What does the Bible say about dreams?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible teaches that God has at times used dreams to reveal His purposes, yet dreams are not a trustworthy guide apart from His tested and sufficient Word. He spoke through dreams to Job and Daniel, and Numbers 12:6 recognizes dreams as one means by which God made Himself known to prophets. But Scripture also warns that dreams may be empty, deceptive, or false, as Ecclesiastes 5:3, Jeremiah 23:25-28, Jeremiah 29:8, and Deuteronomy 13:1-3 show. Even a dream accompanied by signs must be rejected if it leads people away from the Lord. Christians should therefore test every claimed revelation by Scripture and rest in God’s final saving revelation in Christ.
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- Visions in sleep Job 33:15; Daniel 2:28
- Often by imaginary Job 20:8; Isaiah 29:8
- Excess of business frequently leads to Ecclesiastes 5:3
- God’s will often revealed in Numbers 12:6; Job 33:15
- False prophets
- Pretended to Jeremiah 23:25-28; Jeremiah 29:8
- Not to be regarded in Deuteronomy 13:1-3; Jeremiah 27:9
- Condemned for pretending to Jeremiah 23:32
- Vanity of trusting to natural Ecclesiastes 5:7
- The ancients
- Put great faith in Judges 7:15
- Often perplexed by Genesis 40:6; Genesis 41:8; Job 7:14; Daniel 2:1; Daniel 4:5
- Anxious to have, explained Genesis 40:8; Daniel 2:3
- Consulting magicians on Genesis 41:8; Daniel 2:2-4
- God the only interpreter of Genesis 40:8; Genesis 41:16; Daniel 2:27-30; Daniel 7:16
- Mentioned in scripture of
- Abimelech Genesis 20:3-7
- Jacob Genesis 28:12; Genesis 31:10
- Laban Genesis 31:24
- Joseph Genesis 37:5-9
- Pharaoh’s butler and baker Genesis 40:5-19
- Pharaoh Genesis 41:1-7
- Midianite Judges 7:13-15
- Solomon 1 Kings 3:5-15
- Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2:1; Daniel 2:31; Daniel 4:5; Daniel 4:8
- Daniel Daniel 7:1-28
- Joseph Matthew 1:20; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 2:20
- Wise men Matthew 2:11; Matthew 2:12
- Pilate’s wife Matthew 27:19
- Illustrative of
- Prosperity of sinners Job 20:5-8; Psalms 73:19; Psalms 73:20
- Impure imaginations Jude 1:8
- Enemies of the church Isaiah 29:7; Isaiah 29:8
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