Lesson 6. Types of Visions. The school of Father’s Blessing Church, where Senior Pastor Dmitriy Leo revealed the distinctive features of dreams and visions from God.
The Lord uses symbols in dreams, visions, prophecies, teaching, and parables. Many mysteries are hidden in symbols.
Matthew 13:35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.
Most dreams and visions described in the Bible were symbolic and contained hidden information.
- Jacob saw spotted and speckled goats in a dream.
- Joseph saw a field and sheaves, the sun, the moon, and the stars in a dream.
- Pharaoh’s cupbearer saw a grapevine.
- Pharaoh’s baker saw a basket with various baked goods.
- Pharaoh dreamed of cows and ears of grain.
- A Midianite warrior dreamed of a loaf of barley bread rolling along.
- King Nebuchadnezzar saw a great and mighty tree.
- Daniel saw various beasts, dragons, and thrones.
Why symbols specifically?
Although the Lord often speaks in language understandable to people, when it comes to spiritual matters and the mysteries of the Kingdom, the Lord uses symbols.
Luke 8:10 He said: “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest they are given in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.”
There are at least two reasons why the Lord uses symbols:
- It is a heavenly language. Natural language is too simple to convey the mysteries of the Kingdom and the depth of God’s wisdom.
- It is a secret language. The meaning of the symbols is known only to the one who encoded them. The Lord reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom to His children, but demons, Satan, and unbelievers do not know these mysteries.
Types of Symbols
1. Open Symbols
Some symbols are open and easy to interpret. People immediately understand the meaning of these symbols.
Gen. 37:6 Listen to the dream I had. 7 We were binding sheaves in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to it. 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you really going to reign over us? Will we really be subject to you?”
If you saw symbols that were clear to you and recognized their meaning, then simply pray on the subject and thank the Lord. In such cases, no further interpretation is needed.
2. Hidden Symbols
Symbols that are not understood immediately are most likely hidden. Such symbols may become understood over time or be revealed with the help of another interpreter.
The Holy Spirit is the most accurate and highest-priority interpreter of symbols.
1 Cor. 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, because the Spirit knows everything. He searches all the depths of God’s wisdom.
If, for some reason, a person cannot receive an interpretation from the Holy Spirit, external interpreters—spiritual people—may help.
These are primarily pastors, ministers, mentors, and spiritual leaders. At the same time, when necessary, anyone who is open to the Holy Spirit can become an instrument of interpretation.
When might spiritual people’s help be needed in interpreting symbols?
If…
- The person is an unbeliever.
- A newly converted, immature person.
- The person has already received an interpretation but consults with their mentor.
- The person is unable to hear the Holy Spirit.
- The person has received a very important message from heaven and needs verification or confirmation from an authoritative person.
- God wants to give the interpretation through another person.
Finally, in special cases, an angel of the Lord may serve as the interpreter.
- An angel explained to Jacob the meaning of the goats he saw in his dream (Gen. 31:11).
- An angel explained to John the meaning of the symbols he saw (Revelation).
- Daniel was shown more symbols than anyone else, and they were interpreted by angels themselves (Daniel, chapters 7–8).
At the same time, the angels of the Lord do not interpret every symbol, and certainly do not interpret them for every person.
You can learn more about the ministry of angels at the “Angels of the Lord” school.
Conclusions
Although the Lord often speaks in language understandable to people, when it comes to spiritual matters and the mysteries of the Kingdom, the Lord uses symbols.
Two main reasons for this:
- It is a heavenly language. Natural language is too simple to convey the mysteries of the Kingdom and the depth of God’s wisdom.
- It is a secret language. The meaning of the symbols is known only to the one who encoded them. The Lord reveals the mysteries of the Kingdom to His children, but demons, Satan, and unbelievers do not know these mysteries.
At the same time, some symbols are open and easy to interpret, and people understand their meaning immediately.
Symbols that are not immediately understood are most likely closed. Such symbols may become clear over time or be revealed with the help of another interpreter.
The Holy Spirit is the most accurate and highest-priority interpreter of symbols.
If, for some reason, a person cannot receive an interpretation from the Holy Spirit, external interpreters—spiritual people—may help.
In special cases, an angel of the Lord may serve as the interpreter.
End of lesson.
