The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Anjela Paje of Spokane, WA, from the tape, GC 1301-T, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 22."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1982. All Rights Reserved.

Question

Today, how are we, as Christians, to view dreams and astrology?

Answer

That stuff is out of the pit. Astrology. It is Satanic stuff. What it has with it is the power of suggestion. People who believe that, shape their lives around it. It does not do anything to them. They conform to it. You know, they begin to conform to it. It is the power of suggestion to change your life, but it is Satanic, of course. It is astronomically inaccurate. I mean, the cycles that they talk about aren't even true in terms of astronomy. The whole system is faulty. It doesn't work the way they claim it does to begin with. But, it is a Satanic way to suggest, so that the demons can have power and control human behavior. There is a lot written on that, too, and you might want to read some of the books that we have in the bookstore relative to that subject. I have spoken to it on several occasions.

As far as dreams are concerned, I think, basically, God is not, today, revealing things in dreams as He might have in the OT, when we were in a revelatory period and He was unfolding His word. We have what we need in the Word of God. Dreams are simply subconscious thoughts that reach the conscious level when you are asleep to some extent. Usually, dreams are a projection of fears or anxieties, tensions, hopes, ambitions, or whatever. But, I don't see dreams as the vehicle for God to reveal His truth to us. Now, it may be that you are going to have a dream that is connected to scripture because you have been studying it. It may be that the spirit of God might even prompt you to think a certain way in a dream. I know some people have had very fearful dreams and it has driven them to know Christ. So, the Lord may use those kinds of things, but I don't see them as a vehicle of His revelations.

Question continues

Thank you. Might we view astrology as worshipping the creation, rather than the creator as in Romans 1?

Answer

That is exactly part of it, sure.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur's Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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