Questions Concerning Dreams...

[bhebert]

A lot of curiosities in the category for me has driven me to read books on the topic ( 3 in particular) in hopes of figuring out this realm of dreams. With that said, i'm not entirely ignorant on the subject, just looking for a biblical perspective.

Dreams seem to have great significance in biblical times and have always (at least in my mind) have brought great enlightenment to the dreamer, or his family/ancestors to come. My spirituality is not even close to the magnitude of people in the bible, but I would like to gain some knowledge from these random thoughts, or what seem to be random thoughts...

For a person who has pretty off the wall dreams, I am concerned with what causes the subconscious to dream such dreams, and what can i take from these dreams to use in my spiritual life, if anything..?
Also wondering if I can be judged by God for some of the odd, random, or evil dreams that I may have--because some are completely unlike me, or any of my thoughts...? I always end up in situations(dreaming) that I would never end up in regularly, and I knida find that perplexing.

i realize that everyone's dreaming experience is unique and that careful analysis of my own may be in order, but I just thought I would see what your thoughts were on this subject, if it's a subject worth discussing at all..

thanks

[Mike Miller]

As for the significance of dreams in the Bible, they really aren't that prevalent. God sometimes spoke in the Old Testament through a dream, but every time He did, He in some way provided the interpretation. We do not see God communicating through dreams in the New Testament, and in fact, the book of Hebrews starts out by stating, "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." In other words, God formerly spoke through prophets, and He used dreams, visions, direct revelation, the casting of lots, and other means. However, God doesn't speak through prophets like that anymore, since He sent His Son as the full revelation of Himself. Now, in fact, we have the Bible in its entirety, so God doesn't need to speak through dreams when the Bible is available.

Now, having said that, missionaries have reported at times finding unreached people to whom God had revealed something of Himself in dreams. However, these people did not have any access to the Bible, and typically what He was revealing through the dream was either some way to get to a person to tell them the Gospel, or to prepare them for someone coming with the Gospel. Either way, they knew what He was communicating, or at least what they were supposed to do.

In short, while psychologists might be able to help us understand what is going on in our lives that causes us to have certain kinds of dreams, I don't attach much spiritual significance to them. When God speaks, He is clear in what He is communicating. He does not speak in ways that confuse us or leave us wondering. The only times in the Bible He did that was with people who did not worship Him, and He always provided one of His people to interpret the dream for them.

As for God judging us for what we dream, we are accountable for what we do willingly. If your dreams are a result of some sin in your life, then that sin is the problem, but not the dream. I say don't worry about being held accountable for your dreams.

[bhebert]

Thanks for the speedy and just reply Mike!

Bernie