Dictionaries :: Vision

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Vision:

(Luk 1:22), a vivid apparition, not a dream (Luk 24:23; Act 26:19; 2Cr 12:1).

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Vision:

vizh'-un (chazon, chizzayon, mar'ah; horama, optasia): Psychologists find that man is prevailingly and persistently "eye-minded." That is, in his waking life he is likely to think, imagine and remember in terms of vision. Naturally then, his dreaming is predominantly visual; so strongly visual, we are told, that it is not rare to find dreams defined as "trains of fantastic images." Whether man was made this way in order that God might communicate with him through dreams and visions is hardly worth debating; if the records of human life, in the Bible and out of it, are to be trusted at all, there is nothing better certified than that God has communicated with man in this way (Ps 89:19; Pr 29:18; compare Am 8:11,12; Ho 12:10). If one is disposed to regard the method as suited only to primitive peoples and superstitious natures, it still remains true that the experience is one associated with lives and characters of the most saintly and exalted kind (1Sa 3:1; Jer 1:11; Eze 1:1; Da 2:19; Ac 9:10; 10:3; 16:9).

The vision may come in one's waking moments (Da 10:7; Ac 9:7); by day (Cornelius, Ac 10:3; Peter, Ac 10:9 ff; compare Nu 24:4,16) or night (Jacob, Ge 46:2); but commonly under conditions of dreaming (Nu 12:6; Job 4:13; Da 4:9). The objects of vision, diverse and in some instances strange as they are, have usually their points of contact with experiences of the daily life. Thus Isaiah's vision of the seraphim (Isa 6:2) was doubtless suggested by familiar figures used in the decoration of the temple at Jerusalem; Paul's "man of Macedonia" (Ac 16:9) had its origin in some poor helot whom Paul had seen on the streets of Troas and who embodied for him the pitiful misery of the regions across the sea; and "Jacob's ladder" (Ge 28:12) was but a fanciful development of the terraced land which he saw sun-glorified before him as he went to sleep. Among the recurring objects of vision are natural objects-rivers, mountains, trees, animals-with which man has daily and hourly association.

The character of the revelation through vision has a double aspect in the Biblical narrative. In one aspect it proposes a revelation for immediate direction, as in the ease of Abram (Ge 15:2 and frequently); Lot (Ge 19:15); Balaam (Nu 22:22), and Peter (Ac 12:7). In another aspect it deals with the development of the Kingdom of God as conditioned by the moral ideals of the people; such are the prophetic visions of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Micah, and the apoealypses of Daniel and John. The revelation for immediate direction has many correspondences in the life of the devout in all ages; the prophetic vision, dealing in a penetrating way with the sources of national growth and decay, has its nearest approach in the deliverances of publicists and statesmen who are persuaded that the laws of God, as expressed in self-control, truth, justice, and brotherly love, are supreme, and that the nations which disregard them are marked for ultimate and speedy extinction.

From the nature of the vision as an instrument of divine communication, the seeing of visions is naturally associated with revivals of religion (Eze 12:21-25; Joe 2:28; compare Ac 2:17), and the absence of visions with spiritual decline (Isa 29:11,12; La 2:9; Eze 7:26; Mic 3:6).

One may see visions without being visionary in the bad sense of that word. The outstanding characters to whom visions were vouchsafed in the history of Israel-Abraham, Moses, Jacob, David, Isaiah, Jesus and Paul-were all men of action as well as sentiment, and it is manifest from any fair reading of their lives that their work was helped and not hindered by this aspect of their fellowship with God. For always the vision emphasizes the play of a spiritual world; the response of a man's spirit to the appeal of that world; and the ordering of both worlds by an "intelligent and compelling Power able to communicate Himself to man and apparently supremely interested in the welfare of man.

Written by Charles M. Stuart

Nave's Topical Bible

Vision: A Mode of Revelation

Num 12:6; 1Sa 3:1; 2Ch 26:5; Psa 89:19; Pro 29:18; Jer 14:14; 23:16; Dan 1:17; Hsa 12:10; Joe 2:28; Oba 1:1; Hab 2:2; Act 2:17

Vision: Of Abraham

Concerning his descendants,

Gen 15:1-17.

