Dreams and Visions

 

 

This episode was inspired by a dream I had in the first hour of February 24, 2023. The dream, I realized afterward, was a parable. As I sat at my desk and wrote out the dream, I believe Holy Spirit gave the meaning of the parable to me. As I meditated upon the dream, the parable, and its meaning, I realized the dream was for me. I also realized it was not for me alone, but it applied to any person, it is the same for every person. Though some may reject it, the truth remains regardless of one’s beliefs.

 

We see examples throughout Scripture of God communicating with mankind through dreams and visions. Why wouldn’t it continue today? Do we think ourselves to be too sophisticated for such things? Look at the world around us and see how unsophisticated we really are. We need to hear from God more than anything in this day and age.

 

This dream was experienced on February 24, 2023, at 12:25 AM. Upon waking, I realized it was a parable, and that it was from God. After pondering it for a few minutes, I went to my desk to write it down before it faded from my memory. The dream was visual, but I can only communicate the dream to you with words.

 

 

The Dream: The Bell Came Crashing Down

 

 

I tell you a parable of a man, and many men, who I saw in a dream.

 

There was a man who met a man who wanted to lead the people. He could not do so, and he was deemed a failure, not the real thing.

 

The man then met another man who had a building. On the top, front of the building was a hook. Upon the hook hung a bell. He continued to hang his ideas on the hook with the bell until one day the bell came crashing down, destroying the building. The hook on the building was not meant for the man’s ideas, but for a bell which could proclaim truth.

 

The man then met another man, whose name was Truth. Truth could support, and see happen, everything that he spoke.

 

The man also met many other men who acted from positions other than truth; jealousy, envy, strife, deception, and other similar things. All these other men tried to steal Truth, or destroy Truth, or trap Truth, but they all failed, and Truth stood strong.

 

The man clung to Truth all his days, never letting go.

 

That was the dream, what do I see in it? I believe Holy Spirit gave the meaning of the parable to me. After writing down the dream and the meaning of it, these thoughts came to mind about the dream itself.

 

• The people are the sheep of the Great Shepherd.
  • The man is one of those sheep.
• The first man he met wanted to be a shepherd of the sheep.
  • He was not called of God, or appointed by God, to be a shepherd.
  • He failed because all was being done in his own strength.
• The second man he met was in the role of Pastor, a shepherd of the sheep.
  • A steeple with a bell hanging in it is generally on a church building.
  • Hung upon the hook was more weight than it could support, causing it and the steeple to come crashing down, destroying the church building.
  • The hook was not used for its true purpose; to hold the bell.
  • The bell did not represent the truth which was its purpose.
• The third man he met was named Truth, and he was truth.
  • He could support everything he said.
  • Everything he said came to pass.
• All the other men the man met.
  • They all operated from motivations other than truth.
  • They all tried to trap, steal, or destroy Truth.
  • They all failed to do away with Truth.
  • Truth stood strong.
• The man clung to Truth all His Days.
  • The man never let go of Truth.

 

 

The Meaning of the Parable

 

 

The man was a person, give him any name, even your name.

 

The first man the person met failed to be a leader because the hope to be one was born of one’s own desires. The leadership was not grounded in truth, but in deception. In the end he could not stand. He was found out, exposed, and cast aside.

 

The second man the person met was in the role of pastor, a leader. He had what appeared to be the real deal with the building and the bell. He was given credibility by other men. More importance was given to his tenets, doctrine, and traditions, than to the truth that the bell was to represent. He too could not stand under the weight of what he had created. His system was exposed and cast aside.

 

The third man the person met was named Truth. This was the one whom the person had been seeking and hoping to meet one day. Everything Truth said came to pass. He also brought forth comfort, compassion, and promises of hope, love, and peace.

 

The other men named Jealousy, Envy, Strife, Deception, Falsehood, and others, attempted to trap, to steal, or to destroy Truth, but they all failed.

 

Truth stood strong and the person never left his side. The person was protected by, and supported by, Truth.

 

That was the meaning of the parable, what do I see in it? I believe Holy Spirit gave the meaning of the parable to me. After writing down the dream and the meaning of it, these thoughts came to mind about the explanation.

