I recently had a dream about my father smiling at me. Since I have always had a close relationship with him, I did not put much thought into it. I just called him up the following day to check on him.
However, when I told him the call was triggered by a dream I had about him, he got curious to know the details. Well, this was no surprise since he is a gifted dream interpreter.
His interpretations were fascinating and aroused my curiosity. I drove home over the weekend to hear more about such dreams. Since I learned so much, I decided to write this post to educate you, too.
So, let’s delve into the Biblical meaning of dreaming about your father.
It is Crystal clear that the father figure has been used in the scripture sufficiently to symbolize authority, although they are rarely featured in dreams in the Bible. From such a perspective, some Christian theologians associate fathers in dreams with authority, wise counsel, protection, and support. However, the interpretations vary significantly, depending on the unfolding of events in the dream, the interpreters’ cultural and religious beliefs, and their conceptualization of the scripture.
Stay in touch as I navigate the Biblical meaning of dreaming about your father. We will explore what fathers represent in dreams, spiritual reasons for having father-featured dreams, scriptures about such dreams, and scriptural interpretation of specific father-featured dreams.
Also, the article addresses different cultures’ superstitions on father-featured dreams on top of the appropriate actions to take upon having such dreams.
Let’s roll.
What do fathers represent in dreams?
Like their female parental counterparts, fathers can symbolize a wide spectrum of meanings depending on the dreamer’s relationship with their father.
Some believe peaceful manifestations of father figures in dreams can symbolize an individual’s patriarchy or even whom they acknowledge as their supreme being, regardless of their denomination.
Equally, some dream specialists link father figures in dreams with autonomy, support, discipline, or protection. Equally, fathers can stand for resentment, disappointment, and anger to some interpreters in dreams featuring an unhappy father.
Fathers’ symbolism in dreams is subjective on the mood and the dreamer’s correlation with their father figure.
Spiritual reasons why you are dreaming about your father
You are in need of guidance
Interpreters suggest that having father-featured dreams in which you receive directives on doing something from him symbolizes that you need guidance in your day-to-day activities.
A father figure is crucial in an individual’s upbringing as fathers advise them to execute some tasks and face societal anticipations. In turn, developing individuals perceive their fathers as idols and role models to look upon when having a complex encounter.
Once established, some interpreters believe such father-child correlation manifests in dreams whenever the dreamer faces a new encounter requiring interventions from an experienced party.
In Genesis 37:10, Joseph receives weird dreams he has not encountered before and ends up sharing the dreams with his father for interpretation and guidance: “When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, ‘What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?'”
You need reconciliation with your supreme being
Father-featured dreams could also be characterized by more symbolic and less personal correlational meanings. For some individuals, your father’s appearance in your dreams may stand for a far more supreme and authoritative discipline than himself.
In many scriptural instances, for example, in Mathew 7:11, Mark 11:25, and Luke 11:13, among others, the phrase “Father in heaven” has been used in the Bible to refer to God, proving that a father figure does not necessarily have to be an individual’s biological father.
Interpreters perceive that dreams entailing reconciliations between you and your father, especially when you haven’t wronged him in any way, denote a necessitated reconciliation between you and your supreme being.
You need emulation
In an individual’s upbringing, fathers play a key demonstrative role in showing how things are done properly to them.
Some are convinced that dreams entailing a step-by-step demonstration by a father denote to individuals that they need emulation from a fatherly or authoritative figure: this can be from their biological father or God.
Mathew 5:48 urges believers to emulate their heavenly father in being perfect in all aspects: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Biblical messages of dreaming about your father
Dreams featuring fathers are rarely included in the Bible, but whenever included, they are accompanied by a significant meaning and purpose.
Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9 is one of the most outstanding dreams featuring a father in the Bible: “Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. ‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.'”
Though not directly featuring Joseph’s father, the dream was symbolic, entailing the moon, the star, and eleven stars bowing to Joseph.
Jacob, in the interpretation of the dream, unraveled that the dream meant that he, his wife, and their other eleven sons would bow down to Joseph.
The majority of believers perceive that the dream symbolizes Joseph’s future authority and power and the significance of obeying his father and family.
