THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT - Are Dreams Messages From God?

What About Today?

Yes, God did communicate with some people through dreams. But the Bible indicates that this was quite rare. Dreams were  never the principal form of divine communication. There were many faithful servants of God who never received messages from God in dreams. God's use of dreams to communicate with man can be compared to His parting the Red Sea. We know that he did it once, but that is certainly not his usual way of dealing with his people. -Exodus 14:21

The apostle Paul acknowledged that in his day God's spirit was operating on his servants in many extraordinary ways.  Paul said:  "To one there is given through spirit speech of wisdom, to another speech of knowledge according to the same spirit, to anther faith by the same spirit, to another gifts of healings by that one spirit, to yet another operations of powerful works, to another prophesying, to another discernment of inspired utterances, to another different tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues."  (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) Although divinely inspired dreams are not specifically mentioned, a number of Christians evidently received divinely inspired dreams as one of the gifts of the spirit in fulfillment of Joel 2:28. -Acts 16:9, 10. 

However, the apostle said regarding these special gifts:  "Whether they are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether they are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away."  (1 Corinthians 13:8) Evidently included among the gifts that would be "done away with"  were the various forms of divine communication. After the death of the apostles, God ceased to impart these special gifts to his servants. 

Today experts are still trying to understand the process of dreaming and whether it has a practical function.  The Bible sheds no light on such issues. However, to those who insist on seeking divine communications in their dreams, the Bible does provide a warning. At Zechariah 10:2, it states:  "The practicers of divination , . . .valueless dreams are what they keep speaking." God also warns against looking for omens. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)  In light of these warnings, Christians today do not expect to receive divine guidance in their dreams. Rather, they view dreams simply as something experienced in sleep.   

Next time: YOUNG PEOPLE ASK . . .Why Should I Get to Know My Grandparents?

From the Awake! magazine