 

• A man, or person, searching for truth.
• False leaders, teachers, and preachers are not anchored in truth.
  • Their names are Deception and Falsehood.
• Buildings with bells are meant to represent truth.
  • The doctrines, tenets, and traditions of man were hung on the bell’s hook.
  • The weight of it all brought the building down.
• There were many types of buildings.
  • Each had their own styles and beliefs, meant to be covered by truth.
  • They came crashing down.
  • Their names were Jealousy and Pride.

 

 

Inside the Numbers

 

 

After writing this all down, I began seeing the numbers. This is something I have found to be interesting over time, and often the message is one of hope and confirmation. No one has to believe in this, but I leave open the possibility, for a variety of reasons, that it is another means of communication from God to me.

 

 

• The dream came immediately after 48 hours of fasting and prayer.
  • 40 + 8: testing and trials + new beginnings
  • 2 days; 2 x 24: witness and support; also – division, double witness x priesthood
• The dream came on February 24, 2023.
  • 2 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 0 + 2 + 3 = 15
    • 15: new direction
    • 3 x 5: perfection, unity x grace
• The dream came at 12:25 AM.
  • 12: divine government
  • 25: blessing
  • 1 + 2 + 2 + 5 = 10
    • 10: divine order, law
    • 2 x 5: witness and support; also – division, double witness x grace
• The dream and meaning took 35 minutes to write down.
  • 35: vindication
  • 7 x 5: spiritual perfection, completeness x grace
• 5 is grace and seems to be the theme here.
  • 10: double grace
  • 15: triple grace
  • 25: grace squared
  • 35: completeness in grace

 

What does this have to say about the dream, the parable, and the meaning?

• The dream came after the trials or testing of fasting.
  • This often results in a new beginning of sorts through understanding and repentance.
• The dream tells of the witness and support, or the double witness of our priesthood in Christ.
  • Priests and Pastors, if not called upon by God for the role, take it upon themselves, which is not good.
• Coming out of religious practices, into a new direction of freedom in Christ.
  • There is perfection in Christ, and by grace we are in unity with Him.
• God’s government brings divine order.
  • The witness and support of Christ, by grace, allows us to receive the blessing of walking in God’s divine order.
• Truth is vindicated as Christ stands in spiritual perfection.
  • By grace through faith, we stand as perfected in Christ.
  • Because of Christ, we have atonement for our sins.
• The grace of God is the only reason we can stand with Christ.
  • We need to stay at Christ’s side.
  • We need to learn from Him.
  • We need to never let go of Christ.

 

In the end it is all about Christ and our relationship with Him.

 

 

Joseph and Daniel

 

 

There are many examples throughout the bible of God communicating through dreams and visions with servants of God. One of the most popular stories may include the various events in the life of Jacob’s son, Joseph. Jacob had his name changed by God to Israel. (Genesis 35) Israel brought forth twelve sons, whose families would become the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham that he would “be the father of many nations. (Genesis 17) Joseph was the seventh of the twelve sons of Israel.

Joseph was 17 years of age when he had the dreams of the future that awaited him and his brothers. His brothers “hated him and could not speak peacefully to him” because he was the favorite of their father. After Joseph told his brothers the first dream, “they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” After Joseph told his brothers the second dream, they “were jealous of him.” (Genesis 37)

 

Things did not go so well for Joseph for a time after telling the dreams to his brothers, but God used their actions and other circumstances that followed to get Joseph to the exact spot where God wanted him in order to fulfill the dreams in his life.

 

Some years later, God used Joseph to interpret dreams which moved Joseph more precisely to where God wanted him. (Genesis 40 and 41) After Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh, he rose to power in Egypt. He was now in position to save the household of Israel during the seven-year famine. “Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

 

Visions are another way God communicates with his servants. Among the most popular accounts would be the story of Daniel. Daniel was among those who were taken to Babylon as captives during the time of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. It is written that Daniel was one of four youths whom “God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.” (Daniel 1) Daniel interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar for him as God revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel. Daniel ends up getting promoted, again God positioning a servant where He can mightily use him. Daniel was over the province of Babylon and over all the wise men of Babylon. In chapter seven of the book of Daniel we see the beginning of accounts of visions Daniel received. He also received the interpretations for them.

 

There are many accounts throughout the bible of dreams and visions for many people. There are a variety of ways that God communicates with us. The real question is, “Are we listening?”