On another account, 1 Samuel 3:1-19 narrates Samuel’s vision from God focused on his father figure, Eli. Samuel received God’s vision while sleeping, foreshadowing an impending doom on his priest and father figure, as the priest’s sons had blasphemed God.
Though some Christians and theologians may argue that God’s manifestation to Samuel was not in the form of a dream but as a vision as mentioned in the Bible, it can be argued to be a dream considering that the manifestations only occurred after Samuel had been instructed to go and lie down.
Some Christians are convinced that the dream conveys the message of striving to listen to God’s message regardless of the message’s unfamiliarity.
Specific dreams about father and their biblical meanings
Believers should note that the Bible does not outline criteria for deducing and unraveling hidden dream meanings at any given point.
Therefore, they should rely on God-given knowledge and wisdom to unravel what dreams symbolize upon encountering dreams that are difficult to decode.
Dreaming of a deceased father
Dreaming of a deceased father is perceived by interpreters to be accompanied by a negative unfolding of events. Dream interpreters relate the dream to extensive financial instability.
The dream can be used to restrain individuals from unnecessary expenditures.
Dreaming about your father talking to you
Some interpreters perceive talking to your father in a dream symbolizes an exchange of ideas. However, some are convinced that it means that you are faring well in your daily activities and should keep at it.
Dreaming of playing with daddy
Playing with your father in a dream conveys different messages depending on your age and nature of playing.
Some believe that envisioning yourself while a kid in a dream stipulates that you need to grow, whereas having reasonable fun in the play urges you not to take everything with seriousness.
Dreaming of hugging father
A dream of a subject hugging his father is interpreted almost in the same way as its literal meaning. Generally, father-child embracing stands for love between the two involved parties.
Most dream interpreters perceive that the dream indicates that the subject is loved and protected by their immediate close persons.
Dreaming of an angry father
According to some, dreams containing angry parents addressing you symbolize a potential error in your recent decision, hence the necessity to revise them.
On the other hand, some Christians are inclined to believe that the angry father in the dream represents a supreme being or your consciousness warning against the wrong decision.
Dreaming of fighting with father
Some dream interpreters perceive that episodes of violent father-featured dreams between you and your dad denote a potential disagreement with your parents.
Also, they are convinced that the extent of the dispute between you and your father in the dream foreshadows the extent of your dispute in real life.
Dreaming about a crying father
Some dream interpreters are certain that Father-featured dreams entailing a crying father show significant disappointment from the parent. Contrariwise, some oneirocritics are convinced that such dreams show unfulfilled hopes from the dreamer.
From their perspective, such dreams can be used to warn individuals against unnecessary hopes that might result in their disappointment.
Dreaming of seeing Father smile
In contrast to dreams of an angry father in dreams, dreams featuring a smiling father are perceived by some interpreters to denote the possibility of a fruitful decision in your recently executed decisions.
From such a vantage point, dreams with a smiling father assure its subjects that their recent decisions will yield positive results beyond their anticipations.
Dreaming of my father being sick
In conformity with the general cultural perspective of a sick dying father in a dream for Asian cultures, oneirocritics perceive that dreams featuring a sick father foreshadow their long and healthy life.
In contrast to its literal meaning, the dream’s interpretation conveys a positive message to its subject, both from an Asian cultural perspective and a general oneirocritic perspective.
Dreaming about an absent father
Unlike many other dream interpreters’ beliefs about father-featured dreams that relate to personal relations between the subject and their father figure, dreaming about an absent father is perceived by interpreters to denote the absence of authority, guidance, and support.
Dreaming of a dead father
Strange enough, some oneirocritics believe that dreaming of a dead father is accompanied by the unfolding of good events in real life. From their viewpoint, the dream can denote prudent-related characteristics in your occupation or financial projects.
Dreaming of a deceased father
In contrast to the negative interpretations that might come into your mind while trying to attach meaning to a dream featuring a deceased father, some interpreters believe dreaming of a deceased father indicates exceptional health for your close family members.
They also believe that the proper health foreshadowed by the dream encompasses the health of the dreamer.
