[mountn man]

Same literary device. The scripture uses metaphors too.So whats metaphor, and whats not?

Is the great flood metaphor?

What about Lots wife being turned to salt?

How about the pillar of fire and cloud leading the Israelites out of Egypt?

What about the death of Christ?

What about the resurrection?

What about Christ's claim to deity

What is literal and what is metaphor?

Do we claim something is a metaphor simply because we as men can't understand or explain something to our own comprehension?

[tacticalogic]

Do you think Revelation should be read literally?

[P8riot]

These that you have listed are not metaphors, but rather settled matters of doctrine. The writers used metaphors to illustrate truths, such as:

Exodus 19:3-5

3And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

 4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

 5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

And Isaiah 40:31

31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Taken literally the first passage suggested that God has eagles wings, and the second suggests that if we wait on God we will. The first actually illustrates God bringing us to himself, the second illustrates that God will give strength to those that put their trust in him.