Why is it that God so often speaks the language of mystery?
Our Father wants to be understood when He speaks; however, He frequently communicates in "dark speech." (See Numbers 12:6.) This means He speaks in ways that are veiled, or mysterious, and we need revelation if we're going to understand what He's saying. Dreams fall into this category all the time.
If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.
God sets a principle in 1 Corinthians 14 that He Himself abides by: You can't expect someone to respond to something they don't understand.
We need understanding for our dreams—but how do we get it?
As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:10–11, interpretation is a gift of the Spirit, not a process of human intelligence. Technically, this passage is talking about tongues and interpretations, but the principle holds true for all spiritual communication, including dreams.
Only God can interpret spiritual communication. In other words, there is only One who can tell us what we need to know.
Because God Himself is the answer to the dream question, we can study principles of interpretation and develop a skill set that will help us understand dreams, but we won't be able to grasp the full understanding God has for us if we depend solely on what we've learned. Joseph understood this concept when he asked, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" Yet he also understood he had a role to play in the process of interpretation, for he added, "Please tell the dreams to me" (Genesis 40:8, author's paraphrase).
In later blog posts, we'll talk about the skills that can help you position yourself to interpret the dream, but these skills can only position you for the interpretation—revelation is still required.
Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables and veiled speech, and His disciples asked Him about it in Matthew 13:10: "Why do You speak to them in parables?" He told them the understanding belonged to them—but not to the crowds.
What set the disciples apart? Why did the understanding belong to a select few but not to everyone? As we read the rest of the chapter, we realize the answer: It was their relationship with Jesus. The crowds would hear the parables and be entertained; they would go back to their lives feeling like they had an experience, but the disciples would return to Jesus and ask Him to explain what He meant.
As you engage with God about His revelation, He will speak to you in greater detail. Most revelation is an invitation to engage God for more.
God's veiled speech reveals our hearts: Do we really want to understand, or do we just want to have an experience? Are we looking for relationship or entertainment?
Our response to dreams can reveal the kind of soil we're working with. (See Matthew 13:3–23.) We can treat dreams lightly, without paying much attention to them, or we can see them as invitations to seek God and listen for His voice.