Genesis 20:1-3
Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
INSIGHT
-Dream in Hebrew is written as chalam. God spoke to many people through dreams and visions which revealed specific messages. God says that if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams (Num 12:6). Several Biblical references have revealed different scenarios where dreams occurred and their importance. King Abimelech (Gen 20:3), Jacob (Gen 28:12, 31:10), Laban (Gen 31:24), Joseph (Gen 37:5, 9), the imprisoned butler and baker (Gen 40), Pharaoh (Gen 41), Midianites (Judg 7), King Solomon (1 Kin 3:5), King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:3, 4), Daniel (Dan 7), Joseph (Mat 1:20 – 23, 2:13-20), the wise men (Mat 2:12) and Pilate’s wife (Mat 27:19) etc. Dreams as revealed are of great importance including: – warning (Gen 20:3, 31:24, Dan 4, Mat 27:19), reveal what will happen in future (Gen 37:5, 9, 40:8 – 19, 41:1 – 7, 15 – 32, Dan 2, 7), reveal spiritual truths (Gen 28:12), confirm a promise (Gen 28:13 – 14), offer encouragement (Gen 28:15), give information (Gen 31:11 – 13, Mat 1:20 – 23, 2:12 – 13, 19, 22), convey information about destruction (Jud 7:13 – 15) and is a gift from God (1 Kin 3:5).
-When Abraham the father of faith was weak and fearful even lying that Sarah was his sister, God showed him grace. God appeared to Abimelech the king of Gerar and warned him against touching Sarah; Abraham’s wife. Though safety is one women’s basic needs achieved in a marriage, Abraham was afraid that Abimelech and his troops would kill him because of his wife. At the age of ninety; Sarah was still beautiful and yet to give birth to the son of the promise. God revealed Himself faithful by protecting Abraham and Sarah from harm. It is important to appreciate Gods’ revelations through dreams, His protection when we are weak and vulnerable and His grace which He sufficiently grants us even when we go astray. Abraham had a covenant relation with God and was called a friend of God; as we are today. We have been saved through grace and not by works lest anyone should boast, and are called to always give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His righteousness endures forever.
PRAYER
We thank You Abba Father for we have begun a new week with good health. Restore all those who are sick we humbly ask You and settle the hearts of those who have lost their loved ones. You have shown us great mercy and have always protected us from harm; receive all the glory and honour Jesus. Be will all women Lord and shield them from the snares of the wicked one. Guide us Jehovah in our walk with You as You directed Abraham to the region of Negev and help us to be fruitful according to Your will. Thank You Father for the gift of dreams and visions, and the revelations that You continue to grant us. Your mercies are new every morning Lord; we exult Your name now and forever. Amen
Genesis 41:1-4
When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
INSIGHT
-Pharaoh’s saw two consecutive disturbing dreams which had the same meaning. First, seven ugly cows swallowed seven healthy ones and then seven thin heads of grain that swallowed up seven healthy full heads. God communicated these adverse events to Pharaoh so that He may be recognized and honored as the King of kings, to caution them of the impeding drought, to revealed a divine plan of preservation for His people and at the same created an opportunity of prosperity for His servant Joseph. Through these dreams the concept of preservation and saving were birthed; given that there is a time and season for every purpose under heaven. Joseph advised Pharaoh to preserve grain during the seven years of plenty, and to consume and trade with it throughout the seven years of famine. These lessons are realistic in our society today. There are times we enjoy plenty of resources and revenues and other times we face scarcity. We are reminded to save up some resources during rainy days, and to consume and trade wisely during times of financial and economic quagmire. God has always been faithful to us despite the seasons that we undergo. He has always provided, protected, directed, preserved and sustained us through His abundant grace. God calls us to diligently seek Him despite the dungeons we are facing; be social, relational, physical, economic, financial, social; causing frustrations and difficulties. He calls us to Him when we labour and are heavily laden and He will give us rest; for His yoke is easy and His burden light (Mat 11:28-30).
PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for Your mercy and loving kindness upon us. You have revealed Yourself faithful during times of drought and times when You have blessed us with plenty; we glorify Your holy name Jesus. Remember Jesus when we labour are heavily laden; that You may give us rest. We humbly ask You Lord to continue protecting us, providing for us, sustaining us, directing us and giving us wisdom always. Remember us with favour Lord that You grant us fresh opportunities to thrive like You did for Joseph Your servant when he had lost hope in the dungeon. Bless our nation of Kenya Jesus and grant all our leaders wisdom that they may diligently serve You. Water our land Father that plenty may be found within our borders. Holy holy holy are You Jesus; Who was Who is and Who is to come. Amen
Judges 7:13-15
And when Gideon had come, there was a man telling a dream to his companion. He said, “I have had a dream: To my surprise, a loaf of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian; it came to a tent and struck it so that it fell and overturned, and the tent collapsed.” Then his companion answered and said, “This is nothing else but the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand God has delivered Midian and the whole camp.” And so it was, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered the camp of Midian into your hand.”
