Biblical Interpretation of Dreams and Visions

Dreams are very common. But, Dreams that are Godly are intended to be interpreted and obeyed. As it contains Divine warnings and guidance.


Dreams and Interpretations of Joseph
Joseph in the Old Testament was an important personality. More number of Chapters speaks about him. He first had dreams which when he shared with the family members (brothers) caused problem, though it is Truth there was an element of Pride, but he was Faithful till the end, so God turned all the sufferings and pain into "Success", he became the second most powerful person in Egypt next after to Pharaoh.

So, we can learn from Joseph's Dreams that when we get a divine revelation, we are to keep it secret and moreover we should be thankful to God. We should never boast about our future, as God is in control of everything. We also can see a relationship between "Parable of the Prodigal Son or The Lost Son" and "Joseph". But in the case of "Joseph" it was not his will or intention to go far, but God made him humble, obedient in a foreign country, in the case of the "Prodigal Son", the Son chose to leave the Father and went away, suffered and ill treated then came to senses, realized him mistake and turned back and came towards "Father".

The Jailer saw that "God was with Joseph". Interpretation of Dreams may be a Gift and it is never a skill that has been learnt, as Joseph declares, Genesis 40: "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams." We are only at the receiving point of what God intent to make things happen. When we receive the "Warnings or Instructions" we first have to realize that if it is from God, we need to humble and pray for his presence. We need to remain faithful. Though God had different plans for the Jailer and Baker, the ultimate interpretation of Pharaoh made a significant changes to the lives of many. Joseph says: In Genesis 50

God's Good Purposes
15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[b] should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.


So, we can clearly see that God gives clear instructions in Dreams for those who believe and trust in him, only he gives the dreams he expects to follow and obey as the Ultimate authority and power is with him. We should never get proud or take advantage to praise our-self if we have such gifts.

Dreams and Interpretations of Daniel.
Daniel is another prominent figure in the Old Testament, He exactly predicted various events from history, the Birth of Messiah etc.






Jesus about dreams and Interpretations.

Faith without prejudice

Faith is an amazing journey that has to be taken with Facts and also experiential. We have prejudices that hold us back to think the correct path of Truth. Ex: accepting everything in a text just because some of the texts contain the Truth. The New Testament writers were very careful to choose and pick the prophesies from the Old Testament. Imagine if they go only by prejudice tellig that Jesus was the Messiah by watching his miracles, power etc. They would soon be questioned as to what basis Jesus does those miracles? Jesus himself declared this... I have come to fulfill the law and not to destroy it. Jesus didn't use his power to prove he is God, because he wants us to know him as God by Love. For what we seek him and trust him is more important than when. Prejudice compels one to believe and force one to take decision. It distorts the Truth and enjoys the pleasure in falsehood. Taking some parts of the Old Testament and ignoring others, Twisting the Facts etc are results of prejudices.

Romans 2:11-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 For all who have sinned [a]without the Law will also perish [b]without the Law, and all who have sinned [c]under the Law will be judged [d]by the Law; 13 for it isnot the hearers [e]of the Law who are [f]just before God, but the doers [g]of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have [h]the Law do [i]instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having [j]the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Being one with God and becoming Gods

Many pantheistic world view teaches that we become one with God and we become God. But the Christian world view clearly says the state of human. From the beginning it was made as male and female, what we call as humans are made in the image of God and also will be transformed in the image of his glory. These pantheistic world view also says God as a force, the ultimate force without any form and humans made different forms, but the Christian world view says God as a person, if we humans are created in his image, we have got the image of God. This image is not just a force or an idol, but an incompherencible being, this is why we believe Jesus as God, as he fully represents the God, God the Father, even the Holy Spirit is not a mere force, but a being. In God we find the perfect unity in Trinity.

Peace, harmony and mutual understanding between them. And ultimately the expression of concern and care - Love was within them, which then shared among us humans and the ultimate expression of it through Jesus Christ sacrifice on the Cross, the ultimate power of his Resurrection. Perfectly blends and shows that he alone is the True Living God.


