(J.D. King) Throughout the pages of Scripture, visual realities erupted and revealed subtle mysteries of God’s kingdom. This may seem strange today, but the ancients believed that God would speak to them in the midst of their dreams. In this nocturnal state of mind, unparalleled insight and understanding were sometimes accessed. Reflecting on this, Job once declared, “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears” (Job 33:15-16).
In one instance, God conveyed the immensity of His covenant with Abraham through the image of a smoking firepot and a blazing torch passing through the sacrifice. “As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. … When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking fire pot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land'” (Genesis 15:12, 17-18). Many haven’t considered this, but Abraham’s experience with God took place in his “mind” while he slept. Through visceral images, he began to understand something of who God was and what He intended to do in his life. CONTINUE