Actually, those who ignore the face value of what is being said and just arbitrarily apply a spiritual meaning to something that is meant to be received literally, will miss God's meaning. All scripture should be read in the literal sense, unless the context demands a symbolic interpretation. As an example:
"A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. "
"Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. "
The two scripture above are obvious symbolism, with the sun, moon and stars, seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns, being symbolic representing something literal. Where regarding the scripture below, there is nothing to lead the reader to a symbolic meaning and therefore should be received in its literal meaning.
Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
rom the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
One of the biggest errors being performed today by expositors is assigning symbolic/spiritual meanings to scripture that is meant to be interpreted literally. Many are guilty of this because someone told them or they read it on some website.
