When unearthing the mysteries hidden in the symbolism of dreams, we must not lose sight of the obvious and forget that sometimes dreams are literal, telegrams or rehearsals or concrete directives sent for an exact time and exact response, especially when they embody lessons or instructions. There were several such dreams in the first two chapters of Matthew: 1:20-24 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife.

What a timely dream! The things Joseph was considering as he fell asleep that night were how to avoid public shame and how to get a secret and quiet divorce from Mary. God used a dream to move Joseph from contemplating a socially, justifiable divorce to committing himself as husband to the mother of the Messiah. God used a dream to move Joseph from judgement against a seemingly nameless, illegitimate child to linking his name with the Name above all names. God used a dream to move Joseph from the shadow of condemnation to the revelation of destiny.

Thank God, Joseph took the dream literally and moved accordingly. If Joseph had had a poor self image, he could have assumed himself too insignificant and too limited in the natural to have such a supernatural dream. Or, if Joseph had been excessively analytical, he could have pooh-poohed the dream as some sort of subconscious justification for wanting to marry a loose woman. Or, if he had been legalistic he could have shelved the dream, considering unfamiliar terms like "Holy Ghost" and "Jesus" as being heresy, exceeding his religious experience and threatening the teachings of the TORAH. Or, if Joseph had been too traditionally and religiously minded, he could have feared blasphemy in even considering himself a key player in the birth of the one who would save his people from their sins. But Joseph, in faith, took the dream literally and responded likewise. It obviously takes faith to embrace God-given truths when they are hidden in the symbolism of dreams; but it also takes faith to embrace God’s truth even when dreams are literal!

Joseph received instruction in a second dream: 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. And Joseph did not hesitate. I love that about Joseph: he did not hesitate! My husband shared an exciting revelation with me several months ago saying the mark of the Righteous Generation is an unquestioning, unhesitating obedience. Joseph bore the mark of the Righteous Generation. And just like Joseph’s obedience, a responsive heart that obeys God without stopping to measure self-worth or research tradition will still make a place for the Anointed One and His Anointing in this earth today!

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Here is another interesting observation: God used a dream to initiate the fulfillment of prophecy. An awesome aspect of our God begins to unfold when we realize that something as fleeting and intangible as a dream can be a crucial part of His intricate plan, just as what might seem to be isolated incidents in our lives are likely purposeful and ordained catalysts to nudge us toward destiny. The prophecy was an accomplished fact before it was spoken by Hosea the Prophet, yet it had to become manifested step by step. And one of the steps was a dream to a young man named Joseph.

Joseph continued to receive telegrams from God in a third literal dream: 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. And even a forth dream came to Joseph: 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth:

He shall be called a Nazarene . . .That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets: Again a dream becomes the vehicle toward the realization of Old Testament prophecy. Prophecy, contrary to our logic, starts with an accomplished, past tense result and then is carried through time on the wings of proclamation, stirring hearts and circumstances until, like a boomerang, it returns in full manifestation. God recently used a dream to illustrate this "past-tenseness" aspect of prophecy to me. I dreamed that my husband and my brother and I were riding along in our van. My husband said, "What is the purpose of that? There’s a cow painted on the side of an old van out in that field." Since I was driving, I didn’t look. Two days later, the three of us were actually in the van, when, suddenly, I saw an old green panel truck out in the middle of a pasture with a life-sized black and white cow painted on it! Reality was even stranger due to the fact that we had missed our turn and were on the wrong highway. I mean we were lost and had gone out of our way to see what I had heard in a dream! I had heard my husband’s voice describing a strange sight that I could not see at the time. Hearing his voice in the dream represented hearing a prophetic voice, a prophetic word. But even before I heard the word in a dream, there was already a cow on the side of a van on a certain highway between Florida and Georgia. Though I had never been, nor did I intend to be, on that particular stretch of highway, two days later I was seemingly accidentally positioned to see what I had heard. That is the true nature of the prophetic. When God sends the Word, it propels us toward the already done deal. He faithfully nudges us toward fulfillment, taking advantage of relationships, circumstances (like missed turns), situations, conversations and, as with Joseph, our dreams.

Even the wisemen received instructions through a literal dream: Matt 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod. The wise men were in Bethlehem because they took the Word of God literally in Numbers 24:17, even though it sounded symbolic: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob. Personally, I would have thought star was symbolic in this prophecy, but it was literal: Matt 2:1,2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. . .7 and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. So they likewise took the dream literally and they departed into their own country another way.

Obviously, it was not difficult for Joseph and the wisemen to take the dreams as being literal. However, I do not believe all dreams are as clear-cut literal or symbolic. After all, I would have considered the cow dream as absurd, far from reality and totally symbolic - if I had not seen it for myself two days later! And if you think like me you are wondering: Wouldn’t life be easier if God just sent me literal dream telegrams? Why doesn’t God give me instructions like that in dreams? Well, I don’t know! Joseph in the New Testament had these awesome, completely literal dreams; whereas Joseph in the Old Testament had dreams that were completely symbolic. But both men were nudged toward destiny with the wonderful tool of dreams. I suppose God in His Wisdom will send instructions in a literal dream, when the situation requires it and/or if we have a receptive heart that will heed and follow through on such telegrams! Meanwhile, searching out the hidden things of God in symbolism in dreams will bring us to the honor of kings and enrich our relationship with our God. May God bless your dreams in this Christmas season!