Dreams require testing against Scripture and wisdom to interpret – not all dreams are from God.
- The ultimate purpose of Christian dream interpretation is growing in our relationship with God.
Biblical Foundations for Dreams
The Bible shows that God intentionally chose dreams and visions as a way to communicate with people. Numbers 12:6 says, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.” God spoke this way not just to prophets, but to many people throughout the Bible – pagans, kings, ordinary men and women, young and old alike. God is not limited in the ways He chooses to speak to people.
In the Old Testament, God often gave visions and dreams to impart wisdom, provide encouragement, reveal His plans, issue warnings, or predict the future. For example:
- Joseph had dreams as a youth that foretold his future leadership (Genesis 37:5-11).
- God gave Solomon wisdom and knowledge in a dream (1 Kings 3:5-15).
- Daniel interpreted dreams and visions that predicted future kingdoms and events (Daniel 7).
- Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and other prophets had visions from God of warnings and pronouncements.
- God spoke to Abimelech in a dream to keep him from sin (Genesis 20:3-7).
In the New Testament, God communicated through visions and dreams at key moments:
- Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary as his wife and flee to Egypt (Matthew 1:20, 2:13).
- The wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod (Matthew 2:12).
- Paul had a vision of a Macedonian man pleading for help (Acts 16:9-10).
- Peter had a vision from God that led to the gospel being preached to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
- Pontius Pilate’s wife had a dream warning him not to condemn Jesus (Matthew 27:19).
Furthermore, the Bible records prophecies that came to pass:
- Joseph’s dreams predicting his leadership came true (Genesis 42:9).
- Daniel interpreted the king’s dream and gave God’s interpretation of future events (Daniel 2).
- Isaiah predicted Cyrus by name 150 years before he was born (Isaiah 44:28-45:6).
From Genesis to Revelation, we see God chose to use dreams and visions to communicate, guide, warn, and disclose His plans. While we must use discernment, we cannot dismiss the biblical precedent for God speaking through dreams.
Biblical Stories of Dreams Coming True
Beyond prophecies and visions, the Bible records many examples of God speaking through a dream about something that later came to pass. Examining these stories gives insight into the biblical model of dreams coming true.
Joseph: Joseph had two key dreams in which God showed him his future (Genesis 37:5-11). The first dream depicted Joseph ruling over his brothers with his sheaf rising above theirs, and the second involved the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to Joseph. Both of these came to pass in Joseph’s life in Egypt, where his brothers did in fact bow down to him and acknowledge his sovereignty over them (Genesis 42:9). The dreams were plainly interpreted, not symbolic, and spoke of real events in Joseph’s future.
King Nebuchadnezzar: In a dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw an enormous statue made of various metals and clay feet. Daniel interpreted this as foretelling the rising and falling of future kingdoms (Daniel 2). The dream provided an amazingly accurate prophetic timeline of future nations rising to power. The interpretation required wisdom from God, but the dream came true in the succeeding centuries just as God had shown Nebuchadnezzar.
Prophecies about Jesus: Isaiah, Psalms, and other Old Testament books contain many prophecies that came to pass in Jesus’ life. Isaiah foretold Jesus’ birth to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), Micah prophesied Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), and Zechariah wrote about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). These God-given prophecies in dreams and visions were plainly fulfilled in the New Testament.
Paul’s Vision at Troas: Paul had a night vision of a man in Macedonia pleading, “Come over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). Next Paul sailed to Macedonia, affirming that God had called him to preach the gospel to the people there. God used this dream to direct the spread of the gospel message.
Pontius Pilate’s Wife’s Dream: While Jesus stood trial before Pilate, Matthew 27:19 records, “While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.’” This dream accurately warned of Jesus’ innocence and provided testimony that Jesus’ condemnation was unjust.
In addition to prophecy, these stories demonstrate that God may use dreams about events big or small in a person’s life. Biblical dreams contain accurate information about God’s plans and often come to pass in tangible ways. They require discernment but should not be quickly dismissed.
