And your young [junior ranks] men shall see visions, [an appearance divinely granted] and your old [senior in rank] men shall dream dreams: [dream or vision seen in sleep]." Acts 2:17

TO DREAM is the Hebrew word "chalam" which can mean 1) to dream an ordinary dream, 2) to dream a prophetic dream, 3) to dream a dream used by false prophets, 4) to be healthy, to be strong, to restore to health, to recover.

God can use dreams to impart wisdom or strategy or creativity; or stir up repentance or deliverance or purpose or destiny or intercession. Solomon received his promise of wisdom, honor, riches and long life in a dream (I Kings 3:11-14). Dreams from God can give Direction (Gen 41:25, 32). God showed Pharaoh what He was about to do. In fact, the dream came to Pharaoh twice because the thing was established by God, and God would shortly bring it to pass. (Two - as many other numbers have symbolic meanings.)

Dreams can answer questions. Saul obviously had received answers to questions in dreams; for it is implicated in 1 Sam 28:6 that he did not receive his answer that way on this particular occasion: "And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets."

DREAMS & VISIONS of SIGNIFICANCE: There is always a reason for dreaming, but not all dreams are to be researched or acted upon. Some dreams spring up from the soul and are not godly in origin or purpose: (Jer 29:8-9 "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.") They are simply an expression of a person’s own mind, will or emotions and desires; thereby, many people, seeking to manipulate the power of dreams, corrupt the true gift. Some dreams are simply telegrams from Hell to distract or detract. (See article "He that Hath an Ear.") Some dreams are mixed messages and only parts are of particular significance; but some are significant rehearsals or timely telegrams. Dreams are usually significant if they are recurring or unforgettable or intensely detailed, or troubling and interruptive to sleep as in Daniel 2:1 - "And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him."

INTERPRETING DREAMS, The GIFT from GOD the GIFTER: Joseph said unto them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you." When Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret his dreams, Joseph answered, (Gen 16:41) "the interpretation is not in me. It is God who will give the interpretation." Daniel 1:17 - "As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." Daniel Chapter 2 - the nature of the Gift -

»Supernatural: "And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

»Faith needed: "Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation."

»Prayer needed: "Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret;"

»Revelation needed: "Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision."

»Revelation results in Relationship with God : "Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter."

»Gift of God: "Dan 5:12-17: Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee."

»Honor is not to the gifted: "And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom."

»Honor is to God, the Gifter! : "Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation."

The INTERPRETER: "Pathar" (paw-thar') means to open up - but before we open up a dream or vision, before we speak God’s heart, we must know our own. We honor God the Gifter by keeping vigilant guard upon our hearts - our motives: As in all things, man judges the act or action, but God judges the motive (1 Sam 16:7). As in prophecy, false and wrong are two different issues in dreams/interpretations. Wrong means the vessel made a mistake in hearing, but false indicates in the vessel an ungodly motive to deceive or manipulate: Jeremiah 23, "Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour. Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD."

»The call: "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully."

»Confirmed: "What is the chaff to the wheat? [There is no comparison between real and fake] saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"

»Guard Motive in follow-through: "I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? Yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal."

»Guard Character: for motive stems from character. "For the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

As in all giftings, callings, purpose: Destiny won or forfeited hinges on character, and character hinges on relationship with God: "Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him." Eccl 5:7 "For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God." - [Don’t be distracted from real purpose which is relationship by the excitement and lure of dreams, words and ideas.]