Biblical Meaning of Tattoo in a Dream

It’s widely known that the Christian religion doesn’t endorse tattoos. However, in this era, that viewpoint is considered ultra-conservative, as many Christians have tattoos, especially religious ones on their bodies. Tattoos have assumed a big role in many people’s lives, and there’s a profound biblical meaning of tattoo in a dream.

People like to tattoo Jesus and other biblical characters like the Virgin Mary or other saints as a way of displaying their devotion and faith. It has become a prevalent practice, and it’s not uncommon for people to dream of tattoos with some biblical or spiritual reference.

The meaning of the dream can be interpreted through reading the content of the tattoo, and it may be difficult to give a general interpretation. This article will discuss the various meanings of tattoos in dreams depending on their image and message.

Biblical Meaning of Tattoo in a Dream
source: jw.org

Biblical Meaning of Tattoo in a Dream

The Bible is adamant when it comes to tattooing. However, there are a lot of practices, especially from the Old Testament, that people have been avoiding because of their lack of meaning and practicality in today’s day and age.

A lot of biblical customs have not prevailed, especially in Western society. Taking a rest day, sexual purity, not eating certain foods, and other practices and rules have survived the test of time. The paradox of tattoos is that their role has reversed, and they’re now used to send a religious message.

In ancient times, scarring the body with a tattoo was related to pagan rituals often practiced by the Israelites. God scolded the Israelites on many occasions for their unclean ways and, on several occasions, provided guidance for how they should live their lives through his messengers.

This was the case in Leviticus 19:28, when God forbade the use of tattoos as part of a larger set of instructions aimed at suppressing idolatry. You can further explore what the Bible says about tattoos in Revelation.

Why did God forbid tattoos?

The Bible doesn’t explain the reasoning behind this ban. Some scholars believe it was because the Israelites were prone to adopting rituals and customs from neighboring nations. 

Most of those practices involved idolatry and paganism, and for a large period, they were seeking shelter under the umbrella of other religions and were easily swayed into other beliefs.

The instructions provided in Leviticus provided the Israelites with straightforward guidelines for how to live a better life and how to truly worship the one and only God

Anything that was related to the unholy rituals adopted from neighboring nations was discarded as unnecessary and harmful to the soul. Tattoos and other ways of scarring the body became a symbol of pagan worship and involvement in occult practices.

Dreams of tattoos

People tend to dream about things when there’s an important message to be received for a step they need to take. Specifically, when dreaming of tattoos, determining the message requires careful reenactment of the dream’s scenario and analyzing all the elements. The crucial segments of this dream would be as follows:

  • Content of the tattoo
  • Whether the dreamer is sporting a tattoo or someone else
  • In progress vs. finished tattoo

The most important interpretation you can make is based on the contents of the tattoo. This is because you are able to draw conclusions from the tattoo’s message. Another thing to look out for is who has the tattoo, as it might be someone else, giving the dream a different context.

Finally, scenarios such as getting a tattoo in a parlor, at home, or in jail provide a variety of meanings and should be observed separately.

Various tattoo meanings

In religious terms, people often like to tattoo various saints or Jesus. There are various tattoo messages that aren’t as straightforward but still stem from the Bible, like angels, angel wings, and others. Some people go as far as to tattoo Satan on their bodies, much to the aggravation of religious people from their surroundings.

All of these tattoos can manifest themselves in a dream and carry over a biblical message. Here are some of the most common interpretations that provide the biblical meaning of tattoo in a dream.

Biblical Meaning of Jesus Tattoo
source: istockphoto.com

Jesus tattoo

Dreaming about Jesus, with or without the context of a tattoo, is generally a good sign. Jesus is a symbol of the spiritual connection between the dreamer and God and their devotion to being a good Christian. 

Seeing Jesus in a dream is often seen as a sign of positive transformation. During his short time on Earth, Jesus forever changed how humans perceive God and offered salvation from all sin. With his teachings, he paved the way for the integration of faith as part of people’s identity, transforming faith into a way of life instead of a mere ritual.

Dreaming about a tattoo of Jesus only amplifies the message because a tattoo is a statement of intent and portrays something that people care about deeply. 

Having this dream doesn’t mean that you should get a Jesus tattoo but that you’re on your way to making a positive change and discovering a deeper meaning to your purpose.

There are varieties of how people dream about Jesus in dreams. Sometimes he is on a cross, sometimes, it’s just his face accompanied by a quote from the Bible, and in most cases, it is a positive sign.

Mary tattoo

People often dream about a tattoo of Mary, and it is a relatively popular tattoo choice in real life as well. Mary was the mother of Jesus and holds an extremely significant meaning in the Christian religion.

Having Mary appear in your dream is a sign of deep devotion and profound faith. It could represent your constant strive for self-improvement and the search for spiritual teachers that could help you reach the next level.

Mary is a symbol of love, nurture, and protection. Her being was a manifestation of the feminine power and serves as an inspiration for women. Her appearance in your dream in the form of a tattoo only amplifies these meanings and provides an enhanced symbolism, as people are usually highly selective about the contents of their tattoos.

She embodies God’s power, starting from her immaculate conception to her role as queen of heaven, acting as a mediator between people and God.

