“Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.”
(Joel 2:28-29 NLT)
Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she became pregnant with a child by the Holy Spirit. The culture they lived in was very different from ours today – an engagement then was basically a marriage without the final ceremony. And a family’s honor was very important. A person caught in adultery could be stoned to death for that sin and the family would be caused terrible humiliation and shame.
Matthew 1:19 tells us that, “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.” In his culture it would have been very appropriate for him to divorce Mary. Joseph was righteous and didn’t want to expose her to the public disgrace of accusations of adultery, so he chose what he thought was the best option for the situation. He was listening to the voices of his culture – his family – his people. But God had a different message he wanted Joseph to hear.
The angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. He said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took Mary as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.” (Matthew 1:20-25 NIV)
Now, back up and think about that for a minute. How many dreams do you have that you remember and just brush off as brain craziness or too much pizza too late at night?
But have you ever thought about how often God speaks to people in the Bible through dreams and visions? Jacob’s son Joseph had dreams about his brothers. The young man Daniel had insight into dreams and visions. We know from the Christmas story that Joseph and, later the Magi, were visited by God in their dreams with messages that would protect the baby Jesus.
Hebrews 13:8 says that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Jesus is God – so it makes sense that if God could speak to Biblical people through dreams, he can still speak to us today through them.
Now, it also makes sense to measure the messages we think we get in dreams against the Bible and in consultation with wise, godly, people in our church family. In December of 2020 I had a dream in which I was a witness to a huge outdoor fight and the people around me were all running into my parents’ house for safety. In the next several months several others in our church had similar dreams about fights or storms and running into a home for safety. Noticing a trend, our pastor had us tell the stories.
From those stories came the warning that we should be intentional about being in our Father’s [God’s] House. Not just going to a church service on Sunday (although that’s a great first step!), but being daily in God’s Word, being daily in prayer, being regularly in intentional spiritual fellowship with other believers – anything that keeps you closely connected to your Heavenly Father and his “house” of blessing, provision, and protection.
I definitely believe that God still speaks today through dreams and I invite you to stay aware of what God may be saying to you through your dreams.
Faithful God,
Thank you for being the same God we read about in the Bible, who has guided your children from generation to generation, and who continues to speak to us today to those who have spiritual ears to hear. Thank you for the dreams, visions, and prophecies Holy Spirit continues to pour out. Give us the spiritual discernment to know what you are saying to us, for such a time as this. Tune our hearts to yours and give us courage like Joseph to obey your callings. Help us to encourage one another to love and good works and to be in the House of our Heavenly Father – not neglecting meeting together, but preparing for the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do,
but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT)