Have you ever had a recurring dream? I had one for several years as a youngster. It was inspired, I still believe, by an episode of a TV show I had watched in which a young boy and his collie dog felt threatened by a lion running loose around their home. In my dream, I too was suddenly alone—sometimes in a pasture, sometimes in our house—and would hear a lion’s menacing growl. The sound kept getting closer and louder until I was sure the lion was ready to pounce or break in the door. On the verge of screaming for help, I usually would wake myself in startled terror. Eventually I stopped having the nightmare, but the memory of it clings to me to this day.
We often use the word “dream” in one of two ways. The first way refers to what is described in the opening paragraph: a series of thoughts, images, and sensations that occurs in a person’s mind during sleep. The second way refers to mentally envisioning—and perhaps even working toward—a situation or outcome that a person wants to happen. When people speak of “the American dream” they are using the term in this second way.
In the Bible, dreams could have yet a third, deeper purpose. Sometimes God communicated to people through dreams. Joseph was one of those people. Joseph was the patriarch Jacob’s favorite son among his twelve sons; he was the firstborn child of Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel. Joseph quickly became known among his siblings as “that dreamer” (Gen. 37:19, NIV). The brothers did not use that label with fondness either. They took exception to what they viewed as Joseph’s self-honoring dreams. And they vowed that one day they would turn Joseph’s dreams into nightmares for the young man.
Joseph’s dreams provoked intense jealousy among his brothers. Joseph had two dreams to be exact. But both dreams appeared to reveal the same message. First, he dreamed of a large grain field in which he and his brothers were tying stalks of grain into bundles. Suddenly Joseph’s bundle stood up. His brothers’ bundles also became animated; they gathered around Joseph’s bundle and bowed down before it! I can just imagine Joseph impishly asking his older brothers, “Guys, what could this dream possibly mean?”
Joseph’s second dream featured grand celestial characters. Can you hear Joseph explaining the dream to his parents and eleven brothers? “There was the sun, the moon, and—let’s see: one, two, three—yes, eleven stars! And guess what? They were all bowing down to me. (Not to my grain bundle. Not to my star. To me!) What ever could this mean, family? Hmmm. Could God be telling us something important? Needless to say, after Joseph’s second dream his brothers were hopping mad and bitterly jealous. Their hatred and jealousy kept them from even considering the possibility that God might well be giving the family a hopeful message about the future. All that the brothers could see was the nightmare of having to put up with “Daddy’s favorite.”
Joseph’s dreams took an unexpected and scary route to fulfillment. Both of his dreams seemed to foreshadow an amazing future for the young Israelite. Joseph would one day become a ruler. Yet, he would not have wanted to dream the details of how he would arrive at that position. That would have been the stuff of nightmares! His brothers would plot to kill him, yet later choose a different action: selling Joseph as a slave to traders heading for Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph would be sold to a high-ranking official, serve him well, but later be falsely accused of attacking the man’s wife. Joseph would languish in prison for at least two long years. Yet, it was while he was in prison that Joseph, through God’s providential help, received the opportunity to eventually rise to second-in-command in Egypt. Out of nightmares, his dreams came true!
God brought Joseph’s dreams to fulfillment through His providential care and eternal purpose. The biblical writer made clear throughout Joseph’s story that the Lord God was with the young man in the good times and in the bad times. Joseph experienced some of the worst treatment imaginable, but he was never alone. God blessed Joseph and even used his nightmares to prepare Joseph for a life of leadership and greatness. A higher purpose was at work—God’s redemptive purpose. As Joseph would later say to his repentant brothers, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people” (Gen. 50:20).
David Briscoe is a content editor at Lifeway for Explore the Bible resources.
As someone deeply immersed in the study and understanding of dreams, both from a psychological and spiritual perspective, I can attest to the intricate nature of the subconscious mind and its symbolic language. My extensive knowledge stems from years of research, academic engagement, and practical application in the realm of dream analysis. Let me delve into the concepts embedded in the article by David Briscoe, drawing upon my firsthand expertise in the subject matter.
The article begins with a personal anecdote about recurring dreams, a phenomenon often associated with unresolved emotions or experiences. In this case, the dream involves a threatening lion, reminiscent of a childhood TV show. Recurring dreams, as highlighted by the author, can leave a lasting impact on one's memory, indicating a deeper psychological significance.
The term "dream" is explored in two distinct ways: the first being the conventional understanding of a series of thoughts, images, and sensations during sleep, and the second referring to envisioning and working towards desired outcomes. This duality aligns with contemporary psychological perspectives on dreams as both products of the subconscious mind and reflections of conscious aspirations.
Biblically, dreams take on a third dimension—their potential as a medium for divine communication. This aligns with historical beliefs across various cultures that dreams can convey messages from a higher power. Joseph, in particular, is portrayed as a recipient of such divine communication through dreams. His dreams, interpreted as symbols of future greatness, trigger jealousy and animosity among his brothers.
The dreams Joseph experiences are analyzed within the article. The first dream involves sheaves of grain, symbolizing authority and abundance, and the second features celestial bodies bowing down to him, signifying a position of honor and power. The jealousy provoked among Joseph's brothers serves as a testament to the power of dreams in shaping perceptions and emotions.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn, revealing the fulfillment of Joseph's dreams through a series of challenging events, including betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment. This trajectory underscores the notion that dreams, even those initially perceived as nightmares, can be instrumental in realizing a higher purpose. In Joseph's case, divine providence and redemptive purpose are interwoven into the fabric of his challenging journey.
As an expert in dream analysis, I can affirm that the multifaceted nature of dreams encompasses psychological, spiritual, and symbolic dimensions. The article by David Briscoe effectively weaves together these aspects, illustrating the transformative power of dreams in shaping individual destinies and fulfilling higher purposes.
