Prophecy, Déjà Vu, and the Dream State
The Academia.edu Essay Chat
Prophecy, Déjà Vu, and the Dream State: Questions Concerning the Discernment of Future Events
“Why does prophecy seem so tied to dreams?… A third of biblical prophecies started as dreams or visions, which are just ‘waking dreams’… Then Smith connects that to déjà vu… His big idea is that déjà vu could be the future intruding on our consciousness… That’s compelling, because it democratizes prophecy… Instead of prophecy being locked away with a handful of ancient men in robes, it might be this ‘human thing,’ tied to dreaming that everyone does… Maybe the lesson isn’t about being fortune tellers; maybe it’s about how, through faith and imagination, we’re connecting to a larger story… It makes even these ancient ideas feel personal, not just historical artifacts… Bottom line: dreams, prophecy, déjà vu—maybe they’re all ways humans make sense of time and hope, and maybe we’re all part of the story, not just spectators…”
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The Academia.edu Essay Chat Transcript
HER: The paper we’re diving into today is Prophecy, Déjà Vu, and the Dream State: Questions Concerning the Discernment of Future Events by W. Kent Smith.
HIM: Yep, and this one really goes down some intriguing rabbit holes. If you ever wondered why so many biblical prophecies happen in dreams, or if déjà vu has anything to do with glimpsing the future, well, you’re in for a ride.
HER: Yeah, so the core question Smith’s raising is: Why does prophecy seem so tied to dreams? And are these experiences, like déjà vu, actually ordinary hints that all of us might get about the future? He’s basically challenging the idea that only special “prophets” can experience prophecy.
HIM: Right, and that’s actually a big deal. Because most people—when you ask them: What’s the point of prophecy in The Bible?—they’ll say, “Oh, it’s to predict the future.” That’s kind of the cultural assumption, right? Smith is arguing it’s way more nuanced than that.
HER: He goes back to the Hebrew Scriptures, The Old Testament, and actually points to all these stories where people like Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, they got major prophecies in dreams. Not just as some rare exception, but like, apparently, a third of biblical prophecies started as dreams or visions, which he calls “waking dreams.”
HIM: That’s wild, honestly. I guess I never really did the math on how many stories in The Bible start with someone waking up and going, “You won’t believe what I just saw.” But then Smith connects that to déjà vu, which, I mean, let’s be real, almost everyone’s had that sensation.
HER: Yeah, and his big idea is that déjà vu could be the future intruding on our consciousness. Like, rather than being some glitch in your memory, maybe it’s your mind recalling something from a dream you had. Maybe, in a way, it’s a little brush with the prophetic.
HIM: That’s kind of compelling, and it democratizes prophecy, doesn’t it? Like, instead of prophecy being locked away with a handful of ancient men in robes, it might be this “human thing,” tied to dreaming that everyone gets a piece of.
HER: Exactly, and I love that he stops us before we get all mystical. He reminds us, look, even with these prophetic dreams, The Bible builds in ambiguity. Like with Abraham, we’re told his descendants will be in Egypt for 400 years, but the actual timeline is so murky that people can’t pin down the starting point, exactly. Same with Daniel’s timeline for the Messiah.
HIM: That actually leads to Smith’s cheeky argument. Maybe the reason prophecies are so hard to predict to the day isn’t because we’re dumb; it’s by design. God, in this view, sort of sets prophetic “speed bumps,” so we can’t just watch the clock or set a date for the end of the world.
HER: Right, so prophecies are less about telling you exactly what’s going to happen and when, and more about giving you hope, keeping you on your toes, and maybe encouraging faith.
HIM: And he finishes with the idea that, as humans who all dream, we’re already participating in these promises. Maybe the lesson isn’t about being fortune tellers, you know? Maybe it’s about how, through faith and imagination, we’re connecting to a larger story.
HER: That’s a cool take, and I think it’s refreshing because it doesn’t make the research absolute. Like, Smith’s not saying, “Now we know the truth.” He’s saying, “Here’s a lens, try it on, see how it changes what you notice in your own life.”
