Have you ever had a dream about an animal and wondered what it meant? These types of dreams can have a powerful impact, and understanding the biblical meaning of animals in dreams can provide spiritual insight.
In this guide, we’ll explore the significance of animals in the bible and how to interpret them. Are you ready to uncover the hidden messages in your dreams?
Animals In The Bible And Their Meaning
Animals are used throughout the Bible in stories and as symbols. Analyzing the biblical meaning of animals provides insight into Scripture and how God communicates with us.
Here are some common animals found in the Bible and their symbolic significance:
| Animal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dove | Peace, purity, Holy Spirit |
| Eagle | Strength, courage, renewal |
| Lamb | Innocence, sacrifice, Jesus Christ |
| Lion | Power, sovereignty, leadership |
| Ox | Service, sacrifice, provision |
| Serpent | Deceit, temptation, evil |
| Sheep | Submission, trust, followers |
Doves often represented peace, purity, and the Holy Spirit in the Bible. After the flood, Noah sent out a dove which returned with an olive branch to show the land was near (Genesis 8:11). Jesus was blessed by the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove (Mark 1:10).
Eagles symbolize strength, courage, and renewal. Isaiah compared those who hope in the Lord to eagles rising up with new strength (Isaiah 40:31). In Revelation, a flying eagle symbolized God’s judgments on the earth (Revelation 8:13).
Lambs portrayed innocence and were used in sacrificial offerings. Jesus was compared to a lamb led to slaughter (Jeremiah 11:19) and called the “Lamb of God” as the ultimate sacrifice for sins (John 1:29).
Lions represented power and sovereignty. Jesus is called the “Lion of Judah” (Revelation 5:5), and Satan is compared to a prowling, roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). Daniel was saved by God when thrown into a lions’ den (Daniel 6).
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
– Anatole France
Oxen signified service, sacrifice, and provision due to their use in agriculture. God commanded the Israelites not to muzzle an ox treading grain, allowing it to eat (Deuteronomy 25:4).
Serpents symbolized deceit and temptation, as the devil took the form of a serpent to tempt Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1). Jesus told his disciples to be “as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).
Sheep represented followers and those who hear God’s voice. Jesus is the good shepherd (John 10:11), and believers are compared to sheep following the shepherd and listening to his voice (John 10:27).
Analyzing the deeper scriptural or spiritual meaning of animals in Scripture provides greater insight into God’s messages and wisdom for how to live our lives.
Meaning Of Animals In Dreams: Biblical References
In the Bible, animals are often used to represent divine forces and concepts. Dreaming of animals can symbolize a person’s feelings, emotions, and thoughts.
They can also serve as a reminder to trust in God seek His guidance, and represent situations or people that are in need of sacred protection.
Bobcats
Bobcats prowl silently and keep to themselves, only seeking others when looking to mate.
If a bobcat appears in your dream, it may represent hidden emotions or parts of yourself you have kept private and restrained.
Biblically, the bobcat symbolizes:
- Seclusion, isolation, or shyness
- Furtiveness and stealthy maneuvers
- Ferocity when cornered or protecting territory
“For you were like those who creep into dark holes, and you thought, ‘No one sees me’”
– (Job 34:8)
Dragons
Dragons represent sinister forces seeking harm or the need to confront evil in biblical symbolism.
If you see a dragon in your dream, ask yourself where you may be facing struggles or opposition in your life journey.
The dragon may be the embodiment of temptation, toxic thoughts, or sabotaging habits you need to overcome.
Dragons symbolize:
- Sinister forces
- The need to confront evil
- Temptation or toxic thoughts to overcome
“In that day the Lord will take his terrible, swift sword and punish Leviathan, the swiftly moving serpent, the coiling, writhing serpent. He will kill the dragon of the sea”
– (Isaiah 27:1)
Vultures
Seeing vultures in a dream can indicate danger, curses, or death in biblical interpretation.