INSIGHT
-God did not only show dreams to Israelites and kings, but also Gentiles and civilians. Gideon the judge had an assignment to conquer the Midianites and Amalekites in war but he was afraid. God told him to choose three hundred men for battle. God then sent him to the camp of the enemy to strengthen him. When he went there with Purah his servant, he found a great multitude of men lying in the valley as numerous as locusts and their camels as the sand by the seashore, and got more anxious . While Gideon was there; he overheard a dream being told by a man in the camp to another who interpreted it in his favour. This acted as a confirmation that God had delivered the enemy into his hands and his faith in God was affirmed. He worshiped the Lord and through the same word strengthened his brethren. Many times we are anxious of the uncertainties that we face in life, but God call us to hold fast our faith in Him for He has promised to deliver us from all tribulations and grant us victory.
PRAYER
Lord You are the King of kings and Lord of lord’s, the great I Am and the great High Priest receive our glory and praise. We humbly ask You to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and cover us with Your precious blood. Protect us Jesus from the snares of the wicked one and cover us with Your hedge of fire. Strengthen us Lord in our walk of faith like You strengthened Gideon and fight for us in the battles that we face. There is no other God but You Father we exult Your holy name forever. Amen
Acts 2:17
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
INSIGHT
Apostle Peter quotes Joel 2:28 which talks about how the children of God will be imparted by the Holy Spirit in the last days. He justifies the speaking of tongues as evidenced through the Gentiles, which explains that we have received the Holy Spirit in our hearts through His grace. In Hebrew 1:1-2 we read that, God; after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. Therefore, these are the last days which began with the coming of Christ and will end with His second coming and final glory. Jesus is coming quickly (Rev 22:20) and calls us to hold fast our faith in Him. Through the Holy Spirit our Helper, we have received abundant grace and a multitude of gifts out of an unfathomable, immeasurable and inexhaustible fountain of love, that we may prophecy, see visions and dream dreams according to His will.
PRAYER
We welcome You into our lives Holy Spirit, that You may dwell deeply into our hearts. We need You every day and at every moment of lives, fill us with Your gifts and fruit. Help us to always seek You despite the challenges that we undergo and increase our faith in You. Help us to see visions and dreams and to understand them according to Your divine purposes. Purify our hearts from every evil Lord; that we may see You in all things. Amen
1 Kings 3:3-5
And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places. Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”
INSIGHT
-King Solomon was a God fearing man and diligent in seeking Him. He expressed true love for God through his worship and sacrifice as he learnt from his father David. He offered a sacrifice at Gibeon; the most frequented tabernacle made by Moses where the altar of burnt offering stood (1 Chr 21:29). Zadok the priest also offered a sacrifice there each morning and evening as it was commanded by God (1 Chr 16:39-40). When God appeared to Solomon by night in a dream and asked him what he wanted, he could have chosen many things aligned to his self interest but as a leader he knew that wisdom is supreme and asked for it (Pro 4:7). Many leaders today have placed their self interest first in most of their decisions and projects, and the results are evident. Poor planning and implementation, increased level of poverty in a nation, high crime rate, social strife, increased suicide, poor access to social amenities, deepening debt levels, high corruption degrees, poor business environment, low balance of trade etc. Solomon asked for wisdom so that he may correctly judge the people and discern between good and evil. His request pleased the Lord, and he was granted wisdom, honor, riches, peace and long life. His sacrifice at Gibeon also pleased the Lord. We are called to selflessness as we seek the good of others. Christ showed us a good example as He sacrificed His own life for the benefit of many, that all may be saved. Through the same example, we are called to sacrifice our time, resources and abilities for others through love, and to always seek Gods’ wisdom and guidance in all things.
SUMMARY
Dreams play a significant role in our lives for they reveal Gods message to us. Each dream has a special interpretation and sometimes duplicate dreams can have the same meaning as we saw in Genesis 41:1-6. Dreams are also useful in communicating Gods’ will for us, reveal Gods’ wisdom, offer correction to His sons and daughters, give a warning, caution us of an impeding danger, give us hope, confirm Gods’ promises, it is Gods’ will that we should dream and is a gift from God. Daniel like Joseph; had the ability to interpret dreams and both were placed in positions of influence that God may be glorified through their ruler-ship, and their respective nations may have divine direction. Daniel himself had many dreams and visions, mostly related to Israel and future kingdoms of the world; where some are yet to come. Joseph the father of Jesus also had a dream to caution him of impeding danger and the Messiah was able to save the world from eternal condemnation according to Gods’ will. It is through Gods’ love that He shows us dreams and leads us in the way we should go.
PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for showing us great love through Your sacrifice on the cross and all You have done and continue to do for us. All glory, honor, riches, blessings and power belong to You. Grant us the gift of seeing and interpreting dreams and direct us always Lord in the way we should go. In Your merciful love Lord, grant us and all our leaders the gift of wisdom. May You raise Your sons and daughters in positions of leadership as You did with Solomon, Daniel and Joseph Father; for the glory of Your name. Take control of our nation, families and lives Jesus that we may always seek first Your kingdom and righteousness. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen