DO NOT KILL THE DREAMER

Sermon

Old Testament Theology and History

Prof. Carluci Santos

endrit.mullisi@gmail.com
It is so comfortable to go back in history and make decisions knowing the outcome. We do that

sometimes when we read about people in the Bible who did something that turned bad, and we have

learned that those things we shouldnt do. And we feel like we know more than them and use them as

sermon examples sometimes, forgetting that history is repeated similarly with different characters.

Genesis 37 brings a story of a jealous heart within close family. Joseph the eleventh son of patriarch

Jacob had a slice preference above his brothers from his father-as the firstborn from the woman he

really loved. To make the difference more visible between Joseph and his brothers, Jacob gave him a

special, distinguished tunic. The mistake of the father, having preference between his kids, was followed

by the hate from his half-brothers. What happened after that, we need to see carefully. Joseph is known

worldwide because of his interpretation of dreams in Egypt in prison and in pharaoh court. But we read

about his dreaming while he was still living as a youth with his nomad family. His first known dreams

were so direct that made his family unhappy. In two different dreams, he saw his brothers and later

mum and dad bowing down before him. That was unaccepted in that culture, so parents rebuked him

but his half-brothers hated him more.

This hate was accumulated and one day was turn into killing-action. As recorded in Genesis 37:18-20, his

half-brothers said to each other: Lets kill the dreamer boy. So sad, to see your family come against

you and even kill you because you were loved by the father and you had a dream.

What the dream speaks about? The future. The dreams which come from the invisible realm, sometimes

are difficult to be distinguished from other dreams that we have because of our life struggles. Joseph got

his special tunic and then had a dream. Surely someone will say that he was so exalted and he was

thinking higher for himself. So, makes sense to rebuke someone who wants to use such dreams to give a

message about himself. Joseph brothers wanted to kill him. But his father was keeping notes. Jacob

believed in Gods promises and he knew that JHWH was a living God, but Josephs dreams were very

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troubling. Jacob had rewarding directive dreams that prospered him, while his uncle was cheating his

wages (Gen 31). Josephs dreams were about position and power.

We have seen that because God brought together certain circumstances-Pharaoh had dreams that

Joseph in this time is interpreting. So Joseph went from seeing dreams to interpret them. We are so glad

he did so and more glad that Pharaoh believed in the power of dreams as messages from the eternity.

Do we believe today dreams? Why?

If we do believe the dreams is because we trust the dreamer or because we recognize God speaking

through the dream.

Some of us today dont want to believe that God speaks through anything but the Bible. Most of this

attitude comes through certain secessionist teachings. Examples have been used where people have

misused this prophetic/dreams platform. I personally believe that we see dreams that have no message

from above. Here is verse that confirms it: Ecc 5:3 (a dream cometh through the multitude of business;

and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words) compares the results of someones dreams with the

vanity of a talkative man. He says that people dream what they think and want during the day. But

another prophetic verse gives a distinction:

Jer 23:28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak

my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

What the prophet is saying is that although people will come with dreams that are not from the Lord,

the real prophets will continue to say His word. Verse 32 says that God is against those who prophesy

false dreams. So God is not against dreams, but the false ones. God gives the gifts of understanding the

dreams and He has a purpose for that. Dan 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge

and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

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I believe that time by time we have thrown the baby with the water. Because we have been

disappointed with false spiritual utterings, we decide not to have them anymore in our midst. It looks

like the discernment role has been used only on the criticism side. I believe we are so much in need of

the spiritual gift of discernment today. How can we as the Church of God be able to discern between the

voice of God and the enemys? Jesus did it when Peter in one moment proclaimed that Jesus was the

Messiah and the other moment advising Jesus not to fulfill the destiny.

Do we need dreams from God? Let me offer you some other examples from our bible:

1 Kings 3:5 tells us the story where God speaks with Solomon in the dream and Solomon replies.

They had a conversation. The result of Gods promises in the dream are well known.

Daniel 2 God speaks with the Babylonian king and Daniel gets the interpretation.

So God speaks to both the godly and pagan kings about the future, with the fist one he has a

conversation and the second he shows the future in the same way as pharaoh in Josephs time.

Joseph, Marys husband had dreams with specific messages: Take Mary as your wife as her

child is not illegitimate but from the Spirit and later told him to leave and go to Egypt. And in

the end the last dream Joseph got and recorded in the Bible was to go from Judea to live in

Galilee. His dreams had specific directions that were needed, there were not theological

sermons, but practical directions.

You might say: Yes, but all these stories have been under the old covenant, now God doesnt speak

anymore through dreams, as He spoke through His Son and we have His word in the Bible. So, we dont

expect to have prophetic information and dreams from God.

The first thing that embarrases me when I hear such interpretations is that tells me that God has

changed and because of the Bible we dont need what we had in the Old Testament. Is it so? Why then

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we still have today in the church the positions of Shepherd and Teacher, when both of them were

occupied by Jesus and he said: Dont call anyone Teacher, because you have one teacher and all of your

are brothers.

A dream from God doesnt replace the Torah, the Psalms or other canonical books. A dream could be

super simple and specific for one person, or more complicated including groups of people and nations.

A promise given through prophet Joel was: 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,

your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will

I pour out my spirit. (Joel 2:28-29)

This was accomplished in the day of Pentecost recorded at Acts 2:17 but I dont see this as one time

event, on a certain day, place and time. It looks that when the Spirit of God falls and fills Jesuss church,

then manifestations of the work of the Spirit will happen. Sometimes dreams will be received and

interpreted.

Does God speaks with dreams today? Yes, He does. We have seen many examples of unbelievers

specifically Muslims who have seed dreams with Jesus and they are converted.

Does God speaks with dreams to believers? Is not the Bible enough for our guidance?

I would like to propose you that God speaks through dreams today and He speaks to believers and

unbelievers too. The fulfillment of Joel prophecy started in the day of Pentecost, but is continuing in

many generations following. Dreams that dont disagree with what God has already spoken are

acceptable. We need godly dreams. The church today needs dreamers more than ever. We need to hear

the fresh word of God and specific direction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus warned his disciples about the old

wineskins mentality. Is it possible that old ones will not accept that they are old so sometimes they

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would like to take out of the platform the new one? As king Herod who didnt want another king to

replace him, we always will be tempted to kill the dreamers who talk and interpret things that we dont

know well or we feel challenged.

Dont kill the dreamers, they might be the ones who will make Gods church not only to survive in the

years to come but to become alive and effective. They can help prepare us in the times of famine, risk

and danger. We should welcome the dreamers and have discernment on what they say. God only knows

the future and we need dreamers to help us see in the dark.