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Spoke in a dream
Spoke in a dream
The book of Hebrews begins: “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways,…” (Hebrews 1:1). One of the many ways that God spoke was by dreams. NOW, at the birth of Jesus, God again speaks and again uses dreams to do so.
But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20
And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:12
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." Matthew 2:13
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, Matthew 2:19
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, Matthew 2:22
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." Matthew 27:19
The word describing such dreams is from the Greek χρηματίζω. It is translated ‘warned by God’ (Matt. 2:12, 22; Heb. 8:5; 11:7; 12:25), revealed [by the Holy Spirit] (Luke 2:26), divinely directed (Acts 10:22). Interestingly, it is chosen to describe the disciples being CALLED Christians (Acts 11:26).
The point that Matthew makes is that God was active in the whole affair of the birth and protection of Jesus. Such was according to the eternal purpose of God.
WHY dreams? We do not know why, but we do know that is what God did.
Why ‘angels’? Again, we do not know why, but we do know that is what God did.
How did they know that THIS dream was caused by God? How did they differentiate this dream from normal dreams? We don’t know, but that is what was understood.
Is it of note that in such dreams, specific words are spoken and specific actions were detailed. As Paul would later write, “the Spirit explicitly says…” (see 1Tim. 4:1). This was not just a hunch or a vague idea.
Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. His birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, and his glory on the throne of God are all part of God’s plan so that we can be saved from our sins. Do you trust Him?
Hugh DeLong
