(By Charles P. Mawungwa)  

  Introduction  

In Joel Chapter 2, God promises to pour out his spirit upon all flesh and the sign will be that people will begin to prophesy, to see visions and to dream dreams. A lot of people have a desire to see visions, yet they just haven’t had success even after much prayer.

The truth is, every believer already sees visions in one form or the other, but the challenge is that our understanding of what a vision is, and how it operates is not aligned to what the bible actually refers to as seeing a vision.

When I went into the original Hebrew language, I was surprised to discover that there are actually several Hebrew words which are translated as vision, and as you look at how and where in the bible they are used, you will see a revelation of 5 different kinds of visions.

1. Chazon
2. Chezev
3. Chizzayon
4. Machazeh
5. Marah

  Daniel’s Journey  

Just as an example to highlight the importance of this study. Let us look at the book of Daniel. 

From the time that Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar start to see visions in Chapter 2 up to Chapter 7, the word translated as vision is   CHEZEV.   Daniel calls these, ‘visions of the head.’ The vision of the Image, the tree, and the four beasts are referred to as Chezev.

In Chapter 8 and 9, the word used for vision is   CHAZON.   For the first time Daniel is introduced to an angel by name, ‘Gabriel’ and is given the names of the nations that were coming after Babylon.

From Daniel 10, the word used for Vision is   MARAH  

So Daniel, uses different words to describe these different kinds of visions and yet in English, it just says, vision.

  Two ways of Seeing  

I normally don’t like to focus much on Hebrew and Greek languages, but in this teaching, it’s going to be important for us to understand a little Hebrew because a lot of the original meanings were lost in translation. English just does not have enough words to match the different words used in the Hebrew language to express seeing and seeing visions.

There are two main words in the bible, which are translated as seeing. RAAH and CHAZAH. 

RAAH refers to seeing with your eyes, whether they are physical eyes or spiritual eyes. RAAH is the word used in Genesis 1:4 when it said God saw [RAAH] that the light was good. It’s used in Genesis 3:6 when the woman saw[RAAH] that the tree was good for food and pleasant to the eyes.

From this word RAAH, we get the word ROEH, which means Seer. Samuel was a seer [ROEH]

  1 Samuel 9:9 (NKJV)  

  9 (Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he spoke thus: “Come, let us go to the seer[Roeh] ”; for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer [Roeh].)  

From this word RAAH, we get two words which are translated as vision: MAR’AH and MAR’EH.

This is going to be very important in understanding the different kinds of visions expressed by these words.

The other word translated as see is CHAZAH.

CHAZAH refers to things that you see not just with the eyes, but also by perceiving, by understanding or by experience. It also refers to things that you see in your heart or in your mind.

This word is first used in the book of Exodus, when God is instructing Moses to appoint elders and judges.

Exodus 18:21 (ESV)21 Moreover, look [CHAZAH]for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

In order to look for someone who fears God, who is trustworthy, you are not just looking with your eyes, but you are looking with your understanding, with your experience, you are perceiving based on your wisdom. It’s a different kind of seeing.

The next time that this word is used, is after Moses had appointed these elders and is supposed to take them to SEE God. Let’s read.

  Exodus 24:9-11 (NIV)     9 Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up 10 and saw  [RAAH]   the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. 11 But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw   [CHAZAH]   God, and they ate and drank.  

There are aspects of God that they saw [RAAH] with their eyes, like the pavement beneath his feet, but there are aspects that they only SAW [CHAZAH] by perception, and by understanding.

From this word CHAZAH, we get four words which are translated as vision: CHAZON, CHEZEV, CHIZAYYON, MACHAZEH.

From the word CHAZAH we get another word translated as seer, [CHOZEH]. Gad was David’s Seer [CHOZEH]

  2 Samuel 24:11     (ESV) 11 And when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer[CHOZEH], saying, 

Whilst in English we can’t see the difference between Samuel and Gad, the bible makes a deliberate and clear distinction between Samuel and Gad as seers. Samuel is a seer [ROEH] and Gad is a seer [CHOZEH]. 

If you look at Chronicles 29:29 in Hebrew you can clearly see the distinction.

  1 Chronicles 29:29 (ESV)     29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the Chronicles of Samuel the seer   [ROEH],   and in the Chronicles of Nathan the prophet, and in the Chronicles of Gad the seer   [CHOZEH],    

Samuel, Nathan and Gad were all prophets but Samuel was also a ROEH seer and Gad was a CHOZEH seer.

