“In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men,

while they slumber on their beds,

then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction . . . .”

(Job 33:15-16)

DREAMS IN THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN TRADITION

From the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation it is clear that God uses dreams and visions* to communicate with those who believe. Both the Old and New Testaments are alive with a multitude of spiritual experiences as divine forces guided the development of human consciousness across the many thousands of years of recorded history.

 

What was manifestly true thousands of years ago is still true today: God communicates with those who believe in the spirit and most commonly this means in our sleeping dreams. In this regard there are four important features that have remained constant over the millennia:

1. God does communicate with human beings in their sleeping dreams.

2. He takes the initiative in this process (He reaches out to us).

3. He communicates with those who are particularly receptive to His word (those who reach out to him).

4. The recipient is often, although not always, adept at explaining or interpreting the meaning of these messages.

 

These are facts of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. The Lord is a constant presence in the lives of those who maintain their belief and their allegiance, and this presence includes the time when we are sleeping.

 

It is important for the modern Christian to realize that the traditions established in the Holy Scriptures continue, not to a select group of highly devoted individuals (prophets and apostles, for example), but to all of those who believe in the Christ. In our time, every Christian has become increasingly receptive to the spirit of truth which has been sent to guide us into all the truth. (cf. John 16:13) Human consciousness has advanced to the point that every Christian is available to receive, and often does receive, the word of the Lord while they slumber on their beds.

 

[*It is important to note that the Hebrew language of the Old Testament makes no clear distinction between a dream and a vision; in the Scriptures dreams are often referred to as ‘visions of the night’ or ‘dream visions’ (cf. Job 20:8, Job 33:15; Isaiah 29:7; Daniel 2:19). Throughout this website the term ‘dream’ refers to both dreams and visions.]