Visions From God
Would you rather listen than read? Listen here.
In our Reflecting The Son, reading the Bible in a year series, we have made it to the prophets. If you would like to jump in and read with us, we would love to have you. Just click here.
Prophets
I love studying the prophets. What draws me in are the unique ways God spoke with each of them. God relayed His messages audibly, in visions, through dreams, by interpreting dreams and prayer. I envy the intimacy of their relationship with God. I wish I could have just a peak into their closeness with God.
911
Over 15 years ago, I worked 911 as a dispatcher. I loved that job… most of the time. Some calls were humorous. We would get calls about green men invading attics, or kids trying to find out if 911 was a real thing after they learned about it at school.
I could handle most of the hard calls, but when we would have a sexual assault of a child, it would do me in. My heart could just not handle it. One night, we had one of these devastating calls. It was the second one of the week, and it hit me harder than most. I left my shift at 6:00 AM, exhausted and heartbroken.
When I got home, I snuggled my babies then went to bed. Each time I closed my eyes, I could not get this young girl out of my mind. I cried and prayed for her. While praying, with my eyes closed, I saw this little girl on a hospital bed.
As she lay there, this indescribably beautiful, sheer, iridescent, glistening sheet slowly lowered from the ceiling down over her. It was like watching God’s presence come on her, enveloping her, protecting her. While watching this, a peace settled upon me. In that moment, I knew she would be ok, and I prayed she too, felt the same peace that only God could give.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 NLT
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 NLT Click To TweetVision
As we begin the book of Isaiah, the book opens with Isaiah’s first vision. I don’t want to focus on the vision itself, but what does it mean to experience a vision? The word for vision here in Isaiah 1:1 is חָזוֹן ḥāzôn. It means vision, revelation, a message from God, with a possible focus on the visual aspects of the message.*
I love that last part, ‘a focus on the visual aspect of the message’. When I was praying for that sweet girl, had God said verbally, “She will be ok.” It would never have had the same effect on me as seeing what I saw. I don’t think I would have felt the peace of knowing the little girl would be ok.
The vision took the prayer to a whole new level. God touched more of my senses. He brought me into the room with Him and let me see and know in my heart she would be ok. There are things we need to see to fully understand.
God took Isaiah and many other biblical characters into other dimensions to share His plans and purpose with them. Some got to see in the physical, like Elisha saw when the chariots of fire came down for Elijah. While other saw in the spiritual, like this moment in Isaiah.
“Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: ‘I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.’”
Isaiah 1:2 NIV
Listen
In this verse, Judah (and in turn, us) are told to listen to God. We must listen to what God says. For some of us, we hear God speak through His Word, some hear His voice, others have an internal knowing. However it happens, we must listen. I imagine this as an active listening. We don’t just listen in specific moments, but all the time. We go through our days listening while we do each tasks.
The scripture uses both hear and listen. Listen in Hebrew is אָזַן ’āzan, meaning to listen, pay attention, give ear. Hear in Hebrew is שָׁמַע šāmaʽ means hear, listen, obey, and listen carefully.*
Together, these two make me think of leaning in to listen. Like you would do to hear a secret from a friend. But also listening with the intent on acting. Can’t you just picture this? God leaning down and you tilt your ear up to hear from Him.
Isaiah
Isaiah in the first couple chapters of the book of Isaiah, is watching what appears to be like a courtroom scene. He watches God condemn Judah for their actions. Isaiah is in the scene absorbing the sounds, the people, the energy of the moment. He not only hears the judgement over Judah, but he witnesses the tension rising. Isaiah can understand the fullness of the situation better than he would, had this just been a conversation.
Can you imagine what this must have done to Isaiah? Since this was much deeper than words, he knew the intensity of God’s convictions, and I am sure he was much more intense in his response because of it. Isaiah’s need to communicate this message with Judah had to have been more urgent having seen this scene.
I believe God used the prophets because He saw something unique within them. He saw their willingness to listen and then act on what God said. Can you imagine what would happen if we all actively listened to hear from God, and approached God, intending to move in what He asks of us?
Going Deeper
Have you ever experienced a vision? I hope so. If you have, and are willing, please share it in the comments below?
If not, I would encourage you to ask God for one. Sometimes they are as simple as seeing an image in your mind’s eye. Sometimes they are more elaborate and are like dreams while you are awake. Isaiah here is most likely what some would call a trance. I would define a trance as a vision where you actually feel you are there.
Anytime we seek to experience God in new ways, whether we have a vision or not, the seeking draws us closer and opens doors to different gifts He may have in store for you. Putting our need of control aside and asking God to move makes us vulnerable, but in that state of openness, God can and will do amazing things.
Prayer
“Lord, thank you that you want to have a relationship with each of us. Thank you that you want to speak to us. Thank you, that you want to draw us closer to yourself. I ask that each of us would experience you in new ways. That we would seek you and desire to know you more intimately. I then ask for the courage to move in what you reveal. God, we want to serve you the best we can. Mold us and make us exactly as you want us. In Jesus’ holy and precious name. Amen,”
Listening is the key to hearing from God. Whether we see a vision or not, He tells us we are His sheep and we can hear His voice. Simeon and Anna heard God and were among the first to see the Christ Child because they spent so much time in prayer. Thanks for sharing this beautiful post.
Barbara, Anna is one of my favorite women in the Bible. What an incredible answer to both of their prayers.
Im so glad God still speaks to us today. We all just need to take the time to slow down and listen.
Karen, me too! Slowing down is much easier said than done.
Jennifer-thank you for sharing! Just the other night I had a dream that I was driving off a cliff. As the ground was approaching, I thought to myself, well this is it. I will get to go to heaven. And then a huge wind blew from under the car and picked it up and put it back on the cliff. Not sure what it means…does that car represent my family? My church? Whatever it was, I woke up filled with hope!
Wow Cathy, that is incredible. My first thought was the wind being the hand of God and Him lifting you and protecting you. Either way, waking up with hope is a great way to wake up. Thank you for sharing.
Jen, your well-researched article was so helpful to me. I am, at this moment seeking something specific and new from God and you’ve encouraged me to keep at it. Thank you!
Annie, thank you for sharing. I will join you in praying for God to answer.
This is so good…“Putting our need of control aside and asking God to move makes us vulnerable, but in that state of openness, God can and will do amazing things.” My prayer is to move aside, be open to His leading and allow God work through me. Wonderful post.
Beautiful post and I prayed for the young girl too.
My husband and I do lots of short term mission work. Once time, at a conference, I had a vision. The hall of the church was filled with beautiful gems of all shapes, sizes and colors. I had a broom and dust pan in my hands and God asked me to sweep up His precious gems and care for them. I still cry when I think about it. And I still try to do my best to care for them.
I pray that God will help me listen better–to His guidance and His purpose for me. Lack of listening is a major problem in society, in our relationships, and most especially, not listening to God. Thank you for your compelling message.