It may signal a toxic situation you need to remove yourself from or could represent feelings of being mentally “picked apart.” However, vultures also symbolize cleansing and purification, as they consume dead carcasses.
The vulture’s appearance may encourage you to get rid of unwanted influences and regenerate.
Vultures represent:
- Danger or death
- Curses
- Purification
- The need to regenerate
“Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will gather”
– (Matthew 24:28)
Fish
Fish symbolize Christianity, spiritual nourishment, luck, and the quarters of the earth in biblical meaning.
Encountering fish in dreams suggests intangible insights or direction in life. Specific fish also hold meaning:
- Whales represent the church or faith community
- Large fish signify career obstacles that require perseverance to overcome
- Small fish represent ideas or insights from Christ
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”
– (Matthew 4:19)
Horses
Horses represent power, grace, dignity, drive, and stamina in biblical symbolism.
A horse dream may signal it’s time to tame unbridled passions, redirect your energy into positive outlets, overcome obstacles, or patiently carry a burden.
Alternatively, it may suggest feeling forced to rapidly achieve goals.
Horses symbolize:
- Power
- Grace, dignity
- Drive, stamina
- Taming passion
- Overcoming obstacles
“He got a donkey for himself and his child and said to the servant, ‘Lead on; and put the child on the donkey.’ Then he proceeded to lead the donkey”
– (2 Samuel 16:2)
Rats
Rats suggest disease, greed, death, pestilence, lack, and deterioration in biblical meaning. If rats appear in a dream, you may harbor fears related to loss, poverty, or illness.
However, it could suggest you need to rid yourself of corrupting influences eating away at your transcendental well-being.
Rats represent:
- Disease
- Greed, death, pestilence
- Lack and deterioration
- Loss, poverty, illness
- Corrupting influences
“There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths”
– (Job 24:13)
Lizards
As symbols of darkness and cold-bloodedness, lizards may represent heartlessness, dangerous threats, or toxic emotions in biblical interpretation.
Their appearance in dreams is a call to stay vigilant against inner traps and Satan’s schemes. Lizards suggest the ability to detach from negative situations.
Lizards symbolize:
- Darkness
- Cold-bloodedness
- Heartlessness
- Dangerous threats
- Toxic emotions
- Staying vigilant
“The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings’ palaces”
– (Proverbs 30:28)
Insects
Insects like locusts and grasshoppers signify destruction, carelessness, chaos, massive problems, or annoyances in biblical meaning.
Take their presence in a dream as a warning to get your life in order and prepare for impending trials. But also remember that challenges help you grow.
Insects like locusts and grasshoppers represent:
- Destruction
- Carelessness, chaos
- Massive problems, annoyances
- Impending trials and growth
“The locusts have no king, Yet all of them go out in ranks”
– (Proverbs 30:27)
Chickens
Chickens represent maternal instincts, fertility, and provision in biblical symbolism.
A chicken dream may suggest it’s time to nourish your inner child, be more nurturing towards others, or carefully tend to plans so they come to fruition.
The hen sheltering her chicks under her wings depicts God’s protective love.
Chickens signify:
- Maternal instincts
- Fertility
- Provision
- Nurturing yourself and others
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you. How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling”
– (Matthew 23:37)
Snakes
Snakes signify deceit, lies, temptation, venomous words, toxic emotions, and the presence of evil forces in biblical meaning.
If one appears in a dream, it represents an innerthreat, relationship issues, or your own destructive habits.
Snakes represent:
- Deceit, lies, temptation
- Venomous words, toxic emotions
- Evil forces
- Inner threats
- Self-destructive habits
“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked”
– (Proverbs 24:16)
Dreams provide an intriguing portal into the subconscious mind, often communicating through symbolism what we already know deep down.
By understanding the biblical meaning of animals in dreams, we can better interpret their messages and apply them to our waking lives.
The next time an animal visits your dreamscape, look deeper into what it represents according to Scripture.