The Dreamer

Genesis 37:19 says, “And they said one to another. Behold, this dreamer cometh.”

We all have dreams—sometimes nightmares, sometime pleasant, sometimes very vivid dreams, even reoccurring dreams. I knew of a girl who dreamed she was blowing her nose. She woke up in the morning and found that she had torn a couple of pages out of her Bible and used them for tissues.

Joseph was called the dreamer by his brothers out of bitterness. In Joseph’s two dreams that he shared with them, the general idea was that the whole family would bow down to Joseph. Though Joseph faced a rough road, he stayed true to God. One day the meaning of these dreams did come to pass. While Joseph was in prison in Egypt (Genesis 39:20-41:38), he was allowed to interpret the dreams of the king’s butler and baker. This led him to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. In these cases, Joseph was quick to give God the credit of interpreting the dreams. Joseph was a witness to Pharaoh. Genesis 41:38 states, “And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?”

Today we are hearing reports of dreams that appear to have spiritual significance. What should we believe? Simply stated, believe the Bible. In the Bible we do see where God spoke through dreams and visions—not only to Joseph, but many other times. In Genesis 46:2, “And God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night”, we have not just symbols, such as sheaves in the field and the sun, moon and stars, but the actual literal words of God. God spoke to the prophets through literal words, and sometimes symbols.

There are times when visions and dreams are more prevalent than others. I Samuel 3:1 says, “And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.” Then we read in Hebrews 1:1-2a, “God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son….”

During the days of Jesus on earth, God spoke to Joseph and Mary and the wise men by angels and dreams. God can use a vision anytime He wants to.

After Jesus ascended to Heaven He spoke to John and we have the whole Book of Revelation.

What about today? Joel 2:28 states, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:” Joel was prophesying of “…the day of the Lord…a day of darkness and of gloominess…” (vs. 1&2). 

The signs all around us seem to indicate we are very close to that day. If this is true, we should see a pouring out of God’s Spirit—old men dreaming and young men seeing visions.

Daniel not only interpreted dreams; God also gave him some amazing visions. Some things were made very clear to him, and others were hidden. Daniel 12:8-10 says, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried: but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”

When God gives dreams and visions today, embrace His poured-out Spirit, not the dreamer.