Topical Bible: Dreams: The Ancients: Anxious to Have, Explained

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In the ancient world, dreams were often regarded as significant and mysterious phenomena, believed to be messages from the divine or insights into the future. The Bible contains numerous accounts of dreams and their interpretations, highlighting their importance in the lives of biblical figures and the unfolding of God's plan.

Dreams in the Old Testament

The Old Testament provides several notable examples of dreams and their interpretations. One of the earliest and most famous dreamers is Joseph, the son of Jacob. Joseph's dreams, which he shared with his brothers, foretold his future rise to prominence and the eventual bowing of his family before him (Genesis 37:5-11). These dreams set the stage for the events that would lead to Joseph's enslavement, rise to power in Egypt, and the preservation of his family during a severe famine.

Joseph's ability to interpret dreams is further demonstrated during his time in Egypt. While imprisoned, he accurately interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker, predicting their respective fates (Genesis 40:5-19). Later, Joseph is called upon to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, which foretell seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. Joseph's interpretation and subsequent advice lead to his appointment as a ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:14-41).

Another significant dream in the Old Testament is that of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. In the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great statue composed of various materials, which is ultimately destroyed by a stone not cut by human hands. Daniel, a Hebrew captive, is granted the ability by God to interpret the dream, revealing it as a prophecy of successive kingdoms and the eventual establishment of God's eternal kingdom (Daniel 2:31-45).

Dreams in the New Testament

The New Testament also records instances of dreams playing a crucial role in divine communication. In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, receives guidance through dreams on multiple occasions. An angel appears to him in a dream, instructing him to take Mary as his wife despite her miraculous pregnancy (Matthew 1:20-21). Later, Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus to escape King Herod's massacre (Matthew 2:13). After Herod's death, Joseph is again directed in a dream to return to Israel (Matthew 2:19-20).

The wise men, or Magi, who visit the young Jesus are also warned in a dream not to return to Herod, prompting them to take a different route home (Matthew 2:12). These dreams serve as divine interventions, ensuring the safety and fulfillment of God's plan for the Messiah.

Theological Significance

From a theological perspective, dreams in the Bible are often seen as a means by which God communicates His will and guidance to individuals. They serve as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His active involvement in the affairs of humanity. The ability to interpret dreams is portrayed as a gift from God, as seen in the lives of Joseph and Daniel, who both acknowledge that their understanding comes from the Lord (Genesis 40:8, Daniel 2:28).

In the biblical narrative, dreams are not merely random or insignificant occurrences but are imbued with purpose and meaning. They often reveal future events, provide warnings, or offer reassurance, demonstrating God's omniscience and His desire to guide His people.

Cultural Context

In the ancient Near Eastern context, dreams were widely regarded as significant, and the ability to interpret them was highly valued. This cultural backdrop is evident in the biblical accounts, where dreams often serve as a bridge between the divine and human realms. The anxiety to have dreams explained reflects the belief that they held the key to understanding divine intentions and future events.

Throughout the Bible, dreams are depicted as a powerful tool used by God to communicate with His people, offering insight, guidance, and revelation. The biblical accounts of dreams and their interpretations underscore the importance of seeking divine wisdom and understanding in discerning the messages conveyed through these mysterious experiences.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 40:8
And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Daniel 2:3
And the king said to them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Popish Mass. How it not Only Profanes, but Annihilates the ...
... of gifts for the adoration of God"dreams and visions ... in the Scripture, I am not anxious
to give a ... here obtrude concise sentences of the ancients, and contend ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 18 of the popish.htm

Of the Lord's Supper, and the Benefits Conferred by It.
... performing the part of a kind and anxious parent, and ... It is strange that they have
fallen into such ... admit, indeed, that some of the ancients occasionally used ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 17 of the lords.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... of the faithful, place no faith in any of the ancients. ... a man,' this makes us the
more anxious to be ... are passages in which I happen to have praised Origen's ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /

The First Apology of Justin, the Martyr
... and servants, and now by manifestations in dreams, now by ... nor was he, because of
this, anxious that Thetis ... As the ancients are said to have raised herds of oxen ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the first apology of justin.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... during their respective reigns, kept anxious watch upon ... The ancients believed that
the lemon tree came originally ... as soon as the excavators have unearthed from ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... functions"the sorcerers, the interpreters of dreams, and the ... having sown his wild
oats, was anxious to regain ... which is mentioned by the ancients, belonged to ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... expressly attributed by the testimony of the ancients to the ... The date and origin
of the Elohist have given rise to ... and appears to men in their dreams, or, when ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... The differences in the two accounts may be explained as having arisen ... well enough
suited for the small craft of the ancients, could not have been entered ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm