Welcome, @MustangWrangler. I like your thought of the Bible as a guidebook, rather than a rule book or an instruction book. Leave the instruction books to IKEA. Some have problems with thinking that is some of the books are not historical, then they are less true. I have run into that in a group that is currently studying Jonah, and the suggestion that it is a somewhat satirical-ironic parable rather than historical account was -uh- not terribly well received. Good thing I didn’t mention it was written post-exile rather than 300 years earlier contemporary with the setting.
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A fundamental problem in such questions is what does “literally” mean? Ignoring metaphors is not a good reading, for example. (Of course, reaching agreement on what is a metaphor is another challenge, but few would doubt that “apple of the eye” is metaphorical.) There is also the difference between what Paul would say to “how do you picture this taking place?” and what he would say to “what are the essential points here?” At the same time, unconstrained allegorizing is not going to give sound results, either. The challenge is to take the text seriously, seeking to understand its intent.
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We are studying Galatians, and came on this part yesterday, which is a reminder that meaning is often in the metaphor or figurative interpretation, whether the event is historical or not:
Galations 4: 24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother…
I think the main problem with those who focus on the literal or historical, is that they often miss or diminish the meaning of the passage.
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I’m not arguing for its historicity, but the main way you miss or diminish the allegorical meaning is by missing or diminishing Paul’s words in Galatians (where it looks like you can take the OT reference either way). If you take the OT reference only allegorically then you maybe miss or diminish empathizing with Hagar, and Hagar’s name for God.
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