John 17:22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one--

Power and Pride

The Pharaoh thought he is God, When God intervened he had to give the highest price, his life. He not only thought he is God, but wanted the people to worship him, he wanted the very people who worship the True and Living God to turn and worship him. His Power went along with Pride. In the new testament we see this madness to Power and Pride made the Kings to think they are King of Jews. One of them is Herod, First reaction when he heard the news bought by the wise men about the newly born King Of Jews was shock, then he lie and tried to deceive the wise men to show the newly born baby. But, when he got to know that the wise men didn't turn. He ordered to kill all male child which is 2 years of younger. This ruthless act to retain his power and pride let an outcry in the city.

A Call For Discipliship

It amazes me to see how Jesus' Disciple transformed, but even more is how they accepted the call. Jesus was not like the traditional Rabbi's. Many Jews left Jesus for this cause.

Call of Discipliship
Call of Peter after fishing to call of Paul amazes the reader of the Biblical narratives. Almost in each case we see both divine intervention and the choice of the individual. This answers the elections and one of theological concept of predestination.

"Fate or predestiny" in context to the overall happenings in our life is not only wrong but also misleading. One will be using it as an escapism, another will be proud and please self.

Matthew 22 King James Version (KJV)

22 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Ingrafted Branches

We see that when we disobey and disintegrate the patter of God's plans in our lives, It is we who suffer. But God never gives up on us, he makes all the efforts to bring the integration.

The First Adam Failed, Disintegrated the plans God had for the Humanity, Family, Friends etc, only the Second Adam fulfilled it by integrating "Faith & Obedience".

When Israel failed to be (The Fruit bearing Tree - Grape, Olive, Fig etc) God allowed it to be destroyed by other nations, bringing in "Gentiles" to "Salvation".

Paul wonderfully writes this integration of the "In grafted Branches while writing to Romans".

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works...

Ingrafted Branches
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

Though we might say, "God's plan for humans did not work". It is actually "Man's Plan". God's Plan always Works, His Words are for everlasting. He makes everything perfect. So, the clouds that we see today without clarity of his plan we should not get discouraged. It is with this cloud that he appears.

The plans of God are much higher, when we became "Independent" we lost the sight of his marvelous plans, his grand design, his matchless thoughts. It is only when we "depend upon his" will he show us the "Way". We disintegrate in every aspect of our lives, the Israelite asked for "Kings" as they saw other nations had, it was the God who was the "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords". They tried to work out on their own every time, they tried to build a tower that reach heaven. God confused their language. Even so with "Kings" very few obeyed and did what God wanted them to do, the "Exodus" or "Deliverance" from the Egyptians has a great lesson for what God did for "Kings". Pharaoh's Heart and The Land of Egypt has a lots of lessons to be learnt. God ultimately has to intervene directly to "Destroy" the earthly king - Pharaoh(Who thought he was the god). God said:

And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD."

Presence of God

More than anything that we ask or seek (even to knock), it should be for "The Presence of God", God created us in his image, had fellowship with Adam(in the cool of evening). Everything was "Good" in the creation of God, except the fact that man sinned, disobeyed God.

Genesis 6:3

“Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans [man] forever, for they are mortal [flesh]; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

Jesus changed this phenomenon when he appeared as human,

"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").

Jesus' presence was sought after everyone who came to know that it's enough in this life, nothing else matters. Many have said about it, Martha at the death of Lazarus' death.

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

Jesus knowing the pain of his absence yet didn't deny the fact that those who seek him truely will never get disappointed, said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus' presence means where we have peace in the midst of turmoil, happiness and Joy in the midst of sufferings and persecution.

Great men of Faith saw this in their hardest times of their Test, Moses in the presence of God(Exo 3:5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.", Elijah for example while confronting false prophets(

1 Kings 18 New Century Version (NCV)

Elijah Kills the Prophets of Baal

18 During the third year without rain, the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: “Go and meet King Ahab, and I will soon send rain.” 2 So Elijah went to meet Ahab.

By this time there was no food in Samaria. 3 King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the king’s palace. (Obadiah was a true follower of the Lord. 4 When Jezebel was killing all the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah hid a hundred of them in two caves, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. He also brought them food and water.) 5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Let’s check every spring and valley in the land. Maybe we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules alive and not have to kill our animals.” 6 So each one chose a part of the country to search; Ahab went in one direction and Obadiah in another.

7 While Obadiah was on his way, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized Elijah, so he bowed down to the ground and said, “Elijah? Is it really you, master?”

