What does the Bible say about personal visions and dreams of a prophetic nature and those having them teaching their dreams to other Christians as facts to come?
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in TIME PAST unto the fathers BY THE PROPHETS, 2 Hath in THESE LAST DAYS spoken unto us BY HIS SON, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:1-2 KJV)
Is that not clear? We need to look to Christ and the Word of God. THAT is the truth now. God wrote His last days prophecies that will come to pass. You can read them, IN YOUR BIBLE. Does that mean God does not use Dreams and visions in helping people come to Christ? Not at all. God does. But these dreams cannot be relied on if they do not match the Word of God. We have an enemy. Paul says we are to ‘test the spirits’ to be sure it is from God. How do we do that? By reading God’s Word the Bible. Anything teaching against it is FALSE.
What about where Peter said in Acts 2, that in the last days that God will pour out His Spirit and people will have dreams and visions happening?
Well, look at the verses around verse 17 in Acts 2 to see the true context about this and we see that Peter is drawing a very long drawn out period of time. Peter gets very specific in verse 16 and that seems to be ignored by people regarding prophetic dreams and visions.
“16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;” (Acts 2:16 KJV)
When we actually go to Joel 2 we read this,
“28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for IN MOUNT ZION AND IN JERUSALEM shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.” (Joel 2:28-32 KJV)
This about what will happen in Jerusalem when Christ first came and it was fulfilled. It is talking about what started at Pentecost. It shows an overview of what will happen and has now happened and continues happening in our Church Age, this dispensation of grace today. Anyone who calls upon the Lord in belief of His finished work on the cross will have the Spirit poured out on them, and if they believe on Christ and His finished work on the cross (1 John 2:2) , poured into them. Believers will receive a new Born Again Spirit and the indwelling Holy Spirit of God (John 3:5-, 14-18, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 or, 5:17-21, Colossians 2).
Yes, believers do have visions and dreams but that does not mean they are for us to tell others as doctrine or for certain prophetic facts for others to believe and follow.
I have personally had dreams and I have had visions from God. Does that make me some special believer and a prophet to others? NO! I was given some very specific ones and I see some of it already coming to pass; but they are FOR ME. God gave them to me for a purpose for me. I will never teach them to others as Biblical facts.
Rely on the Bible prophecies Only
Peter continues writing and when he writes ‘the last days’ it is not a specific time period he is describing, not just the very end of the Last Days of this Church Age time period we now live within. No. Peter describes a very long overview of time in human history from Pentecost to the new heavens and the new Earth.
That covers a 3000 year time span at least!
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:17 KJV)
Peter is also writing about the DAY OF THE LORD time period which to him is a long way in the future. It starts with Daniel’s 70th week, the start of the Tribulation Period and continues through the 1000 year Kingdom Age in which Christ will be ruling on Earth in the future, and ends with the destruction of Earth and a new heavens and Earth to come.
Through it all, whoever comes to belief on Christ for justification and righteousness shall be saved. It is encouragement for believers back then when he wrote this, for all in our current dispensation of grace, for those in great persecution in future Tribulation Period and beyond through the 1000 year Kingdom Age.
Does God give dreams and visions today to people?
Yes. Many. But it is the Gospel that saves by God’s truth; the Word of God by the Holy Spirit drawing people to the knowledge of the truth of Jesus as Lord.
Was the dream Joseph had of his brothers bowing to him for others or for him? How about Jesus’ step dad Joseph, the carpenter? Was his dream given by God telling him that what Mary said is true about her pregnancy and not being with another man for everyone around him to hear, or was it for him?
God is and does pour out his Spirit in all who believe on Christ. And dreams and visions are also happening but it is not as some are telling others that “God told ME this and you need to believe it.” NOR “God gave me a dream of prophecy and you need to believe it and act on it.”
We are not to follow the Law and the prophets now. That was all PAST. We are to follow Christ today. When Christ was transfigured we see this happened,
“2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM.” (Matthew 17 KJV)
Moses was given THE LAW. Elias was about the Prophets before the Law. Here we see The Law, the Prophets and Christ the Messiah. Peter was putting them all on equal footing. God, the FATHER audibly spoke out against that! FOLLOW and HEAR CHRIST! We must remember that today.