Vision: Of Jacob

Of the ladder with ascending and descending angels,

Gen 28:12;

at Beer-sheba,

Gen 46:2.

Vision: Of Joshua

Of the captain of the Lord's army,

Jos 5:13-15.

Vision: Of Moses

Of the burning bush,

Exd 3:2;

of the glory of God,

Exd 24:9-11; 33:18-23.

Vision: Of the Israelites

Of the manifestation of the glory of God,

Exd 24:10, 17; Hbr 12:18-21.

Vision: Of Balaam

In a trance,

Act 22:17-21.

See BALAAM

Vision: Of Elisha

At the transporting of Elijah,

2Ki 2:11.

Vision: Of Elisha's Servant

Of the chariots of the Lord,

2Ki 6:17.

Vision: Of Micaiah

Of the defeat of the Israelites; of the Lord on his throne; and of a lying spirit,

1Ki 22:17-23; 2Ch 18:16-22.

Vision: Of David

Of the angel of the Lord beside the threshing-floor of Ornan,

1Ch 21:15-18.

Vision: Of Job

Of a spirit,

Job 4:12-16.

Vision: Of Isaiah

Of the Lord and his glory in the temple,

Isa 6;

of the valley of vision,

Isa 22.

Vision: Of Jeremiah

Of an almond rod,

Jer 1:11;

of the seething pot,

Jer 1:13.

Vision: Of Ezekiel

Of the glory of God,

Eze 1:3, 12-14; 23;

of the roll,

Eze 2:9;

of the man of fire,

Eze 8; 9;

of the coals of fire,

Eze 10:1-7;

of the dry bones,

Eze 37:1-14;

of the city and temple,

Eze 40:48;

of the waters,

Eze 47:1-12.

Vision: Of Daniel

Of the four beasts,

Dan 7;

of the Ancient of Days,

Dan 7:9-27;

of the ram and the he-goat,

Dan 8;

of the angel,

Dan 10.

Vision: Of Amos

Of grasshoppers,

Amo 7:1, 2;

of fire,

Amo 7:4;

of a plumb-line,

Amo 7:7, 8;

of summer fruit,

Amo 8:1, 2;

of the temple,

Amo 9:1.

Vision: Of Zechariah

Of horses,

Zec 1:8-11;

of horns and carpenters,

Zec 1:18-21;

of the high priest,

Zec 3:1-5;

of the golden lampstand,

Zec 4;

of the flying roll,

Zec 5:1-4;

of the mountains and chariots,

Zec 6:1-8.

Vision: Of Zacharias

In the temple,

Luk 1:13-22.

Vision: Of John the Baptist

At the baptism of Jesus,

Mat 3:16; Mar 1:10; Luk 3:22; Jhn 1:32-34.

Vision: Peter, James, and John

Of the transfiguration of Jesus and the appearance of Moses and Elijah,

Mat 17:1-9; Luk 9:28-36.

Vision: Of the People

Of the tongues of fire at Pentecost,

Act 2:2, 3.

Vision: Of Stephen

Of Christ,

Act 7:55, 56.

Vision: Of Paul

Of Christ, on the way to Damascus,

Act 9:3-6; 1Cr 9:1;

of Ananias,

Act 9:12;

of a man of Macedonia, saying, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us,"

Act 16:9;

in Corinth,

Act 18:9, 10;

in a trance,

Act 22:17-21;

of paradise,

2Cr 12:1-4.

Vision: Of Ananias

Of Christ,

Act 9:10-12.

Vision: Of Cornelius, the Centurion

Of an angel,

Act 10:3.

Vision: Of Peter

Of the sheet which was lowered from the sky,

Act 10:9-18.

