How to Study the Bible: The Literal Factor
If God meant for his word to NOT be literal, he would have told us (John 14:2). Paul was persecuted for taking the Bible literally (Acts 24:14), and he even called out people in the church for spiritualizing a literal truth (2 Timothy 2:16-18). I think God is serious about this topic. When God decides to use figures of speech in the Bible, it is abundantly clear.
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.