How literal to take the Bible

[B-A-C]

As many of you know, I am what is called a fundamentalist. I take Bible pretty literally, in fact I always do, unless it's absolutely clear that metaphorical/Spiritual language is being used.

For example did God make Eve from Adams's rib? I believe He did, literally.
Was it literally a fruit from a tree they ate? I believe it was.
Was it literally a snake that spoke in language Adam and Eve could understand, I believe it was.
Did the Red Sea literally part with dry land between the water? I believe it did.
Was Jonah really swallowed by fish for 3 days? I believe he was.
Was Job's family really all killed off to prove a point to Satan? I believe they were.
Did Samson literally kill a lion with his bare hands and knock down a large building with his hands? I believe He did.
Did Elijah really call down fire from heaven to burn up water and a bull? I believe he did.
Was Elijah literally taken up in a chariot of Fire? I believe he was.

Did the walls of Jericho fall? Did Joseph survive the lions den? Did Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego survive the fiery furnace?
Did a teenage boy named David kill a 9 foot tall Giant? Did the sun stall still over Gibeon for Joshua? Did the waters of the Jordan stop?
Did God confound men's languages at the tower of Babel? Was there really a flood that covered the Earth?
I believe all these things really happened.

There are certainly times when the Bible uses spiritual/metaphorical language. But unless it has to be taken that way, I always
take the Bible at face value.

We live in a time where people no longer believe in the power of God. The red sea wasn't really parted by God, it was just a dry season, the water was low, and anyone could have walked across.
There wasn't really a flood over all the Earth, it was just a small regional flood in the area Noah lived in. Goliath wasn't really a giant; he was probably just a tall man about 7 foot tall.
Elijah didn't really call fire down from heaven... etc... Everything is explained away in a natural way. Jesus didn't really heal people, they just got better over a period of time. Jesus didn't really raise
Lazarus from the dead, he was just swooned and revived himself after 3 days.

It's even worse today, God doesn't heal anyone, doctors and medicine do. Prophecies don't come true, it's just coincidence and good guessing.
Jesus isn't really coming back in the flesh, He just comes back in our hearts.

It's almost an epidemic that people no longer believe in the power of God. Everything is explained away by some natural phenomena. No more miracles, no more healings, no more prophecies.
People don't actually say God is dead, but it seems that's what they believe. He doesn't have any power anymore. I wonder do they even pray for anything? Why if God doesn't have any power anymore?

But I believe the Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He still has all the same power He had in the Bible and can still do miracles if He wants to.

 

[B-A-C]

A lot of this is true about the book of Revelation as well. I believe rivers and lakes will literally turn to blood.
I believe large hail stones will fall on people and kill them. I believe there will be mark people will have to take in order to buy or sell things.
I believe flying scorpions will sting some people and they will hurt for 5 months. I believe the beast will be a literal man, not some abstract of
Earthly society or political power. The believe the blood at Armageddon will literally be up to the height of the horse's bridle for a distance or 200 miles.

I believe that we need to take he Bible at face value as much as possible. When we start trying to twist it and turn it and convolute it into
more or less than it says, we are easily led astray.

 

[Brad Huber]

Although I basically agree, there is a bit of a problem about when something is a metaphor or factual. Mistakes can be made when personal teachings to a person comes in on the matter. And sometimes, things can be both metaphor and factual. Sometimes prophecies can have multiple fulfilments. Its not always black and white, yet neither is it a metaphor because one wants it to be, to fit into their theology ideology. This is why the Holy Spirit is soooooooooooooo important.