8 “Yes,” Elijah answered. “Go tell your master that I am here.”

9 Then Obadiah said, “What wrong have I done for you to hand me over to Ahab like this? He will put me to death. 10 As surely as the Lord your God lives, the king has sent people to every country to search for you. If the ruler said you were not there, Ahab forced the ruler to swear you could not be found in his country. 11 Now you want me to go to my master and tell him, ‘Elijah is here’? 12 The Spirit of the Lord may carry you to some other place after I leave. If I go tell King Ahab you are here, and he comes and doesn’t find you, he will kill me! I have followed the Lord since I was a boy. 13 Haven’t you been told what I did? When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, I hid a hundred of them, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. I brought them food and water. 14 Now you want me to go and tell my master you are here? He will kill me!”

15 Elijah answered, “As surely as the Lord All-Powerful lives, whom I serve, I will be seen by Ahab today.”

16 So Obadiah went to Ahab and told him where Elijah was. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When he saw Elijah, he asked, “Is it you—the biggest troublemaker in Israel?”

18 Elijah answered, “I have not made trouble in Israel. You and your father’s family have made all this trouble by not obeying the Lord’s commands. You have gone after the Baals. 19 Now tell all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel. Also bring the four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

20 So Ahab called all the Israelites and those prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah approached the people and said, “How long will you not decide between two choices? If the Lord is the true God, follow him, but if Baal is the true God, follow him!” But the people said nothing.

22 Elijah said, “I am the only prophet of the Lord here, but there are four hundred fifty prophets of Baal. 23 Bring two bulls. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull and kill it and cut it into pieces. Then let them put the meat on the wood, but they are not to set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull, putting the meat on the wood but not setting fire to it. 24 You prophets of Baal, pray to your god, and I will pray to the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to his wood is the true God.”

All the people agreed that this was a good idea.

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “There are many of you, so you go first. Choose a bull and prepare it. Pray to your god, but don’t start the fire.”

26 So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it. They prayed to Baal from morning until noon, shouting “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered. They danced around the altar they had built.

27 At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. “Pray louder!” he said. “If Baal really is a god, maybe he is thinking, or busy, or traveling! Maybe he is sleeping so you will have to wake him!” 28 The prophets prayed louder, cutting themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed, which was the way they worshiped. 29 The afternoon passed, and the prophets continued to act like this until it was time for the evening sacrifice. But no voice was heard; Baal did not answer, and no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Now come to me.” So they gathered around him, and Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one stone for each of the twelve tribes, the number of Jacob’s sons. (The Lordchanged Jacob’s name to Israel.) 32 Elijah used these stones to rebuild the altar in honor of the Lord. Then he dug a ditch around the altar that was big enough to hold about thirteen quarts of seed. 33 Elijah put the wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. 34 Then he said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the meat and on the wood.” Then Elijah said, “Do it again,” and they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it the third time. 35 So the water ran off the altar and filled the ditch.

36 At the time for the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah went near the altar. “Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,” he prayed. “Prove that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant. Show these people that you commanded me to do all these things. 37 Lord, answer my prayer so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you will change their minds.”

38 Then fire from the Lord came down and burned the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the ground around the altar. It also dried up the water in the ditch. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”

40 Then Elijah said, “Capture the prophets of Baal! Don’t let any of them run away!” The people captured all the prophets. Then Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley, where he killed them.

The Rain Comes Again

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is coming.” 42 So King Ahab went to eat and drink. At the same time Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bent down to the ground with his head between his knees.

43 Then Elijah said to his servant, “Go and look toward the sea.”

The servant went and looked. “I see nothing,” he said.

Elijah told him to go and look again. This happened seven times. 44 The seventh time, the servant said, “I see a small cloud, the size of a human fist, coming from the sea.”

Elijah told the servant, “Go to Ahab and tell him to get his chariot ready and go home now. Otherwise, the rain will stop him.”

45 After a short time the sky was covered with dark clouds. The wind began to blow, and soon a heavy rain began to fall. Ahab got in his chariot and started back to Jezreel. 46 The Lord gave his power to Elijah, who tightened his clothes around him and ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

God's presence means it is a place of "Holiness, Purity and Truth", there can't be any unholy, impure or false things. There can't be any injustice, misunderstandings.