Topical Bible: Dream: Delusive

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In the biblical context, dreams often serve as a medium through which God communicates with His people, offering guidance, warnings, and revelations. However, not all dreams are divinely inspired; some are delusive, leading individuals away from truth and righteousness. The Bible provides several instances and warnings about the deceptive nature of certain dreams, urging believers to exercise discernment.

Biblical Warnings Against Delusive Dreams

The prophet Jeremiah addresses the issue of false dreams in his rebuke of false prophets. In Jeremiah 23:25-28 , the Lord declares, "I have heard what the prophets who prophesy lies in My name are saying: 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?" Here, the emphasis is on the self-originated nature of these dreams, which are not from God but from the deceitful hearts of the prophets themselves.

Similarly, in Jeremiah 29:8-9 , the Lord warns the exiles in Babylon, "Do not let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them. For they are prophesying falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD." This passage highlights the danger of relying on dreams that are not sanctioned by God, as they can lead to false hope and misguided actions.

The Nature of Delusive Dreams

Delusive dreams are characterized by their origin in human imagination rather than divine revelation. They often reflect personal desires, fears, or ambitions rather than God's will. Ecclesiastes 5:7 cautions, "For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear." This verse suggests that an abundance of dreams, particularly those not grounded in divine truth, can lead to vanity and distraction from the fear and reverence due to God.

Discernment and Testing of Dreams

The New Testament encourages believers to test all things, including dreams, to discern their origin and truth. In 1 John 4:1 , the apostle John advises, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." This principle applies to dreams as well, urging Christians to seek confirmation through prayer, Scripture, and the counsel of mature believers.

Conclusion

While dreams can be a legitimate means of divine communication, the Bible clearly warns against the acceptance of delusive dreams that originate from human imagination or deceitful sources. Believers are called to exercise discernment, testing dreams against the truth of God's Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

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Isaiah 29:7,8
And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her fortification, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
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Library

The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption.
... 5. Here ends his pleasing dream, his delusive rest, his false peace, his
vain security. His joy now vanishes as a cloud; pleasures ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 9 the spirit of.htm

Appendix.
... Then his "delusive dream of temporal deliverance became a real assurance of eternal
redemption." Then his "narrow estimate of the Divine Covenant with his own ...
/.../various/the sermons and addresses at the seabury centenary/appendix.htm

Vain Hopes.
... Such persons are apt to dream of some goodness or some virtue which under other ... When
insidious and delusive hope would draw us on and beguile us in any sinful ...
//christianbookshelf.org/percival/sermons at rugby/v vain hopes.htm

Spiritual Peace
... It is not built upon a pleasing fiction of his imagination, a delusive dream of
his ignorance; but it is built on facts, on positive truths, on essential ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/spiritual peace.htm

Conclusion
... But the happenings of the last three years have rudely dissipated this dream. ... soaked
earth of today exposes the utter vanity of the delusive hope cherished by ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/conclusion .htm

Degeneration
... Whatever hopes of a "heaven" a neglected soul may have, can be shown to be
an ignorant and delusive dream. How is the soul to escape ...
/.../drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/degeneration.htm

Temperance Hymn.
... 2 Thy voice awaked us from our dream: Thy spirit taught our hearts to feel ... destruction
stay; The tide of fire still backward press; Drive each delusive mist away ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/791 temperance hymn.htm

The Blessed Hope and Its Power
... There was the teacher who would assert a premature and delusive personal perfection ...
mind is for+ (phronouten) +the things on earth+, not, as they dream, or as ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/moule/philippian studies/chapter x the blessed hope.htm

The Hope of the Calling
... image, then the light that seemed a light from heaven is the most delusive of all ...
to be the voice of God, and summoned us to a heaven which was only a dream. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the hope of the calling.htm

The Two Awakings
... so often forgotten, and so often been tempted to think was itself a dream. ... which
God gives for our delight, and which become profitless and delusive by our ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the two awakings.htm