We won’t be looking into this for the moment, because this teaching is focussed on revealing five kinds of visions.

  1. Chazon – DIVINE PLAN  

The main word translated as vision in the bible is CHAZON, which comes from the word Chazah – to see/ perceive.

This word CHAZON is used 34 times in the bible and it refers to a revelation of God’s plan and purpose to man. This type of vision may come in the form of an audible voice, in the form of images that you see or in the form of a dream.

This word CHAZON is first used in the book of Samuel. Moses was used to establish Israel, but he died before they entered Canaan, He died before Israel had become a nation. Samuel is therefore the first prophet to the nation of Israel. The rise of Samuel signaled what is known as the time of the prophets. Apostle Peter explains:

  Acts 3:24 (ESV)     24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days  

It is in the book of Samuel that we find the first use of the word, ‘CHAZON’ for vision.

  1 Sam 3:1(NIV)  

  1. The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions[CHAZON].  

The word of God was rare. God wasn’t speaking to people, so there were not many visions. It’s not about how the word is given, but when God comes and shares his divine plan with you, that is called a vision [CHAZON].

For example, the oracle or message that Nahum received concerning Nineveh is referred to as a vision [CHAZON] of YAHWEH for that nation. 

  Nahum 1:1 (ESV)     1 An oracle concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision[CHAZON] of Nahum of Elkosh.  

When you read the book of Nahum, you will realize that he did not literally see any images, but he received a revelation of God’s plan and purpose for the city of Nineveh.

This revelation of God’s divine plan, is what Solomon was referring to in proverbs 29:

  Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)     18 Where there is no   vision [CHAZON],   the people perish:

but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.  

The New King James Version, translates it as revelation:

  Proverbs 29:18 (NKJV)     18 Where there is no   revelation [CHAZON],   the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.  

CHAZON is the same word used by Habbakuk when he received a revelation of God’s plan and purpose for Israel.

  Habakkuk 2:1-3 (ESV)  

  1. I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. 

  2. And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision [CHAZON]; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.  

  3. For still the vision [CHAZON] awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 

In the case of Samuel the revelation came in the form of an audible voice of God.  Samuel initially thought it was Eli the priest calling to him, for he did not recognize God’s voice. 

  1 Samuel 3:11-12 (NKJV)     11. Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end  

Even though Samuel wasn’t seeing anything with his eyes, by hearing the audible voice of God speaking his divine plan and purpose, he was seeing or perceiving the vision of God.

A Chazon vision can also come in the form of an appearance. It can appear to your sight and you see images and even yourself in a different place and time. We see this with Daniel, in Chapter 8.

  Daniel 8:1-2 (ESV)  

  1. In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision [CHAZON] appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. 2. And I saw in the vision [CHAZON]; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. 

A Chazon vision can also come in the form of a dream.

  Isaiah 29:7 (ESV)     7. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel,

all that fight against her and her stronghold and distress her,

shall be like   a dream, a vision [CHAZON]   of the night.  

Because a vision [CHAZON] can come as an audible voice, an appearance, or a dream, we are told that Daniel had understanding of different kinds of visions [CHAZON] and dreams.

  Daniel 1:17 (NIV)     17. To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions [CHAZON] and dreams of all kinds.  

  2. Chezev – Symbolic Dreams  

The second word we will look at is CHEZEV. It comes from the same root word Chazah, which means to see or perceive. It is used only 12 times in the bible, and it is only found in the book of Daniel, between Chapter 2 and Chapter 7.

This word is used specifically in reference to visions that come at night, in the form of a dream. And it is used specifically in reference to dreams that contain God’s message in the form of images, and sometimes these images need to be interpreted. Daniel calls these, visions of the head.

Let’s look at a few examples:

  Daniel 7:1-2 (NKJV)   

  1. In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions [CHEZEV] of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.  

  2. Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision [CHEZEV] by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue which needed interpretation was a CHEZEV/ a symbolic dream/ A vision of the head.

  Daniel 2:28 (NKJV)  

  28. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions [CHEZEV] of your head   upon your bed, were these:  

  Daniel 2:19 (NKJV)  

  19. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision [CHEZEV]. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.  

When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a giant tree that was cut down, that was a Chezev, a symbolic dream, a vision of his head.

  Daniel 4:9-10 (NKJV)   

  9. “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions [CHEZEV]   of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation. 