Moses tattoo

Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land and saved them from slavery in Egypt. He parted the Red Sea and delivered the Ten Commandments. He is one of the most important biblical characters, and people often report that they’ve seen him in their dreams.

Moses walking through the parted Red Sea is a common tattoo in real life, and it’s commonly the subject of a dream for many people. Moses is a key figure in multiple religions which is a testament to the magnitude of his deeds.

Seeing Moses appear in your dream, especially in the form of a tattoo, can be a testament to your leadership. It can also signify your liberation from a burden you’ve carried for a long time. Moses was known to speak directly to God, and encountering him in your dream can be a sign of divine contact.

Moses displayed a great amount of resilience for the duration of his quest to guide the Israelites away from slavery. Your dream may be a way of God saying to you that you need to have the same amount of faith and courage to complete your own challenges.

Satan tattoo

People often see Satan in their dreams, and it’s never a good sign, especially if they see his image on their bodies. Seeing Satan on your own body can be a reference to the “mark of the beast” found in Revelation 13:16-18. The passage is about a prophecy that a time will come when an evil and cunning ruler will arrive, often referred to as the Antichrist.

The prophecy says he will force everyone to receive a mark on their body in order to participate in society. This same message can be valid if the content of the tattoo is the number 666, a symbol of Satan.

This type of dream is terrible, and there are several steps you can take to decipher what you need to do with your life. First, you should analyze if you are being misled by an evil person who is superior to you, perhaps a boss or a leader. Then you should observe if you’re not doing something like that to others.

Experiencing this dream is never positive, but taking action can make you a better person and enable you to live a better life.

Adam and Eve

Some people encounter Adam and Eve alone, while others see them together with the tree or the serpent. This tattoo is a common one in real life as well, and knowing the moral behind the story is vital to determining the meaning behind this dream.

The Adam and Eve story is more than just an origin story. It is also a metaphor for human vulnerability and the tendency to fall for temptation. An eternal battle between free will and the boundaries set by a higher power.

Dreaming about Adam and Eve can be a sign of a temptation entering your otherwise peaceful life and making you question many of your established principles. It can be a choice that you need to make or something that you are trying to avoid.

Encountering a tattoo of Adam and Eve can be a manifestation of a certain need you feel for redemption. Whether it’s for something you did or something that is testing your resilience, you should take it as a sign that you need to get closer to God.

David vs. Goliath

This sort of religious tattoo is a fairly common one for people who like to convey a biblical message with their bodies. Perhaps it is why it often appears in people’s dreams.

The popular story of David and Goliath is about a young shepherd who fought and defeated the giant warrior Goliath and went on to become king. Having a dream about this type of tattoo can be about having a need for courage in order to overcome challenges.

Common Tattoos With Biblical References Encountered in Dreams

Apart from saints and biblical characters, people often dream about tattoos of places and items that carry spiritual and biblical significance.

Angel Wings Tattoo in a Dream
source: istockphoto.com

Angel wings

This is one of the most common tattoos in real life, and its representation is fairly straightforward. It can represent protection, guidance, and freedom. People often put such tattoos on their backs, giving a distinct look to their appearance.

Devil horns

Another fairly common tattoo used in another context is the image of Satan. The devil horns mostly display a deviousness, and although it’s a sin, it doesn’t inherently represent satanic worship.

Dreaming of a devil horns tattoo can be a sign of feelings of rebellion or temptation. Depending on the style of the tattoo, it can be a cautionary sign about possible negative influences in your life.

Cross

The cross is quite likely the most common tattoo that you can encounter in real life, and the same applies to the dream realm. The cross is a symbol of sacrifice, redemption, and protection. Dreaming about a cross tattoo can signify a need to deepen your connection with God.

It can represent a profound desire to receive forgiveness for something you did or that you require protection.

FAQs

What does it mean to get a tattoo in a dream?

Getting a tattoo in your dream can symbolize a suppressed desire for self-expression or a need to get closer to God. It doesn’t mean that the dreamer should get a tattoo.

Is it a sin to get a tattoo?

For thousands of years, getting a tattoo was considered a sin, but the same can be said for many other practices from the Bible. Getting a tattoo can be a sin and it can be a non-sin, and it depends on the perception of each person and their level of conservatism.

Summary

People often encounter various tattoos in their dreams with biblical significance. The biblical meaning of tattoo in a dream depends on the contents of the tattoo and how it applies to the dreamer’s waking life.

The tattoos that appear in dreams are usually the most common tattoos people can see in real life, which usually carry a lot of symbolism.

Dreams of Jesus, Mary, and Satan tattoos all have different significance and it’s relative to the role they played in the stories of the Bible. Moreover, people can encounter tattoos of items or symbols such as a cross, devil horns, or angel wings.

Getting a tattoo is not a sin in today’s day and age and dreaming about it usually means that the person’s soul yearns for a closer bond to God.

Tracey

Greetings in faith! I'm Tracey, a devoted follower of the Word. This blog shares my passion for Christ, prayer, and biblical studies. I practice daily meditation, have visited sacred sites worldwide, and cherish my Holy Land pilgrimage. In my leisure, I craft prayer beads, spiritual artwork, and faith-inspiring handmade items. Join me as we explore the Bible's richness and the transformative power of faith.

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