Superstitions and meanings of dreaming about your father in different cultures
Different cultures hold their own beliefs and superstitions concerning dreams, which vary significantly from those from other cultures.
It is also complex to decipher where such interpretations emanated from or how they came into existence.
However, if you ever sought what your father-featured dreams might be symbolizing, then here are some common dream interpretations from different cultures:
China
Chinese father-featured dream deciphering and interpreting vary extensively from that of other cultures. For instance, Chinese dream interpreters perceive dreaming of being abandoned by your father or any other family member as not as awful as it sounds.
From their perspective, dreaming of abandonment by a close family member means that the love between the involved parties in the dream will grow significantly.
From their perspective, dreaming of your father dying is interpreted as your father’s healthy and long life.
Nepal
Just like other people’s cultural beliefs and superstitions, Nepali culture entails its bad omen dreams and those that signify luck.
For instance, Nepal dream interpreters are inclined to think that seeing a naked person in a dream, especially your father, signifies an advent disaster.
Such disasters might include the demise of a close person, such as a friend or relative.
Thailand
In Thai, dreams are generally interpreted oppositely to their literal meaning. For instance, Thai dream interpreters are certain that seeing a dead body of a close person in your dreams, such as your father’s, denotes that you will have an unexpected luck soon.
On the contrary, they perceive that kissing your father is associated significantly with bad omen. Like many other cultures, Thai traditional oneirocritics perceive losing a tooth in a dream as associated with the demise of a close family member.
Concerning translators’ beliefs about losing teeth in dreams, Thai culture is relatively clearer than other cultures, as losing an upper-row tooth in a dream is believed to foreshadow the death of the father or a paternal relative.
Should you be worried if you encounter your father in your dreams?
According to dream specialists, individuals should or should not get worried upon encountering their father in a dream, depending on the nature of the dream and whether the parent still exists in the physical realm.
For some Christians, worrying about a father encounter in a dream is rational, especially if the father died. In 1 Corinthians 15:50-51, the scripture clearly states that flesh and blood (live body) cannot inherit God’s Kingdom (spiritual realm). Indirectly, the scripture forbids any interactions between the physical and spiritual dimensions.
Therefore, one should be worried if they encounter their dead father in a dream, regardless of the literal or hidden meaning of the dream.
Equally, individuals believe worrying is justifiable when the dream’s literal and hidden meaning foreshadows an impending danger.
Such dreams may include ones conveying a direct destructive message, such as property loss or damage. Other such dreams may include dreams warning of a potential death of a close person; for instance, the father himself or the father figure is used in predicting the death of another family member.
What should you do when you dream about your father?
As per dream specialists, the initial step upon dreaming about your father is deciphering the dream to unravel its literal and hidden meaning. The difficulty of the dream-decoding process may vary depending on the complexity of the dream and the symbols incorporated within the dream.
Dream specialists are inclined that for effective decoding and interpretation of the dream, you should write down the dream to preserve its details, which may be lost as time passes.
Writing the dream as much detail as possible eases the entire interpretation phase. Secondly, they believe you should identify any symbols or themes from the written details that can help in the general interpretation phase.
Also, they perceive that considering your relationship with the parent will accelerate the interpretation phase, as many themes and details are embedded in your correlation with the parent.
On the other hand, most Christians believe praying for guidance from the Holy Spirit ensures the final interpretation is valid and easy to understand.
The scripture in Daniel 1:17 stipulates that the knowledge and wisdom of understanding all sorts of dilemmas, wonderments, and works of literature emanate from God: “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.”
From such a vantage point, some Christians are convinced that it is wise for you to entrust all your dilemmas to him so that he may empower you with the necessary wisdom to unravel secrets.
Equally, another spectrum of believers is convinced that you should consult with God’s chosen people to help you decode a dream, especially if its complexity supersedes your understanding.
Such approaches were adopted by people in the New and Old Testaments by relying on God’s prophets and apostles to unravel dreams’ and visions’ hidden messages.
Upon successive interpretation of the message embedded in the dream, cultural and professional oneirocritics and religious specialists believe you should share the message with the necessary parties.
These can include the involved parties in the dream or clerics and other religious leaders who can reasonably intervene.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