  10. “These were the visions [CHEZEV] of my head   while on my bed:  

  3. Chizzayon-Word in Dreams  

  Job 4:12-13 (NKJV)  

  12. “Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it.  

  13. In disquieting thoughts from the visions [Chizzayon] of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,  

The third word translated as vision in the bible is CHIZZAYON. It comes from the same root word Chazah, which means to perceive, or to see. It is used 9 times in the bible. In all these instances it is used to refer to a direct word of knowledge or wisdom that comes to you during a dream.

Not all visions come in the form of pictures. There are dreams where a word of knowledge or wisdom comes to you as a voice or you perceive God speaking to you in one way or the other. 

The first time this word is used is in the book of Samuel. When David wanted to build a temple and inquired from the prophet Nathan. Nathan had initially told David that it was okay, but at night he had a word of wisdom through a dream, a vision at night, a CHIZZAYON in which the lord gave him the instructions concerning the question David had asked.

  2 Samuel 7:3-17 (NKJV)  

  3. Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”  

  4. But it happened   that night that the word of the LORD  came to Nathan, saying,  

  5. “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6. For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.   

  12. “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”  

  17. According to all these words and according to all this vision [CHIZZAYON], so Nathan spoke to David.  

We have come to associate visions with images. But the word Chazah, does not just refer to seeing with eyes, but seeing with understanding, with the mind, with perception. What we normally call receiving a revelation. So when Nathan had a revelation of God’s will and plan for David, he is considered to have seen a vision of God. 

In the book of Job we are told how God uses these kind of dreams to speak to us, and we are told that men do not always perceive this as God speaking to them. People tend to ignore messages that they receive in dreams.

  Job 33:14-16 (NKJV)  

  14. For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.  

  15. In a dream, in a   vision [CHIZZAYON] of the night,   When deep sleep falls upon men,

While slumbering on their beds, 16. Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.  

Chizzayon is also the word translated as vision in Joel 2:28. 

  Joel 2:28 (NKJV)  

  28. “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions [CHIZZAYON].  

  4. Machazeh- TRANCE EXPERIENCE  

The fourth word translated as vision, is Machazeh. This word is used only 4 times in the bible. It used in the bible to refer to a message of God that is received in a trance state. A trance is when someone’s natural senses are cut off from the world. Almost like a dream but during the day and possibly with your eyes still open.

There are two people who are recorded as experiencing this type of vision; Balaam and Abraham.

Balaam explains his encounter in this way:

  Numbers 24:3-4 (NIV)  

  3 and he spoke his message: “The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,  

  4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision   [Mechazeh]   from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:  

Here Balaam says he has fallen to the ground with his eyes opened. The KJV says he falls into a trance:

  Numbers 24:4 (KJV)     4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:  

When Balaam says, he saw   [Chazah]   the vision   [Mechazeh]   of the Almighty, it’s not referring to seeing images but perceiving the plan of God. As you read the prophecy you see that Balaam wasn’t seeing images but hearing the words of God. He was receiving a revelation of God’s plan for the future of Israel, and he calls that seeing, The Vision of God.

The first time that this word is used, in Genesis 15, and we also see Abraham falling into a trance as he hears God revealing his plan for his children.

  Genesis 15:1-6 (ESV)  

  1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision   [MECHAZEH]:   “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 

  3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.  

  Genesis 15:12-16 (ESV)  

  12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram.And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.13 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.  

  5.) MAR’AH –Visions of God  

The word MAR’AH comes from the word RAAH which means to see primarily with our eyes spiritual or physical. The word Mar’ah, means mirror, or looking glass. It is used 11 times in the bible.

  Exodus 38:8 (NIV)     8 They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors [MARAH] of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.  

The first time that it is interpreted as Vision is in the book of numbers. God said that when he is revealing himself to a prophet, he makes himself known through a MARAH [vision].

  Numbers 12:6 (ESV)     6 And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a   vision[ Mar’ah];   I speak with him in a dream.  

Many times, people come to me and say, am I called to be a prophet? I say to them, has God come and spoken to you in a dream or a vision? God says, if you are his prophet, he will make himself known to you and speak to you directly. If that has not happened yet, then it means he has not called you into that office yet. Maybe he will do so in the future. 

