19 ‘Here comes that dreamer(Joseph)!’ they said to each other. Genesis 37:19
Joseph’s brothers were annoyed by his prophetic dreams and decided to get rid of him; so began God’s plan for his life.
My wife has had two detailed dreams recently, both of which she fully remembered, a good indicator that they’re important. We were together in both dreams, so they were significant for both of us (most dreams are for ourselves). Dream interpretation can be a skilled task, but do ask God and maybe others for help to understand what you’ve received and do RECORD AND DATE SUCH DREAMS.
In the first dream, her brother’s wife was in the back of a meeting, she was surprised at her being there. But it wasn’t actually about her, but someone of the same name, previously known to me a long time ago. The number 2 was also in the dream and there was a second person, related to the first one. So the actual number 2 was relevant. So part of the dream was about two people from my distant past. The Lord had given direction about something that needed to be dealt with now. There was more to it, but I’ve just tried to illustrate how a part of her dream could be interpreted.
So how important were dreams as a means of God speaking to people in the Bible? In the Book of Genesis (Book of Beginnings) there are actually ten dreams listed. Ten is a significant number in Jewish traditions e.g. the Ten Commandments. The Torah is the first five books of the Old Testament, but the ten dreams all occur in Genesis.
1 First dream, a Philistine king, Abimelech, was told not to touch Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and return her unharmed or they’d all die. God protected Abraham and his wife. WARNING Genesis 20:1-7
2 Jacob dream’t of the ladder going up to heaven as he fled his brother Esau, REVELATION OF GOD. Genesis 28:12
3 The Lord told Jacob to go back to the land of his relatives and He would be with him, DIRECTION. Genesis 31
4 Laban was told not to do anything to Jacob, ‘either good or bad’. WARNING Genesis 31:22-24
5 & 6 Joseph’s two dreams about his parents and brothers bowing down to him. PROPHETIC Genesis 37
7 & 8 Joseph interpreted two dreams of Pharoah’s wine steward and baker, one freed and other executed. PROPHETIC Genesis 40
9 & 10 Pharaoh had two dreams, WARNINGS about the future for the land of Egypt, 7 years plenty followed by 7 years famine. Joseph interpreted the dreams and was promoted to govern Egypt. His own earlier dreams were fulfilled when his brothers came to him for food. Genesis 41
We can’t build our lives on dreams alone, but neither should we ignore them as the Bible shows that God may speak through our dreams. The Talmud, Jewish Laws and Customs, says 4 conditions of Prophetic Dreams are
– occur in the early morning (deeper sleep, less of our consciousness?)
– dream about someone else
– contains interpretation as part of the dream
– dream is repeated over and over (confirmation)
(Thanks to Rivka Levy, The ten dreams of Genesis).
The crux of the matter, detailed and impactful dreams should be recorded and considered carefully, as God may be speaking to us.
God bless and keep you today.