Actually, the word "clear" is very appropriate. Unless a Biblical text indicates that something is allegorical or symbolic, it is to be taken literally.
Take the example I gave of a literal, one thousand year kingdom where Christ rules and reigns. Not only is there no indication in that text that the Millennial Kingdom is to be taken as anything other than literal, the Old Testament is full of specific details about Christ's literal Millennial Reign.
When God gives no sign that a passage is symbolic, and in those passages that are symbolic it is always symbolism that He has written, not something that is plain, clear language that a man at some point in time didn't like so he changed the meaning of the Scripture, then and only then are we to read the symbolic passage symbolically.
God has hidden things and he intends for us to find them. He did not tell us where to look or even what it is we will find, only that there is honor to search. Not just a few things but enough to last a lifetime. You will lock yourself out of a large portion of God’s blessings if you refuse to look.
"Looking for hidden things" is all well and good, but nowhere does God tell us to take it upon ourselves to change His Scripture while we're "looking for the hidden things". "Looking for the hidden things" is not a signal for fallen man to go through the Bible, find something that he doesn't immediately understand, and instead of continuing to study and search, go ahead and allegorize what he doesn't understand into something that he wishes that God had written instead of what He did write.
As for Amos 8, Amos was a contemporary of Isaiah. Though he was primarily sent to warn the Northern Kingdom, it’s easy to see the fulfillment of Amos 8:9 in the day on which Jesus was crucified. Verse 10 was partially fulfilled by the believers who mourned the Lord’s death on that Passover, but its ultimate fulfillment is confirmed by Zechariah 12:10-14. Just before the 2nd Coming, the entire nation will mourn over the realization of what their ancestors allowed to happen. Amos 8:11 is often quoted in connection with the End times saying that the anti-Christ will attempt to remove any reference to God and His word from Earth.
You will only see the spiritual famine of Amos 8:11 if you miss the Rapture.
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.Here it is plain that Adam is a figure of Christ. Roman 5 points out a number of similarities and differences but lets go to Genesis 2-4. The next two verses will associate Eve with the church.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:31-32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.The wording here connects the two passages. Eve was created in Adam even as we are created in Christ (Ep 2:10). Adam chose to die with Eve rather that live without her. Is this a coincidence?
Gen 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.Lets just deal with the allegories that are authorized by scripture. You will be surprised how many of them there are.