Dreams and Visions

 

 

These days, a VISION is usually caused by drugs, alcohol, or mental illness. People scoff at the visions of Christ commonly seen in places where the Word of God is not available. However, in Bible times, visons let people know what He is like and that He wanted a relationship with us.

God communicated with Abram His plan for him. Later, this came to him in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Visions are common throughout the OT. God said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.” It happened to all the prophets, but at times not that often. When the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord, “the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.”

Later, God spoke to David through Nathan the prophet as Scripture says, “In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.”

These visions were recorded yet not always understood. Isaiah 29:11–14 explains why:

“And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, ‘Read this,’ he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’ And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, ‘Read this,’ he says, ‘I cannot read.’ And the Lord said: ‘Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.’ ”

Jeremiah said a similar thing about those who refuse to surrender to God. He had a vision of ruination when “the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the Lord.”

Ezekiel repeats this: “When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there shall be none. Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders. The king mourns, the prince is wrapped in despair, and the hands of the people of the land are paralyzed by terror. According to their way I will do to them, and according to their judgments I will judge them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.” He also spoke of false prophets and false visions whom God would harshly deal with.

Some of the true visions were for their time. Habakkuk was concerned about God using His enemies to discipline His people and Lord answered: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end — it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Other visions, like those revealed to Daniel, were “for the time of the end.”

In the NT, a vision was given about the birth of Christ and later His disciples saw a vision of Him in His glory in the transfiguration. After Saul was confronted and transformed, God gave a vision to Ananias to minister to him. Later, visions were given to Peter and a Gentile named Cornelius so that this man could hear the gospel and be saved, and so Peter would realize that God includes non-Jews in His kingdom.

God also used visions to guide Paul. Acts 16:9–10 says:

“A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Acts 18:9–10. “And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.’ ”

And the entire book of Revelation contains visions given to John of future events and judgments.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Hebrews 1:1–3 sums it up.” Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” These events and visions were recorded and compiled that I might know God through faith in Jesus Christ, not appearing in a vision but coming to earth as God in human flesh. How utterly amazing!