Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

VISION

A visual or auditory event which reveals something otherwise unknown. Visions and dreams are closely related in the ancient Near East in general, including the biblical tradition. They were an accepted means of communication and revelation throughout the history of Israel and in the early Christian Church. Visions occur throughout the OT, in the Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Though less frequent in the NT, they are important in Acts and Revelation. Visions are related to, yet distinct from, other revelatory phenomena such as theophanies, angelophanies, and heavenly journeys; in these, the emphasis is usually on the message conveyed or the secret revealed rather than on the image as in visions.

Visions may be classified into the following categories: visions of the deity or the divine council (Exod. 24:9-11; 1 Kgs. 22:19-23; Isa. 6; Ezek. 1:1-3, 15; Rev. 4:2-11); visions of other scenes or events which require no interpretation (1 Kgs. 22:17; Jer. 4:23-26; Ezek. 8–11, 40–48; Amos 7:1-3, 4-6; Zech. 2:1-5[MT 5-9]; 3:1-10; Acts 16:9-10); visions based on wordplays (Jer. 1:11-12; Amos 8:1-3); symbolic visions which require interpretation (Jer. 1:13-19; Ezek. 37:1-14; Dan. 7–8; Amos 7:7-9; Zech. 1:7–2:5[9]; 5:1-11; Acts 10:9-16); allegorical visions found primarily in apocalypses (Rev. 12, 17). The first two categories are often further delineated by whether or not the seer participates in the scene.

Certain elements are common to all types of vision accounts. They are usually narrated in the 1st person by the seer. As in dream accounts, there is often an introductory “frame” which provides the information on the date, time, and place where the vision occurred. This is followed by the narration of the contents of the vision and an interpretation, if necessary. The account often concludes by noting the reactions of the visionary.

In the OT visionary experiences are usually identified by nouns derived from the Hebrew roots rʾh or ḥzh. Some visions simply provide an occasion for an accompanying oracle. In these cases, the oracle carries the primary message, with the vision being secondary. In other instances, particularly in symbolic visions, the vision itself is the primary means of communication, often revealing future events.

The NT commonly uses Gk. hórama and optasía as well as the more general term eídos found in the narration of vision experiences. Vision accounts in the NT are found primarily in the books of Acts and Revelation and tend to be of the symbolic type. The apocalyptic books (Daniel and Revelation), in particular, tend toward highly symbolic or allegorical visions with vivid and even bizarre imagery.

Jenny Manasco Lowery

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

VISION

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)