Dreams were given to people in the Old and New Testaments, to the righteous and the heathen. Piecing biblical dreams together helps us paint a larger prophetic picture than the dreamers could have possibly imagined at the time.
Dreams were a commonly accepted form of revelation in Bible times. When a dream was shared, no one seemed surprised. Today, we might brush it off as a "pizza" dream or diminish its value saying, "Oh, it was just a dream." In our culture, Christians tend to have mixed feelings about them because the concept of dreams has been tainted quite a bit by false teachings. However, like people from the Bible times, we need to understand the importance of dreams and recognize them as a means for God to speak to us.
Dreamers throughout the Bible wanted to know the meaning of their dreams. They placed a high value on them and followed through when applicable. Because in the Old Testament times, Jesus had not yet come and the Holy Spirit was not yet released after His crucifixion, revelation was precious in those days. Our dreams today often confirm to us what the Holy Spirit has already been showing us or make us aware of something for which we need greater understanding.
From biblical dreams we can learn so much. It is apparent that nothing goes unnoticed by God. He knows the thoughts and intents of every heart. He often spoke into the destiny of a person rather than where they were at a moment in time. For example, Joseph was dreaming he was a ruler when he was seventeen years old, but he didn't rule as prime minister in Egypt until he was thirty. God sees the end from the beginning.
A look at dreams in the Bible provides insight into the profound ways God uses them to set events in place for His people. The dreams listed here are a partial list that excludes trances, visions, and prophetic revelations.
