Dreams Can Be Revelation
There seem to be ordinary dreams and revelatory dreams. Since a revelatory dream is “a prophecy in miniature,” “a dream that is not interpreted is like a letter that is unread” (Talmud). Normally, only the main message of the dream was important for its interpretation (Dan 2:4, IVPBBC note). Some dreams, though, are so straightforward that they do not need to be interpreted. For instance, Monica had a dream that her son, Augustine, would become a Christian. It took nearly 9 years for this to happen but he went on to become one of the great scholars of the church (131 Christians That Everyone Should Know, p 21). Here’s another clear dream: “One night during the (1944 presidential) campaign (vice presidential candidate Harry S. Truman woke up in a cold sweat from a dream that the president had died and he was called to assume the office” (James Barber). For some examples of straightforward revelatory dreams, see Gen 20:3-7, Mt 1:20, and Mt 2:12-13.
Numbers 12:6 seems to indicate that the Lord regularly speaks to His prophets through dreams. As people who have the Holy Spirit, Christians are called to be a prophetic people. Hence, we should expect to receive at least some revelatory dreams. Do we regularly ask the Lord to help us remember our dreams? If we do remember them, do we ask Him to help us know what they mean? To not do so is to either not believe He would speak to us through dreams or to be uninterested in hearing from Him.
Dreams are valuable. They can help prepare us and those around us for a hard time or for a new direction. This seems to have been part of the purpose with the dream given to Truman. In addition, dreams can strengthen our hope to enable us to persevere as appeared to be the case with Monica.
We should want to receive and read letters from our beloved Lord. We need not be extraordinary to understand the dreams He gives us. A common sheep who listens for the Shepherd’s voice can hear it in such ways as a dream. Write down your dreams immediately then pray about them.
Comforting others is costly but worth it.