Vision: Of John on the Island of Patmos

The book of Revelation

Of christ and the golden lampstands,

Rev 1:10-20;

the open door,

Rev 4:1;

a rainbow and the throne,

Rev 4:2, 3;

the twenty-four elders,

Rev 4:4;

the seven lamps,

Rev 4:5;

the sea of glass,

Rev 4:6;

the four living creatures,

Rev 4:6-8;

the book with seven seals,

Rev 5:1-5;

the golden vials,

Rev 5:8;

the six seals,

Rev 6;

the four horses,

Rev 6:2-8;

the earthquake and the celestial phenomena,

Rev 6:12; 14;

the four angels,

Rev 7:1;

the sealing of the one hundred and forty-four thousand,

Rev 7:2-8;

the seventh seal and the seven angels,

Rev 8:11;

the censer,

Rev 8:5;

the hail and fire,

Rev 8:7;

the mountain that was thrown into the sea,

Rev 8:8, 9;

the falling star,

Rev 8:10, 11; 9:1;

one-third of the sun, the moon, and the stars were darkened,

Rev 8:12;

the bottomless pit,

Rev 9:2;

the locusts,

Rev 9:3-11;

the four angels released from the Euphrates river,

Rev 9:14;

the army of horsemen,

Rev 9:16-19;

the angel that had a book,

Rev 10:1-10;

the seven thunders,

Rev 10:3, 4;

the measurement of the temple,

Rev 11:1, 2;

the two witnesses,

Rev 11:3-12;

the court of the Gentiles,

Rev 11:2;

the two olive trees and the two lampstands,

Rev 11:4;

the beast that came up out of the bottomless pit,

Rev 11:7;

the fall of the city,

Rev 11:13;

the second and third woes,

Rev 11:14;

the woman clothed with the sun; the birth of the male infant,

Rev 12;

the red dragon,

Rev 12:3-17;

the war in heaven,

Rev 12:7-9;

the beast rising out of the sea,

Rev 13:1-10;

the beast coming out of the earth,

Rev 13:11-18;

the Lamb on Mount Zion,

Rev 14:1-5;

the angel having the everlasting gospel,

Rev 14:6, 7;

the angel proclaiming the fall of Babylon,

Rev 14:8-13;

the Son of man with a sickle,

Rev 14:14-16;

the angel reaping the harvest,

Rev 14:14-20;

the angel coming out of the temple,

Rev 14:17-19;

the angel having power over fire,

Rev 14:18;

the vine and the winepress,

Rev 14:18-20;

the angels with the seven last plagues,

Rev 15;

the sea of glass,

Rev 15:2;

the temple opened,

Rev 15:5;

the plague upon the men who had the mark of the beast,

Rev 16:2;

the sea turned into blood,

Rev 16:3;

the seven angels with the seven vials of the wrath of God,

Rev 16; 17;

the destruction of Babylon,

Rev 18;

the multitude praising,

Rev 19:1-9;

the one who is faithful and true, riding a white horse,

Rev 19:11-16;

the angel in the sun,

Rev 19:17-21;

Satan bound for one-thousand years,

Rev 20:1-3;

the thrones of judgment, and the resurrection, and the release of Satan,

Rev 20:1-10;

the great white throne,

Rev 20:11;

the opening of the book of life,

Rev 20:12;

death and hell (gehenna),

Rev 20:14;

the New Jerusalem,

Rev 21;

the river of life,

Rev 22:1;

the tree of life,

Rev 22:2.

Vision: Reference Concerning

See DREAM

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Vision:

"that which is seen" (horao), denotes

(a) "a spectacle, sight," Mat 17:9; Act 7:31 ("sight");

(b) "an appearance, vision," Act 9:10 (ver. 12 in some mss.); Act 10:3, 17, 19; 11:5; 12:9; 16:9, 10; 18:9.

Vision:

"sense of sight," is rendered "visions" in Act 2:17; Rev 9:17.
See LOOK, B.

Vision:

(a late form of opsis, "the act of seeing"), from optano, "to see, a coming into view," denotes a "vision" in Luk 1:22; 24:23; Act 26:19; 2Cr 12:1.