How are dreams and visions used in the Bible?

TL;DR:

In the Bible, God used dreams and visions to guide His people, reveal His plans, and point to Christ. While He can still use them today, every dream or vision must be tested against the truths of Scripture.

what does the bible say?

God used dreams and visions several times in the Bible to communicate with His followers and others. The visions and dreams the Lord sent to Old Testament figures were used to reveal and protect His plan as well as to put people in places of influence. Faithful worshipers like Abram, Jacob, Joseph, and Daniel received visions and dreams from the Lord. At times, to further His purposes, God gave dreams to unbelievers, like the Midianite and Amalekite armies (Judges 7:12-15), Pharaoh (Genesis 12:10-20), and Abimelech (Genesis 20:1-7).

Visions in the New Testament provided information that was unavailable elsewhere. Specifically, God used visions and dreams to identify Jesus and grow His church. John the Baptist’s birth was revealed in a vision, and Mary’s pregnancy by the Holy Spirit was revealed to Joseph in a dream. God sent visions and dreams to further the early church (Acts 9:10), such as when Paul received visions (Acts 16:9-10, 18:9-11; 2 Corinthians 12:1-6). Much of Revelation is a vision John had while exiled on the island of Patmos. Those visions further explain the future that God had shown Daniel. With the completion of the Bible, God does not need to use dreams and visions as much as He did before. However, God can communicate with us however He chooses. Even so, when we face a decision, our first stop should always be the Bible, not a dream.

from the old testament

Genesis 15:1 relates how God used a vision to remind Abram that he would have a son and would be the father of many nations.
Genesis also tells of Jacob receiving dreams and visions: He dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:10-17) and received a vision that told him how to leave Laban (31:1-16). In his later years, God gave him a vision to join Joseph in Egypt (46:2-4).
Joseph told his brothers his dream, which implied they would serve him; this provoked them to jealousy and betrayal (Genesis 37:1-11). Later in Egypt, God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams, which eventually led to him being raised to second in command in Egypt (Genesis 40:5-19).
Like Joseph, God allowed Daniel to interpret a foreign ruler's dream so that Daniel would gain a position of power and influence (Daniel 2; 4). Daniel had many dreams and visions, mostly related to the future of the nation of Israel.

from the new testament

John the Baptist’s birth was revealed to his father in a vision (Luke 1:5-23).
Joseph received a dream of reassurance about marrying Mary, taking his family to Egypt, and returning home from Egypt (Matthew 1:20; 2:13, 20).
Pilate's wife had a dream that led her to warn Pilate to “have nothing to do” with Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:19).
God gave Cornelius, an Italian centurion who feared the true God, a vision to invite Peter to stay with him (Acts 10:1-6).
Peter had three visions to help him understand that “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:9-15). Through those visions, Peter understood that Gentiles could follow Jesus and that Christians were not bound by the kosher law.
Paul had several visions in his missionary career: one sending him to preach in Macedonia (Acts 16:9-10), another encouraging him to keep preaching in Corinth (Acts 18:9-11), and another in which God gave him a vision of heaven (2 Corinthians 12:1-6).
Nearly the entire book of Revelation is a vision John had while exiled on the island of Patmos. It further explains the future that God had shown Daniel.

implications for today

“I had the strangest dream last night.” If you’ve ever heard that (and who hasn’t?), no one could blame you for inwardly groaning. Few things fascinate the teller more and bore the listener as much as relating a dream. But the dreams and visions that God gave certain people in the Bible weren’t boring. In fact, they were miraculous means God used to further His purposes.

What about today? Should we believe people who say they received a vision or dream from the Lord? It depends. God can still give dreams and visions to people today. But we shouldn’t uncritically believe everyone who claims to have received such divine messages. Common sense and the Bible tell us that people can and do lie (Ezekiel 13:7; 1 John 4:1–6). False religions, such as Mormonism and Seventh-Day Adventists, were founded by those who claimed that God gave them a vision.

So how can we know whether the vision or dream someone claims is false? Any such claims must correspond to the truths as revealed in God’s Word. First Thessalonians 5:20-21 offers sage advice: “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” We should be so familiar with the truth that we know when we hear a lie. Scripture is the authoritative voice, not individual claims to visions and dreams.

understand

God used dreams and visions throughout Scripture.
Prior to the Bible being completed, God used dreams and visions to reveal His will, guide His people, and advance His redemptive plan.
Today, any claimed vision or dream must be tested against the truth of Scripture, which remains the final authority.

reflect

Have you ever had a dream that made you wonder if God was trying to tell you something? How did you respond?
When you're unsure about a message or feeling, what should you do to seek its significance?
How can you grow in discernment so you’re better able to recognize what aligns with God’s truth and what doesn’t?

engage

Why did God use dreams and visions more frequently before the Bible was complete?
How can we help each other test dreams, visions, or spiritual experiences against Scripture in a loving and discerning way?
What dangers can arise when we trust dreams or visions more than the authority of the Bible?