Dream Interpretation in the Bible
In both the Old and New Testaments, interpreting dreams correctly required God’s help and wisdom. In some cases, God provided the interpretation directly or through prophets. At other times, He allowed people to struggle to gain understanding. But what principles for interpretation do we see in Scripture?
First, biblical figures recognized that dream interpretation belongs to God. After wrongly interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams about cows and grain, Joseph acknowledged, “Interpretations belong to God” (Genesis 40:8). Daniel went a step further after seeing a vision and sought God first in prayer for the interpretation (Daniel 7:15-16). Correct interpretation relies on divine wisdom.
Next, dreams often involved symbolism requiring deeper analysis. Symbols like beasts, horns, wings, or statues represented real nations, rulers, and events. Figuring out what the symbols represented took wisdom, though sometimes the interpretation was more straightforward. Both literal and symbolic dreams came from God.
Furthermore, biblical dreamers tested revelations against God’s Word. The Bereans examined Paul’s teaching to see if it aligned with Scripture (Acts 17:11), and we should similarly compare dream interpretations to the Bible. Since God cannot contradict Himself, His Word is the litmus test for evaluating dream messages.
When interpreting dreams, biblical figures looked at the dream details, sought God in prayer, leveraged godly wisdom and counsel, and evaluated the message against Scripture. With this approach, they were able to gain understanding of God’s intended meaning and purpose.
Modern Dream Interpretation for Christians
While dreams are much more prominent in the Old Testament, God can and does still speak through dreams today. However, New Testament believers are called to carefully test modern dreams since Jesus Christ is God’s fullest revelation to mankind (Hebrews 1:1-2). As we interpret our dreams as Christians, we should filter them through three lenses:
Scripture: As mentioned already, we must test any dream against the truth of the Bible. Does the interpretation align with God’s revealed Word and character? If not, we can dismiss it.
Wisdom: God may give us wisdom directly or through other mature believers to understand dream meanings. However, dreams also emerge from our subconscious, so psychology and life experience can help provide insight.
Relationship with God: Our relationship with God should grow through dream revelations, not replace direct communication through prayer and Scripture. Dreams should prompt us to seek God more rather than obsessed over hidden meanings.
With these biblical principles, Christians today can still benefit from the gift of dreams without treating them as equal to or above God’s Word. Dreams should point us to a closer relationship with Christ.
Key Biblical Takeaways on Dreams
In summary, based on the whole of Scripture, Christians can gain these key biblical insights about dreams:
- God still uses dreams to communicate messages to His people today, though discernment is needed. Examples in both the Old and New Testament show God speaking through dreams.
- Dreams in the Bible often contained revelations from God that later came true or aligned with His plans. Biblical dreams were not idle but full of significance.
- God is the ultimate interpreter of dreams, and prayer for wisdom is needed to understand their meaning. Both literal and symbolic dreams came from God.
- While mysterious, some biblical dreams were interpreted plainly, without the need to decode secret meanings. Others required wisdom and prayer to discern.
- All modern dream interpretations should be evaluated against God’s Word as recorded in the Bible. Scripture is the test for judging the source and meaning of a dream.
- Dream interpretation should always be paired with growth in our relationship with Jesus Christ through Scripture, prayer, godly counsel, and obedience to God’s commands.
As Christians with examples like Joseph, Daniel, and Paul to follow, we can be confident that God still actively speaks through dreams today when aligned with His will. While requiring wisdom, our dreams can contain guidance, revelation, and insight from God’s Spirit. Ultimately, they are meant to draw us closer to Him and fulfill His purposes on earth. Rather than dismissing them, we should approach dreams with discernment and humility, willing to hear from God however He chooses to speak.
Conclusion
From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture shows that dreams were a common way for God to communicate with people and even reveal events to come. The Bible provides instruction and examples for properly interpreting dreams through prayer, godly wisdom, and alignment with God’s Word and character. Though not putting them on par with Scripture, Christians should remain open to hearing from God through dreams as we actively build an intimate relationship with Him. Dreams should point us to deeper study of the Bible and greater obedience to Christ. With wisdom and biblical discernment, we can gain valuable insight from our dreams that align with God’s purposes in our lives today.
