NOTES: Visions & Dreams, Part 8
Visions & Dreams 8: Dreaming Our Own Dreams
Date: Sunday August 13, 2023
Text: Jeremiah 29:1-14
Jeremiah 29:4–14, 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.
10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
Let’s Connect:
We hear what we want to hear.
We see what we want to see.
What forms our “wants?”
Text Explained:
(JENN) Summary/Context of text: God’s people in exile
Their Problem:
8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,
“dreams that they dream”:
A problem for all generations:
2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV)
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Let’s Relate:
Visions and dreams are often given to us as a warning (for our protection/help).
Discussion: Experiences with God giving a warning.
Discussion: We like the comforting words far more than warnings.
Visual and verbal summary of how we should think about visions and dreams:
Scripture is sufficient to tell us everything we need to know for faith and practice.
God has spoken fully and finally through his Word and ultimately, through Jesus His Son, but he continues to illuminate his word to us.
Test everything (1 John 4:1-3)
1. God doesn’t lie (Numbers 23:19)
2. Recognize our fallibility (perspective)
3. Ask questions
- Does it glorify God?
- Is it consistent with Scripture and life of Jesus?
- Does it build my/others faith?
- Is it symbolic or literal?
- How does this make me feel? (investigate what I was experiencing—peace/fear/urgency)
4. Interpret and apply within spiritual community (Hebrews 13:17)
Hold fast what is good:
Our Challenge:
We hear what we want to hear. We see what we want to see. What forms our “wants?”
Better question: WHO forms our “wants?”
10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
Seek the Lord with your whole being.
Closing Thoughts: