Muslim Dreams, Modern Prophets, and Biblical Truth
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
The essay argues that while God used dreams during Christ’s advent and occasionally in Scripture, revelatory dreams ceased with the completed biblical canon. Claims of divine dreams, including Muslim visions, contradict Scripture’s sufficiency and misapply Joel and Acts, affirming Scripture alone as God’s final revelation.
We just concluded the Advent season as I write this essay. In the advent, some of the announcements of God’s activity surrounding this wonderful event were given in dreams. For example, after Mary was found to be with child, her betrothed, Joseph, decided to divorce her quietly. But an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream. Joseph was told to take her as his wife and that the babe was conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20).
An angel of the Lord came to Joseph in another dream that he should arise from his bed and take his family to Egypt, for Herod was going to seek and kill the baby Jesus. (Matthew 2:13).
In another example, after the Magi had met with Mary and Joseph and delivered their gifts and worship, God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod but to depart for their country by another way. (Matthew 2:12).
For a third time, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream and this time, told Joseph to return to Israel, for Herod had died. (Matthew 2:19).
And Joseph was the recipient of a dream a fourth time. After he departed Egypt and came to Israel, he heard that Herod’s cruel son was reigning in Judea. God told Joseph it was safe to reside in Galilee, so Joseph settled in Nazareth.
Barnes’ Notes explains the political situation: “The parts of Galilee – The country of Galilee. At this time the land of Palestine was divided into three parts: Galilee, on the north; Samaria, in the middle; and Judea, on the south. Galilee was under the government of Herod Antipas, who was comparatively a mild prince, and in his dominions Joseph might find safety.“
Dreams are only mentioned a couple of other times in the New Testament. In one case, Pilate’s Wife said she had suffered in a dream because of Jesus. However we have no indication one was or another if it was a divine intervention or the outworking of her sensitivities given the current political climate and her husband’s part in it. Ellicott’s Commentary on the verse (Matthew 27:19), says
In a dream because of him.—Questions rise in our minds as to the nature of the dream. Was it, as some have thought, a divine warning intended to save her husband from the guilt into which he was on the point of plunging? Did it come from the Evil Spirit, as designed to hinder the completion of the atoning work? Was it simply the reflection of the day-thoughts of a sensitive and devout woman? We have no data for answering such questions, but the very absence of data makes it safer and more reverential to adopt the last view, [the thoughts of a sensitive woman].
Jude 1:8 mentions “dreamers” but the interpretation here based on the context is that the false ones are ‘dreaming’ if they think their ways are righteous. They are so far from reality it is as if their entire life is a dream.
Though the Old Testament and the sliver of the New Testament surrounding the advent describes the righteous receiving dreams (and some of the unrighteous like Abimelech, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh), dreams die away as a method of communication from the Divine to the humans. This is because of the completion of the canon of scripture.
There was some discussion on social media in which I was involved where the issue of the Muslims receiving dreams from a ‘being’ or ‘a man in white’ that some say is the Muslim version of Jesus, called Isa. In this scenario, apparently a man in white comes to a Muslim in a dream and tells him that something is going to happen, like, Bibles will arrive, or someone one will share the Gospel. In some of these dreams, the gospel is allegedly given right in the dream.
I had said, no. The canon is closed and Jesus is not appearing or sending an angel to appear to Muslims as a method of conversion. Matthew 28’s The Great Commission outlines how we are to evangelize and receiving dreams is not it.
You would not believe the pushback such a stance sparks. People want to believe in these dreams, or in general, that God or Jesus is still sending dreams to whoever. Beth Moore claimed to have a dreamy type vision where she claimed to be lifted up into another dimension to see the global church “as Jesus sees it”. And apparently the global church included the apostate Catholic Church, too.
Many word-faith false preachers teach that God still communicates thorough dreams, something for example, Jesse Duplantis regularly teaches and claims to have had these dreams himself. Kris Vallotton of Bethel College, Benny Hinn, Bill Wommack, and Bill Johnson also teach that receiving dreams are a normal part of the Christian life. Mormons also teach that their elders receive dreams.
The one New Testament verse many point to in order to substantiate their stance that divine dreams continue and contain new or even prophetic revelation is from Acts 2:17,
‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN WILL HAVE DREAMS;
It is in all caps because the Acts verse is quoting an Old Testament prophecy from Joel 2:28, which says,
“It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will have dreams, Your young men will see visions.
It gets confusing for people because we are indeed in the “last days”. It is stated so in Hebrews 1:2; 1 John 2:18; 1 Peter 1:20 state so. These days began at the coming of Jesus. The last days will end when He returns and renders judgment and the 1000 year kingdom begins.
The Joel prophecy and Peter’s restatement of it lay the foundation for the beginning of the last days. As we know, it has been 2000+ years since Jesus was born, lived, died, and was resurrected. And it is not over yet. So it is the beginning of the last days, and there is more to come. Indeed, see Joel 2:28 again,
It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; [underline mine).
Has that happened? Has God sent His Spirit to ALL mankind? No. Only repentant believers in Jesus. This verse is intended for the Millennium Kingdom, when all mortal people who survived the Tribulation enter the kingdom after judgment. This initial population of the Millennium Kingdom will all be believers and all will be given the Spirit.
Now look at Joel 2:30, just 2 verses after the verse that people use to claim dreams are a normal part of the faith in these days.
I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
Has that happened yet? No. When Peter at Pentecost said it is the last days, it is, but it is the BEGINNING of the last days.
If people who insist that revelatory dreams are happening in these days of the church age, they need to reconcile it with the verse in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that says,
All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.
Note the words that are absolutes, intensifiers: ALL, FULLY, EVERY. If we still need dreams to advise or reveal, then the 2 Timothy 3 verses fail. Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary says of the verse, so eloquently,
What is the excellency of the scripture. It is given by inspiration of God (v. 16), and therefore is his word. It is a divine revelation, which we may depend upon as infallibly true. The same Spirit that breathed reason into us breathes revelation among us: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men spoke as they were moved or carried forth by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pt. 1:21. It is profitable to us for all the purposes of the Christian life, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. It answers all the ends of divine revelation. It instructs us in that which is true, reproves us for that which is amiss, directs us in that which is good. It is of use to all, for we all need to be instructed, corrected, and reproved: it is of special use to ministers, who are to give instruction, correction, and reproof; and whence can they fetch it better than from the scripture? Whatever duty we have to do, whatever service is required from us, we may find enough in the scriptures to furnish us for it. If we consult the scripture, which was given by inspiration of God, and follow its directions, we shall be made men of God, perfect, and thoroughly furnished to every good work. [4.] There is no occasion for the writings of the philosopher, nor for rabbinical fables, nor popish legends, nor unwritten traditions, to make us perfect men of God, since the scripture answers all these ends and purposes.” –end Matthew Henry
With this truth so eloquently explained, why would one who has the pure Spirit in them consider vain dreams to be as holy and inspired as the sure word of God? What lack is there in a person’s mind when they set the holy word aside in favor of insubstantial nighttime conceits? Remember, satan can counterfeit signs and miracles.
No, Hebrews 1:1-2 reaffirms the 2 Timothy stance. It says,
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.
Matthew 28:18-20 confirms the method by which we are to be saved. So does Romans 10:14. There is no other name by which we may be saved says Acts 4:12. Not Isa, not Man in White.
1 Corinthians 13:8 makes it clear that the revelatory spiritual gift such as prophecies (it is understood that this includes prophecies given in dreams) will pass away.
All scripture is sufficient!
All scripture is sufficient!
All scripture is sufficient!
Does God still speak through dreams? (spoiler: No.)
If you would like to explore why the ‘Muslim dreams’ issue from a biblical standpoint, here is a two-part series at Gary Gilley’s site, Think on These Things.
In part 1, “This is part two of the article by Pastor Dennis McBride on Muslim dreams and visions of Isa (Jesus). In the June/July publication of TOTT, Pastor McBride discussed the four representative descriptions of the Muslim dreams phenomenon and examined the first 10 primary considerations of this subject. In this publication he will finish discussing the primary considerations and conclude his thoughts.”
In this second part, he finishes discussing the primary considerations and concludes his thoughts.
Here is Pastor John MacArthur explaining what happened at Pentecost and how it relates to Joel’s prophecy:
Peter’s Sermon: Explaining Pentecost
Justin Peters’ 1-minute 45-second video on Muslim dreams: https://youtu.be/VxpkOA6cOME?si=0ZCX4nPjYYgJ_ry4
