Dreams of loved ones who have passed away can be comforting, but what does the Bible say about these experiences? While the Bible does mention dreams, it provides caution about placing too much significance on them. Understanding what scripture says about dreams and the afterlife can help you find peace and clarity.
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What Does The Bible Say About loved ones visiting us in dreams
Genesis 28:12
“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.”
This verse illustrates the Biblical concept of dreams as a means of divine communication. Jacob’s dream symbolizes a connection between heaven and earth, emphasizing the possibility of spiritual encounters through dreams.
It suggests that loved ones may visit us in our dreams as messengers from God, conveying comfort, guidance, or reassurance.
Job 33:14-16
“For God does speak—now one way, now another—though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings.”
This passage acknowledges that God uses dreams as a medium of communication. It suggests that loved ones may visit us in dreams, not only to provide comfort but also to convey important messages or warnings.
These dreams may evoke fear or unease, but their purpose is to guide and protect us.
Matthew 1:20
“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.'”
This verse demonstrates the occurrence of divine encounters through dreams. Joseph receives a message from an angel in a dream, providing him with guidance and assurance regarding Mary’s virgin pregnancy.
It indicates that God can use dreams to communicate profound truths and significant revelations to loved ones, directing them towards His divine purpose.
Acts 16:9
“During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.'”
This verse portrays how God communicates His will through visions and dreams. Paul receives a vision that guides him to Macedonia, where he would spread the Gospel.
It suggests that dreams can serve as a means for loved ones, or even strangers, to seek our help or guidance in fulfilling God’s purposes.
Job 7:14
“When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions.”
In this verse, Job reflects on the distressing nature of dreams and visions. He sees them as a form of divine intervention that can provoke fear and distress.
While loved ones visiting in dreams can bring comfort, it is essential to recognize that dreams can also stir emotions like fear, serving as a reminder of our mortality and the need for reliance on God.
Joel 2:28
“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.”
This verse prophesies the outpouring of God’s Spirit, enabling various forms of divine communication, including dreams and visions, for believers of all ages.
It signifies that loved ones, regardless of their age, can receive messages in dreams as a result of the Holy Spirit’s presence within them.
Matthew 2:12
“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
This verse recounts the Magi being warned in a dream not to return to Herod after finding the baby Jesus.
It demonstrates that loved ones, whether wise men or ordinary individuals, can receive divine guidance in dreams to avoid danger and make wise decisions.
Acts 9:10-11
“In Damascus, there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.'”
This passage reveals how God communicates His instructions through visions. Ananias receives a vision from God, guiding him to heal Saul of Tarsus, who later becomes the apostle Paul.
It suggests that God can use dreams or visions to influence us to act in obedience and fulfill His purposes in the lives of our loved ones.
Genesis 37:5-10
“Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more… Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I had another dream, and this time the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.'”
This verse depicts Joseph’s dreams, which foretold his future authority over his family. While initially causing envy and discord, these dreams ultimately paved the way for Joseph to fulfill God’s plan.
It reveals that God can use dreams to reveal His purposes for our loved ones and bring about the fulfillment of His divine will.
Daniel 7:1
“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed. He wrote down the substance of his dream.”
This verse highlights how Daniel received visions and dreams from God. He recorded the substance of these dreams, attributing them to a divine communication.
It signifies that loved ones can have significant encounters with God through dreams and visions, which may reveal profound revelations and insights.
Matthew 27:19
“While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: ‘Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.'”
This verse portrays the wife of Pilate warning her husband about Jesus, relying on a dream she had about Him.
It supports the idea that loved ones can receive divine messages through dreams, encouraging them to intervene or provide guidance, even in critical situations.
Job 4:13-15
“Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on people, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end.”
This verse describes Job’s experience of terrifying dreams and encounters with spiritual entities. It showcases how dreams can manifest both divine and otherworldly encounters.
It reminds us that loved ones may visit us in our dreams, but we must discern between divine manifestations and potentially unsettling spiritual experiences.
Acts 18:9-10
“One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.'”
This passage reveals how Paul receives divine encouragement and reassurance through a vision. The Lord reminds Paul that He is with him and protects him from harm.
It suggests that loved ones can communicate through dreams or visions to provide encouragement and remind us of God’s presence and protection in our lives.
Acts 10:9-13
“About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'”
This verse recounts how Peter receives a vision while in a trance, which ultimately leads to the understanding that Gentiles can also receive salvation.
It demonstrates that loved ones can communicate profound truths and revelations through dreams and visions, impacting our understanding of God’s kingdom and His redemptive plan.
Matthew 2:19-20
“After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.'”
In this verse, Joseph receives another angelic message in a dream, instructing him to return to Israel after Herod’s death.
It emphasizes that God uses dreams to guide and protect our loved ones, leading them away from harm and toward the fulfillment of His divine plan.
Matthew 27:24
“When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!'”
This verse reveals the internal struggle of Pilate, prompted in part by his wife’s dream. Despite his inability to hinder Jesus’ crucifixion, he symbolically absolves himself of guilt.
It suggests that loved ones can influence our decisions through dreams, highlighting the importance of paying attention to divine guidance and acting according to God’s will.
Daniel 2:1-3
“In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, ‘I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.'”
This passage describes the king’s troubled dreams and his desire for an interpretation. It demonstrates the significance attributed to dreams in the ancient world, as they were seen as a means of divine revelation.
It suggests that loved ones can visit us in dreams, providing insight, and understanding to help interpret significant events or circumstances.
Acts 16:8-9
“So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night, Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.'”
This verse depicts how Paul receives a vision in the night, directing him to travel to Macedonia for assistance.
It indicates that loved ones can communicate through visions, leading us to opportunities where our presence and assistance are needed for God’s purposes to be fulfilled.
Genesis 31:10-11
“In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled, or spotted. The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.'”
This verse recounts Jacob’s dream, where the angel of God communicates with him regarding the breeding of animals. It provides guidance and instruction in fulfilling God’s plan.
It suggests that loved ones may visit us in dreams, revealing details or guidance related to specific areas of our lives, offering solutions to challenges we face.
Matthew 1:24
“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”
Following the angel’s visitation in a dream, Joseph obeys the divine instruction without hesitation.
This verse emphasizes the significance of dreams as a means for loved ones to communicate God’s will and commands, urging us to respond with faith and obedience.
Numbers 12:6
“He said, ‘Listen to my words: ‘When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.'”‘
This verse affirms that God communicates through dreams and visions with prophets and chosen individuals.
It suggests that loved ones, as vessels of God’s divine communication, can bring messages that reveal His will or purpose through dreams and visions.
Matthew 27:21-23
“The governor asked them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ ‘Barabbas,’ they answered. ‘What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ Pilate asked. They all answered, ‘Crucify him!’ ‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!'”
This verse describes Pilate’s decision-making process influenced by his wife’s dream and the crowd’s outcry.
It reveals that dreams experienced by loved ones can shape our understanding, decisions, and actions, defining the course of significant events.