Snakes are loved and hated in almost equal measure. However, even the snake lovers will agree that these are not the animals to toy around with. A bite from a venous snake will take you to the ER and if not attended to in good time, it could prove fatal. This, coupled with the fact that the devil used a snake to tempt Eve has made this animal to be seen as a symbol of evil. This is why most Christians dread the thought of dreaming about snakes
What Does Dreaming About Snakes Symbolize?
Seeing snakes in dreams can carry all manner of symbolism. It could symbolize a spiritual attack that is in the offing or the presence of some sort of evil. This is because, in the Bible, snakes are used to symbolize deception, temptation, and spiritual warfare.
It is worth noting that the interpretation of the dream will vary depending on the context. So not all snake appearances in dreams stand for evil. For instance, if you have a pet snake, it is plausible that you will dream of it. Also, if you watch a documentary or movie on snakes, you might dream of snakes that night. Such dreams can be thought of as the subconscious mind replaying the events of the day. This is the kind of dream that was referred to in the book of Ecclesiastes
For a dream cometh through the multitude of business. Ecclesiastes 5:3a
Even in situations where you are sure the dream has nothing to do with the events of the day, it is best to approach dream interpretation prayerfully. You will need to ask for the gift of discernment because not all dreams are the same. Sometimes, two people can have similar dreams and yet they might have different interpretations. But if you prayerfully seek for God’s wisdom in interpreting the dream, you will get it. We see the example of Daniel and how he requested prayer support from his friends. After spending time in prayer, God revealed the interpretation of the dream to Daniel who then presented it to the king as he had promised (Daniel 2:42-49).
The book of James makes it clear that anyone who lacks wisdom should ask God because God gives wisdom liberally to anyone who asks (James 1:5-8). So the first step in understanding the meaning of snakes in your dream is to ask for God’s wisdom. That said, there are some common symbolisms that we can use to interpret dreams of snakes. Let us have a look at some of these below.
Symbol of Deception
If we use the law of first mention, we can view snakes as symbols of deception. We know this because the first time a snake is mentioned in the Bible is when it was used by the devil to deceive Eve.
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Genesis 3:13
Granted, it was not the serpent that deceived Eve – it was the devil who was just using the serpent as a vessel. Some scholars even believe that it was the devil representing himself as a serpent because that was a creature that Eve was familiar with in the garden. Either way, the serpent has since been used as a symbol of deception.
The devil is a master of deception and the Bible warns us in several places to be wary of his deception. For instance, when writing to the Corinthian church, Paul warns them that the devil can even masquerade as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). It is also possible for God to warn you of the enemy’s deception through a dream.
Symbol of Judgement and Mercy
When Israel was wandering in the wilderness, God provided for all their needs. He gave them a pillar of cloud to shade them from the scorching heat of the desert during the day and a pillar of fire to keep them warm during the cold nights. Additionally, he miraculously provided water, bread, and meat. However, the Israelites were ungrateful and even complained by telling Moses that they were sick of the manna. God was so furious with their ungratefulness that he decided to release judgment.
Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. Numbers 21:6
From this context, we can infer that snakes can symbolize God’s judgment. This means that the appearance of snakes in your dream could be indicative of looming judgment.
After the snakes bit the Israelites and lots of them died, God had mercy on the people and decided to end the judgment. He instructed Moses to make a brazen serpent He then told the Israelites to look at the brazen serpent and they would be healed.
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. Numbers 21:8-9
This is the symbolism that is often used by hospitals and other organizations that work in the health industry. So, on one hand, the snake was a symbol of judgment while on the other hand, it was a symbol of mercy. The same can be true of serpents that appear in dreams. In some instances, they may symbolize God’s judgment but in other instances, they may symbolize God’s mercy.
Conclusion
To sum it up, the snake mostly represents evil. This is because the Bible mostly uses the snake as a symbol of the devil or his evil work. However, in rare cases, the snake may also be a symbol of God’s mercy and healing grace. This means that seeing a snake in your dream can be both good and bad depending on the context. This is why you should rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to interpret the dream.
