Biblical Dream Interpretation

I am starting a new series of blogs where we will discuss each dream scripture within the bible. Mainly, because most people do not typically do word studies on dreams. Even to this day, I continually receive questions from Christians asking, “Is dream interpretation biblical?” To save you time and energy, we’re going to do the word study together. I am looking forward to your input and bringing your understanding of the scriptures also. I hope what we can do together is pull out the biblical principles on dreams so that those who don’t understand or are fearful and think it is “new agey” (yep, I think I just made that word up) have a place in scripture to anchor. There is an understanding called the “Law of First Mention” which basically says in regards to the principles of biblical interpretation that the first mention of an object, number, color or symbol in Scripture sets the pattern for it throughout the Bible. This is very important for us dream interpreters. It gives us boundaries and anchors. So let us look at the first mention of dreams in the bible.

Blog11
 

Genesis 20:3

But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.

I love the word dream in this verse, in Hebrew the word chalom is used and means two things,  
  • Health, Strength and Restoration
  • To bind firmly to
    This gives us a peek into what God meant for us when He gave us dreams. He wants to heal us. Heal our soul. Heal our physical body. Heal our spirit. Heal our relationships. Heal our mind.  He wants to encourage us with strength to do the right things in life. To make right decisions. He wants to restore back to us everything that was stolen. Why is this the first dream of the Bible. Well, let’s delve in!

BACKSTORY:

Abraham (meaning father of many, root: father of knowledge, knowing one) and Sarah (to have power) were sojourning and ended up hanging out in Gerar (meaning: to drag or drag away. This is also the same place that his son Isaac had issues with losing Rebekkah out of fear). Gerar was a city in Philistine (Kaphtor kaf-tore’ or Kaphtowr {kaf-tore’}; apparently the same as 3730; the original seat of the Philistines:–Caphtor.) Does this word remind you of captor? There were five cities under Philistine rule, we have 5 senses, When the five-sense man gives himself up to desires and makes no attempt to live in spiritual principles he is ruled by Philistine thoughts. Abraham introduces Sarah as his sister. Which was a lie, but Abraham had justified it because Sarah was also his half sister. We know it was an intentional lie because of verse Genesis 20:11, ‘there is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my of my wife’  — FEAR OF MAN. The MAN of GOD, had fear of man

Proverbs 24

He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He hears the oath but tells nothing. 25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD.

God can’t do anything with us when we live by fear of man. It is one of the first things God has to remove from us when he gives us a calling/destiny/dream/assignment. Blog111 So King Abimelech (father of the king) takes Sarah to be his. He definitely had her for a few months, it wasn’t like he had her for the night. We know this because of verse: Genesis 20:18, the Lord had closed up every womb in Abimelech’s household because of Abraham’s wife Sarah. God had divinely protected Sarah because she was supposed to bare the son of a promise.

THE DREAM:

But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands”  (Gen. 20:3-5).
Abimelech conversed with God, while having a dream, which brought about God’s second response to him:
Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die” (Gen. 20:6,7)

TAKE AWAY

The first principle here is that:  
  • One does not have to be anointed or especially close to God or even saved to have a dream or dreams from God
  • God gives warnings in dreams
  • You can have dialogue with God in dreams
  • God will reveal your heart in a dream
  • God will give strategy in a dream
  • God will give promise in a dream
  • God intervenes on our behalf through dreams.
  • God keeps us from sinning against him
  Abimelech had Sarah for a while. Also Abimelech doesn’t call God “yaweh” but “Adonai” which means MASTER. Which showed he didn’t know God. This is where the bride/power was dragged away into a captivity because of fear, because of being led by KNOWLEDGE and not the Spirit!! God had a plan. A divine plan. And God wasn’t about to let Abraham and Sarah divert it because they were human. This man of God, was human. He made decisions out of fear (not once, this was the second time) Yet, God came in and rescued them. Get this, God didn’t give the dream to Abraham! He could have very well given Abraham a dream. But God wanted to show them that even though the bride was dragged away for a little while, she would be divinely protected.

Genesis 20:14

Then Abimelech brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham and returned Sarah his wife to him.

Why does God want Abraham to pray for an ungodly ruler? Abraham is a prophet, a chosen vessel of God. Most likely, the word will get around the surrounding area and Abraham will be guaranteed protection from his enemies. It would be considered a curse to bring harm to a prophet. And prophets themselves were capable of pronouncing curses. Roles are reversed! Now who is in fear? The enemy! Abraham now has power (Sarah). “there is no fear of God in this place,” there is now a great fear of God. For it was not Abraham who threatened Abimelech, but God Himself. This incident, born by a questionable half-truth, God has redeemed! Now if this doesn’t wreck your theology I don’t know what will. Abraham lies because he is scared. God gives a non believer a dream and reveals what is happening. God then blesses Abraham even though he lied. When was the last time God blessed you after you lied? Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his household was able to have babies again. The VERY NEXT chapter is about Sarah becoming pregnant. Out of Abraham’s weakness and frailties of human, God was bigger and still moved on behalf of Abraham. Abraham sowed obedience in prayer and reaped. What the enemy meant to drag away the bride in greed and captivity. God was bringing her out of captivity and giving her back to her husband and would give authority (land), favor (money), provision (sheep and cattle) and assistance (slaves). She would then walk in power and birth the promise.