by Doreen Kajulu | 13 November 2023 08:46 pm11
Question: I had a dream where I was at church, and I was the bride. The pastor told me to leave and cut my nails before coming back to get married. What does this mean?
Answer: Let’s break this down with some theological insights from the Bible.
Deuteronomy 21:10-13 (NKJV):
“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hands, and you take them captive,
11 and see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her as your wife,
12 then bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and cut her nails,
13 and put off the clothes of her captivity. She will stay in your house and mourn her father and mother for a full month. After that, you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife.”
In the Bible, the act of cutting nails and shaving the head in this passage served as a symbol of breaking from the past. It marked a transition from captivity to freedom. When a woman was taken as a captive in war, she would be given a new identity and life. Her long nails symbolized her old life—her captivity—and by cutting them, she was being prepared for a new life as part of a new community, in this case, marriage.
In the ancient world, long nails on women were a sign of their previous life, which in the case of the captives, was one of bondage. The act of cutting nails was symbolic of freedom and new beginnings. It was like shedding the old to embrace something new. Spiritually, it signifies a person being set free from the old ways of life and embracing a new life in Christ.
Theologically speaking, this can be linked to the concept of spiritual liberation found in the Bible. Just as the woman was freed from captivity, believers in Christ are freed from the bondage of sin.
In
John 8:34 (NKJV), Jesus says,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.”
Sin causes spiritual bondage, making a person a slave to sin and its consequences. When the Bible speaks of freedom in Christ, it refers to the liberation from sin’s control and the transformation of one’s life. Just as the woman in the Bible left behind her old life of captivity, believers are called to leave behind their life of sin and embrace the new life that Jesus offers.
Romans 6:18 (NIV) confirms this:
“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”
This freedom is essential for those entering into a relationship with God, whether it’s in the form of marriage or a personal walk with Him.
So, if you are a woman and you dream that a pastor told you to cut your nails before returning to get married, this could symbolize that there are spiritual bondages or areas of your life where sin has kept you in captivity. The act of cutting your nails in the dream would represent the need for spiritual freedom and release from the chains that hold you back. Before entering into the covenant of marriage or any important new phase in life, it’s crucial that you experience this spiritual release.
In
Acts 2:38 (NKJV), Peter instructs the crowd:
“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Repentance and baptism are essential in breaking the spiritual chains of sin. Repentance involves turning away from sinful behavior and making a conscious decision to follow God. Baptism, when done in obedience to Christ’s command, symbolizes the believer’s identification with His death, burial, and resurrection.
Through baptism, we are spiritually “set free” from the power of sin and are given a new identity in Christ. This act of spiritual cleansing prepares the believer for new beginnings—much like the woman in the Bible who, after cutting her nails and mourning her past, could then enter into a new life.
In conclusion, long nails represent the bondage of sin and the old way of life. If you dream that you need to cut your nails before entering marriage, it signifies that there are spiritual or personal bondages (likely sins or unresolved issues) that need to be broken. True freedom comes through repentance, baptism, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
As
John 8:36 (NKJV) says,
“If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
Before moving forward into any new spiritual or life commitment, ensure you have been spiritually set free from the bondage of sin. Don’t rely on religion or denominational labels; focus on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the true source of freedom.
God bless you.
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