Warnings from God are recorded throughout the entire Bible through visions and dreams. Many times in these visions/dreams, angels are delivering a message from God. I could give personal testimony of receiving visions/dreams where angels were involved. If you visit my web site worldministries.org under prophecies, you can read many warnings from God that have been given to me.

Now let's look at six dreams in the New Testament.

Matthew 1:18-25 NKJV

1^ST DREAM

Christ Born of Mary

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. ²⁰ But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

²² So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

²⁴ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, ²⁵ and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

NOTE: To the Hebrews, being betrothed was the legal part of marriage. By law, if Mary was guilty of adultery, which she logically appeared to be, Joseph was supposed to expose her to public shame and have her put to death. Instead Joseph, being a just man, meaning righteous and honest, full of integrity and God’s nature, decided to divorce her privately. This was an act of mercy and grace. This shows us that Joseph was a godly man. He took the word of God to heart and it transformed him. Because of his intimacy with God, God could speak to him in a dream through an angel. By faith, Joseph believed the angel and he realized Mary was innocent of sexual sin.

Trivia question: Who was the angel that appeared to Joseph in this dream? The angel Gabriel.

NOTE: Luke 1: 26-42 tells us that Mary was pregnant by the power of The Holy Ghost, and so was Elizabeth, who was barren. She bore John the Baptist. Miracles are part of the life of a believer, so never give up!

Luke 1:26-42 NKJV

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

²⁹ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.”

³⁸ Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

Matthew 2:7-12 NKJV

2^ND DREAM

⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

NOTE: God not only used a dream to warn the wise men not to return to King Herod but He used a star to guide the wise men to Jesus. Again, if they had not used God’s directions through the star and dream they never would have found Jesus and Herod would have killed Jesus. It is critical that we can be led by God through our obedience to His guidance.

Matthew 2:13-16 NKJV

3^RD DREAM

The Flight into Egypt

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Massacre of the Innocents

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

NOTE: Once again an angel appears to Joseph in a dream and gives him clear direction where to go to escape the death of Jesus, even telling him that King Herod will kill Jesus. This continues to tell me that Joseph was in a good relationship with God so God could give him warnings and directions in dreams through an angel and Joseph had the faith to obey the instructions from the Lord.

Matthew 2:19-21 NKJV

4^TH DREAM

The Home in Nazareth

¹⁹ Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, ²⁰ saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” ²¹ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

NOTE: God continues to give Joseph direction that it is safe to return to Israel as King Herod is dead. Once again, Joseph obeyed God’s instructions.

Matthew 2:22-23 NKJV

5^TH DREAM

²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. ²³ And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

NOTE: Now God, in a dream, tells Joseph to turn aside into the region of Galilee and he dwelt in Nazareth, which was spoken by the prophets. It's only God that can orchestrate these facts throughout history, yet the fool says there is no God.

Matthew 27:17-26 NKJ

6^TH DREAM

¹⁷ Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

²⁰ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. ²¹ The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, “Barabbas!”

²² Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

²³ Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

²⁵ And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

CONCLUSION: Visions, dreams, angels, prophets, and the functions of the Holy Ghost all give warnings and direction to men how to make decisions that can even save one’s life and the lives of their families. The key is to be in close relationship to God to hear His means of communication with you and then the faith to obey His direction.

Joseph was a good husband and father. He was a righteous man who knew the Word of God and God could speak to him. God did speak to Joseph in a dream with an angel giving direction to Joseph several times as to where to go to escape death. Each time God gave Joseph a warning, Joseph obeyed and took evasive steps to escape the danger, saving the life of Jesus. Joseph also obeyed the Lord telling him in a dream, through the angel, that Mary was innocent and he was to marry her.

The Lord even told Joseph in a dream, through an angel, where in Israel they were supposed to raise Jesus. Joseph was directed to move his family to the city of Nazareth and live there. Therefore, God can even tell us where we are supposed to live if we are in good relationship with Him.

My next sermon and pastoral article will be entitled, “THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISBELIEF IN THE WARNINGS OF VISIONS & DREAMS.”

Jonathan Hansen