Dreams and Visions

Dreams were used by God to communicate with people. Many times He gave people the ability to explain those dreams. A baker and a butler working for the pharaoh of Egypt had dreams that Joseph explained. Later Pharaoh had a dream of seven fat cows and seven thin ones. Joseph knew that the dream meant a famine would happen. God spoke to Joseph, the husband of Mary, twice through dreams: once before the birth of Jesus, and again before he fled with Mary and Jesus to Egypt.

A vision is something like a dream, except that it is given by God and reveals truth in pictures. Most prophets were awake and alert when they received visions from God. Isaiah and Ezekiel saw a vision of God on the throne. Daniel was with others when he saw the vision God gave him. His companions did not see it, but they felt great fear and ran away. A newly blinded Paul saw Ananias in a vision coming to restore Paul’s sight. The Lord spoke in a vision to Ananias, telling him to go to the house where Paul stayed and to heal Paul.