Bible Dictionary
Dreams
Dreams occur during sleep and are distinguished in Scripture from waking visions and prophecy. Though God used some dreams in biblical history, ordinary dreams and consulting dream interpreters were not to replace obedience to God’s revealed word.
Definition
Dreams are experiences of the soul during sleep, distinguished in the supplied material from waking visions and prophecy. Scripture recognizes that God can use dreams, but ordinary dreams are not presented as a normal substitute for revealed truth or obedient faith.
Biblical Usage
Some dreams conveyed prediction or warning, especially to people outside the Jewish covenant. The supplied material places dreams below prophetic visions because the understanding is asleep, and records repeated prohibitions against relying on ordinary dreams or professional interpreters.
Historical Background
Among the Jews, an unusually striking dream could be brought to the high priest for consideration. Consulting people who claimed skill in interpreting ordinary dreams was repeatedly forbidden.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
The Scripture declares that the influence of the Spirit of God upon the soul extends to its sleeping as well as its waking thoughts. But, in accordance with the principle enunciated by St. Paul in (1 Corinthians 14:15) dreams, in which the understanding is asleep, are placed below the visions of prophecy, in which the understanding plays its part. Under the Christian dispensation, while we read frequently of trances and vision, dreams are never referred to as vehicles of divine revelation. In exact accordance with this principle are the actual records of the dreams sent by God. The greater number of such dreams were granted, for prediction or for warning, to those who were aliens to the Jewish covenant. And where dreams are recorded as means of God’s revelation to his chosen servants, they are almost always referred to the periods of their earliest and most imperfect knowledge of him. Among the Jews, “if any person dreamed a dream which was peculiarly striking and significant, he was permitted to go to the high priest in a peculiar way, and see if it had any special import. But the observance of ordinary dreams and the consulting of those who pretend to skill in their interpretation are repeatedly forbidden. (13:1-5; 18:9-14)—Schaff.