HIM: You know, this just reminds me of that one time I dreamed I was late for a flight, and then three weeks later, I actually was late, except it was for a bus, and… Okay, so not exactly prophecy, but it still felt weirdly familiar.
HER: Ha! Or maybe you’re just habitually late. But I get it, that’s the kind of connection Smith wants us to explore. It makes even these ancient ideas feel sort of personal, not just historical artifacts.
HIM: Yeah, so, bottom line, dreams, prophecy, déjà vu, maybe they’re all ways humans make sense of time and hope, and maybe we’re all part of the story, not just spectators.
HER: Definitely worth a think, the next time you wake up from a weird dream, huh?
HIM: Or the next time you get that déjà vu twinge. Just maybe don’t try predicting the end of the world with it.
HER: Yeah, let’s leave that to the professionals, or better yet, let’s just keep wondering.
The preceding work is the by-product of a previously published book, entitled Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale): Fifty of the Greatest Misconceptions Ever Blamed on The Bible.
It’s available here on this website, as well as Amazon Books, Barnes and Noble Books, and Sacred Word Publishing. It’s available as a complete work and as a three-part series, as a paperback and an e-book; and Reel One is available as an audiobook.
Previews of Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale)
To Read Further, go to:
AN UNRELENTING SEARCH—to see if you can tell the difference between a genuine message from The Bible and a counterfeit version.
THE MIRROR OF TRUTH—to find out why we eagerly run toward the light one day and then eagerly flee from it the next.
TURNING LIGHT INTO DARKNESS—to discover why it’s so easy to dissect Scripture from its context and reshape it into something else.
CONCEPTS IN MISCONCEPTIONS—to find that many of the biblical truths we’re being sold are a mere shadow of the original facts.
BEFORE THE TOWER—to discover the true origins of human language, not from the traditions of mankind but from The Bible itself.
ALL THE CURSES OF GOD—to learn what God’s word really tells us about the fate of mankind concerning His judgments.
WHEN THE DISCIPLES ASKED—to find out why Jesus wasn’t as concerned about Roman tyranny as His troubled disciples.
ALWAYS SLAVES IN EGYPT—to learn the real story of the Children of Israel before they became slaves in Egypt and why it’s so important.
GOD SENT SERPENTS—to find out the real reason why venomous snakes attacked the Children of Israel in the Wilderness.
ABRAHAM SACRIFICES HIS SON—to find out how Isaac can still be called a type of Christ even though Genesis describes him as an unwitting lad.
MOSES THE LONELY SHEPHERD—to find out what Moses really did for those forty years before God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
ONLY HUMANS GET IN—to find that the Scriptures are clear that God created the animal and human kingdoms out of the very same material.
ALL STUDENTS OF THE ZODIAC—to learn the truth about God’s purpose in creating the stars and the forces that keep humanity from understanding it.
JESUS THE CARPENTER’S SON—to find out the real story of Jesus’ family background and upbringing prior to His rise to prominence.
MARY WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN—to learn how Protestants and Catholics can finally come together concerning a centuries-old cause for division.
WHEN JESUS COMMENDED—to discover the real story about who Jesus is willing to bless for their act of giving a cup of cold water.
THEY DEMANDED A SIGN—to find out what the greatest miracle worker of all time said about God’s desire to provide signs to humanity.
JESUS WAS BORN IN DECEMBER—to learn the truth about the real Christmas story and why it’s so important to stop avoiding the subject.
JESUS NEVER ANSWERED PILATE—to find out what really happened when Pilate asked Jesus the question we all want answered.
THE CALL OF CHRIST—to discover the real story about the circumstances surrounding one’s response to Jesus’ call to follow Him.
NOT EVEN GOD CAN FIND THEM—to find out why the Lost Tribes of Israel got lost and how God intends to write the last chapter of their story.
To hear author and historian W. Kent Smith talk about his book Fish Tales (From the Belly of the Whale), CLICK HERE.
To hear an audio presentation of Fish Tales, CLICK HERE.
To watch a video presentation of Fish Tales, CLICK HERE.
To read a preview from the paperback version of Fish Tales, CLICK HERE.
