Dreaming Dreams And Seeing Visions

Q

My question is about Joel 2:28. I hear many people today claiming that the Lord has spoken to them through dreams and visions about how these end times are going to play out and how we need to prepare with food and arming ourselves. When I asked one of these persons to give me Bible verses to back this up they beat around the bush and I really didn’t get a verse of scripture. There are so many people claiming that they are getting words from the Lord with this method that I feel left out! The only Word I get from The Lord is in the Bible. So are they right and can this verse of scripture be used to back them up?

A

The context of Joel 2:28-32 is a warning to Israel telling them what to expect as the Day of the Lord draws near. To learn what the Church should expect we should look in the New Testament, because Israel and the Church have different destinies where the End of the Age is concerned.

Jesus said when we see all these things (signs of the end of the age) begin to take place we should stand up and lift up our heads because our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28). He also promised to keep true believers from (out of) the hour of trial that’s coming upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth (Rev. 3:10). Paul said Jesus will rescue (deliver) us from (the time and place of) the coming wrath (1 Thes. 1:10) because we’re not appointed to suffer wrath (1 Thes. 5:9). (The parenthetical inserts reflect the literal meaning of the original language.)

God’s word should always be given more weight than the dreams and visions some people claim to have. I haven’t found anything in the New Testament to support the idea that the Church should “hunker down” and be prepared to defend ourselves in the days ahead.