You will note that the word MAR’AH is used specifically when God is revealing himself to a prophet. A Marah vision is a revelation of God through a dream, appearance or voice. You will see a consistent theme of this in the bible. This type of vision is first mentioned in Genesis, when Jacob is called to move his family to Egypt. He knew that the God of his Father Isaac, and Abraham had given them the land of Canaan. Now he was being asked to go and live in Egypt.

So the God of Abraham came to Jacob, now named Israel, and made himself known to him again, confirming that it was his will for Israel to relocate at that time.

  Genesis 46:2-4 (ESV)     2 And God spoke to Israel in   visions[MAR’AH]   of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”  

When God reveals himself to the prophet Ezekiel, he appears to him in a Mar’ah Vision.

  Ezekiel 1:1 (NIV)     1 In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions[Mar’ah] of God.  

  25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance.  

Seven years later, God appears to Ezekiel again in chapter 40, through another Mar’ah vision.

  Ezekiel 40:2 (ESV)     2 In visions of God he brought me to the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south  

  Ezekiel 43:1-3 (ESV)  

  1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing east. 2 And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. 3 And the vision[MAR’AH] I saw was just like the vision  [MARE’H] that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and just like the vision [MAR’AH] that I had seen by the Chebar canal. And I fell on my face.  

In Daniel chapter 10, God makes himself known to Daniel in a MARA’H Vision. Daniel calls it, a great vision. Let us read.

  Daniel 10:4-8 (ESV)  

  4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris)  

  5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.  

  7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision[MAR’AH], for the men who were with me did not see the vision [MARA’H] , but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.  

  8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision[MAR’AH], and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.  

The people that were with Daniel were struck with fear and ran away. Daniel says he saw a man,

1. who had eyes like fire, 
2. a belt of gold
3. his body was like beryl
4. Face like lightning
5. Arms and legs like bronze
6. Voice of a multitude

The apostle John would later see this same image in a vision:

  Revelation 1:12-15 (ESV)     12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.  

But when this man appeared to John, he then revealed who he was.

  Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)     17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  

He was the living word of God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And he also says this to John…

  Revelation 2:18 (ESV)     18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  

So Daniel was seeing a revelation of the Son of God, whose eyes are like fire, and feet like burnished bronze. I would like to make note that no-where in Daniel 10, 11 or 12 is this man referred to as Gabriel.

  Mar’eh – Appearance  

The word MAR’EH also comes from RAAH, which means to see. MAR’EH refers to an appearance. Mare’h is not a type of vision, but merely refers to the way a vision appears to you.

The word is first used in the book of Genesis.

  Genesis 2:9 (ESV)     9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight [Mar’eh]and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  

It’s also used in numbers for the appearance of the fire on the tabernacle

  Numbers 9:15 (NKJV)     15 Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance[Mar’eh] of fire  

  Ezekiel 1:5 (NKJV)     5 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance[Mar’eh]: they had the likeness of a man.  

So when this word is translated as VISION, it’s mainly referring to the appearance of things.

Here is an example in Daniel 7. Daniel sees a Chazon vision of a Ram fighting with a He-Goat. He then sees horns coming out of the He-Goat and they destroy the temple for 2300 days.

  Daniel 8:15-16 (NKJV)     15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance [Mar’eh]of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision [Mar’eh]”  

So different parts of a vision, that you see can be referred to as Mar’eh.

 CONCLUSION  

We have looked at 5 types of visions. Let me just put them here in summary.

1.   CHAZON   – This is the main word used for vision and is best translated as the communication of God’s plan and purpose to man. This can come through an audible voice of God, an appearance or a dream. Some of the other types of visions that we look at below are types of CHAZON.
   
2.   CHEZEV   – This word is used in the book of Daniel and refers to symbolic dreams. Daniel calls these visions of the head.
   
3.   CHIZZAYON   – This is a direct word of knowledge or wisdom that comes to you at night and during a dream. It’s not symbolic, it’s a clear straight message. This is the same word used in Joel 2:28.
   
4.   MECHAZEH   – This is a trance vision. A vision where all your senses are nulled and you enter a trance. There are two instances of it in the bible, and in both instances they heard the voice of God though they did not necessarily see any images during the trance.
   
5.   MAR’AH   – This is a vision of God. The word means a mirror. When God is revealing himself to a prophet he does it through a Mar’ah. To Jacob, God revealed himself through a voice in a dream, to Daniel he saw and spoke to a being who’s image was that of the Son of God. Ezekiel saw it as the image of the four living creatures carrying God’s throne and the voice of God proceeded from the throne.