4682. And Joseph dreamed a dream. That this signifies preaching concerning it is evident from the signification of "dreaming a dream," as being to preach; and because the dream treats of Joseph, preaching concerning the Lord's Divine Human is signified. That a "dream" here signifies preaching, is because in Joseph's two dreams are contained in a summary all the things which were foreseen and provided in regard to Joseph, or in the internal sense all that were foreseen and provided in regard to Divine truth within such a church as is represented by Joseph's brethren, or such as begins from faith. Moreover, Divine truths were manifested in ancient times either by speech, by visions, or by dreams, and from these were the preachings; consequently by "prophets" in the Word, to whom Divine truth was manifested by speech, by visions, or by dreams, are signified those who teach truths, and in the abstract sense the truths of doctrine (n. 2534). [2] The like is therefore signified by "seeing visions" and "dreaming dreams;" as in Joel:
I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the maidservants in those days will I pour out My spirit (Joel 2:28-29);
where "pouring out the spirit upon them" denotes to instruct concerning truths, and "prophesying" denotes to teach and preach them, and the same is signified by "dreaming dreams." "Old men" are the wise, "young men" the intelligent, "servants" those who know. [3] In Jeremiah:
Thus saith Jehovah Zebaoth, Attend not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they make you vain, they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah. I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy a lie in My name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; but he that hath My word, let him tell My word in truth. Behold I am against them that prophesy dreams of a lie, saith Jehovah; they tell them, and lead My people astray by their lies (Jer. 23:16, 25, 28, 32);
where again "prophesying" denotes to teach and preach, but from dreams of a lie, from which is their preaching. [4] In like manner elsewhere (as in Jer. 29:8, 9; Zech. 10:2). In Moses:
If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of a dream, who shall give thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not obey the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of a dream. And that prophet, or that dreamer of a dream, shall be killed, because he hath spoken revolt against Jehovah your God (Deut. 13:1-3, 5);
both a "prophet" and a "dreamer of a dream" denote one who teaches and preaches, here falsities.
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church