Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The first mention of the
Lord speaking to someone in a dream is when he warned Abimelech not
to touch Sarah, Abraham's wife. He also spoke to Jacob in dreams
as well as Laban the Syrian. Yet the one who seems to have
been associated with dreams the most is Joseph, the son of Jacob,
who is called the dreamer by his brethren with a note of disgust.
Not only was Joseph given dreams, but he most prominently was an
interpreter of the dreams of others as the Lord gave him understanding.
Both his dreams and his interpretations are surely from the Lord, since
they all without fail came to pass in keeping with the Lord's
revealed purpose. Daniel is also prominently mentioned
in the scriptures in connection with dreams, some of his own,
but mostly his interpretations of those of the kings of Babylon.
In all of these dreams, the Lord declared the glory of his kingdom
in stark contrast to the demise of those earthly kings and the
destruction of their pride and status. For all dreams which
have their origins in that kingdom will indeed magnify the one who
rules in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the
earth, and will give men no place to glory. The prophet Joel declared
a prophecy which has had its fulfillment on the day of Pentecost,
as the Lord raised up a testimony to the reign of Jesus Christ
as the Redeemer King of the house of Israel. And it shall come
to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions."
Peter testified that this had come to pass on that very day
as the disciples spoke with other tongues and men heard in their
own language. But this is that which was spoken
by the prophet Joel. There is another individual in
the scriptures to whom the Lord appeared four times in a dream.
This is another Joseph, being that one whom the Lord had directed
to take unto himself the virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord
Jesus, to be his wife. 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. He was not disobedient unto that
heavenly vision, even as the Lord showed him who this one
was by name, and what he would accomplish. And she shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins. This is that name which is above
every name. He spoke to Joseph in a dream
a second time. The angel of the Lord appeared
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. This was done to illustrate the
hatred and enmity of the world for this one who came to deliver
his people and to reign forever in his kingdom of righteousness.
Thus is fulfilled that prophecy, I called my son out of Egypt.
Neither the gates of hell nor the sons of men can prevail against
him. Then a third time he spoke to
Joseph in a dream. But when Herod was dead, behold,
an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. He told him to return to the
land of Israel. Though he sojourned in Egypt,
it was under the lost sheep of the house of Israel that he was
sent. Thus it was necessary for him
to return to the land of his nativity. The children of God
cannot come to him, so it is necessary that he comes unto
them, to seek and to save that which is lost. I am the Good
Shepherd, the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Nevertheless,
the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord
knoweth them that are his. And yet a fourth time we see
him speaking to Joseph in a dream. Being warned of God in a dream,
he turned aside into the parks of Galilee. While some might
see little significance in this occurrence, we see the necessity
of it in the next verse. And he came and dwelt in a city
called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
by the prophets, he shall be called a Nazarene. He came from
this lowly town to demonstrate his humility among men, and that
he might hide himself from the wise and prudent who scoffed
at his abode. We see this as the Pharisees
upbraided Nicodemus. They answered and said unto him,
Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look, for out of Galilee
ariseth no prophet. It is indeed glorious when the
Lord is pleased to speak to his children in dreams. Yet because
the heart is deceitful, we must be wary of dreamers. For a free
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