About two weeks ago, I had a very vivid dream.
I was standing on the seashore, looking out over what appeared to be a sea of glass.
The water was incredibly calm and still.
As I looked across the sea, I saw a multitude of enormous ships—many different shapes and kinds—coming toward the shore.
They were heading toward a harbour near where I was standing, moving into the shallow waters.
In front of me, my mom was standing on a small island. She was looking at her phone, and I urgently called out to her to get off her phone and come to me quickly.
Then I saw something else that deeply caught my attention.
I saw many WOMEN coming FROM THE SEA. It appeared as though they had reached the END OF THEIR WORKDAY and were now coming HOME TO SHORE, to the place where I was standing.
Afterward, I sought the Lord concerning what I had seen.
I believe there could be several layers of symbolism in this dream, and as always, I want to hold the interpretation before the Lord and test everything according to His Word.
THE SHIPS:
Ships have several interesting pictures associated with them throughout Scripture.
The multitude of ships could point toward the merchants and commerce of this world, particularly reminding me of the ships and merchants described in Revelation 18.
There could possibly also be a warning concerning war or upheaval eventually reaching the shores, although I believe this part especially needs to be held carefully before the Lord rather than stated as a definite prediction.
But the ships may also carry another meaning:
AN END-TIME GATHERING
They could picture God gathering His people—His children—bringing them together into a place of comfort, refuge and protection as the end approaches.
Into the Bridal Chamber.
Noah immediately comes to mind.
Before judgment came upon the ancient world, God brought Noah and his household into the ark. Genesis 7:13 describes Noah and his family entering together before the flood came.
For those who belong to Christ, our ultimate security is not found in circumstances but in Him.
The dream therefore made me think about the pattern of Noah: God’s people being called to remain close to Him, listening to His voice and trusting His protection while the world around them moves toward judgment.
Jesus Himself connected the days of Noah with the time preceding His coming (Matthew 24:37–39).
Genesis 7:23 also describes Noah and those with him in the ark being preserved while judgment took place around them.
This could therefore carry a picture of witnessing tremendous events, while remaining hidden and secure in God’s appointed place of refuge.
THE SHIPS ENTERING THE HARBOUR:
This part especially stood out to me.
The enormous ships were not disappearing into the distance.
They were COMING IN.
They were entering the shallow waters and approaching the harbour while I stood safely on the shore watching them arrive.
A harbour represents arrival, refuge, completion and safety after a long journey.
Spiritually, this could represent a POINT OF BREAKTHROUGH.
A long season of perseverance, patience, preparation and waiting may be reaching its appointed destination.
The ships were almost there.
The journey was nearly complete.
And I was not struggling in the turbulent waters—I was standing safely on the shore watching them come in.
This made me think of being hidden with Christ—almost like a picture of the bridal chamber or God’s Ark of protection during turbulent times.
Large ships can also symbolize great responsibility, influence or leadership.
If that symbolism applies here, perhaps there is also a call to prepare for greater responsibility in what God is doing.
Not leadership for personal exaltation, but leadership for HARVEST.
Jesus said:
“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.” — Luke 10:2
The sheer size and number of the ships therefore made me wonder whether they could represent the magnitude of the harvest that belongs to the Lord.
THE WOMEN COMING OUT OF THE SEA
This was perhaps the most beautiful part.
I saw many women coming OUT OF the sea.
Their workday had ended.
Their labour was finished.
And they were COMING HOME.
Women can carry different symbolic meanings in Scripture, and in this dream I believe they could represent members of the Bride of Christ—the redeemed people of God, both men and women.
Scripture repeatedly uses feminine and bridal imagery for God’s covenant people and the heavenly Jerusalem (Psalm 45:9–15; Galatians 4:26; Revelation 12:1; Revelation 19:7–8).
The picture was incredibly striking:
THE BRIDE WAS COMING OUT OF THE SEA AND RETURNING HOME AFTER HER LABOUR WAS FINISHED.
It reminds me of Revelation 14:13:
“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on… that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
Their workday had ended.
It was time to go HOME.
THE SEA OF GLASS:
The sea itself can represent peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues in prophetic imagery (Revelation 17:15).
Isaiah 60:5 also connects the abundance of the sea and the wealth of the nation’s coming to God’s people. But what I saw wasn’t a turbulent ocean.
It looked like GLASS. That immediately brings me to Revelation 4:6:
“Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.”
There is something profoundly beautiful about that imagery.
Before God’s throne there is no raging storm.
There is peace, transparency, holiness and complete authority.
For me, the sea of glass could therefore also picture of our presence in God’s throne room—a place where the redeemed of the Lord can approach God through Christ without living in terror or condemnation.
It speaks of PEACE IN HIS PRESENCE.
It also reminds me that God is able to accomplish immeasurably beyond what we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
MY MOTHER (MOTHER FIGURE):
My mother standing in front of me also stood out.
A mother naturally represents comfort, tenderness, nurturing, protection and wise counsel.
God Himself uses maternal imagery when describing His comfort:
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” — Isaiah 66:13
A mother can also carry a broader symbolic meaning.
Scripture sometimes uses feminine or maternal language concerning cities and covenant communities. Galatians 4:26 says:
“But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.”
A mother could therefore potentially represent the Church or a place where God’s people are nurtured, comforted and cared for.
It could also bring to mind the comforting work of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised would dwell with His people and lead them into truth.
What particularly struck me, however, was the urgency:
My mother was distracted by her phone while I could see what was approaching.
I was calling: COME HERE QUICKLY!
That part feels like a picture of watchfulness—an urgent call to lift our eyes from distractions and recognize the season around us.
THE HARVEST IS NEAR:
Perhaps the strongest theme running throughout the entire dream is HARVEST.
Ruth 1:22 specifically tells us that Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem “at the beginning of barley harvest.”
There was an appointed season when their journey ended, and a completely new chapter began.
That is what this dream reminded me of!
The ships were coming in.
The harbour was near.
The Bride was coming out.
The day’s labour was ending.
The workers were returning HOME.
Everything seemed to speak of completion, gathering, arrival and harvest.
Jesus said:
“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few.” — Luke 10:2
And ultimately, my hope is not in trying to establish dates or timelines, but in being found faithful, awake and ready for Jesus whenever He comes.
There is still work to do while it is day!!
There are still souls to reach!
There is still a harvest belonging to our King.
But one day, soon, the labour of His people will be finished, and the Bride will finally be called HOME.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’” — Revelation 22:17
“Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! — Revelation 22:20
The harbour is near!
The harvest is near!
Keep your eyes upon Jesus.
Comment: If this encouragement speaks to you, praise GOD! Test everything, watch and pray always, and keep looking up; our Redemption draws nigh! In the meantime, work while it’s still (barely!) daylight.
This dream and interpretations were shared by Adri Van Der Wath to me with permission to post. Please note, a few words in this post, such as: “harbour vs harbor”, and “labour” as an example, are written in English where some spellings differ slightly between countries, and in the country where she resides, that is how they spell them, so it remains unchanged!
Andrew