Another example is when God told Peter to kill and eat unclean animals. Yet, God meant that this was going to be the inclusion of the Gentiles. So the eating of unclean animals (Which is offensive to the Jew) = represents the inclusion of the Gentiles. Granted, in Peter's vision I see it as both literal and metaphorical, but the point here is that God does regard metaphors. If we miss those metaphors, we miss what God is trying to say.
In Revelation 14, we read this.
"And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe." (Revelation 14:18).
Now, if we are going to take your extreme literal approach to this verse, we would have to assume that God is gathering literal grapes from off the Earth. But I think it is safe to say that you think that this verse is metaphorical like me. In fact, the grapes being gathered here is a type of food and it relates to God's coming judgment upon the wicked. Food (grapes) = Coming judgment upon the wicked. So we already have the cross reference or parallel verse that makes it all fit later in Revelation 19. The marriage supper is symbol or a metaphor for the battle of Armageddon. Food (grapes) = judgment (Revelation 14). Food (marriage supper) = judgment (Revelation 19).
King David said,
"I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed." (Psalms 18:37).
Again, metaphorical. King David did not literally consume or eat his enemies.
Many stopped following Jesus because they thought He was referring to cannibalism in reference to His own body (John 6:53). But Jesus was speaking metaphorically.
Jesus said, " "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you." (John 6:53).
Jesus said to those who who were offended by this statement,
"Does this offend you?" (John 6:61).
I see this as.... "God may ask us to believe or do certain things that do not make sense at first."
Like with Abraham, God was asking him to do something that was very difficult. To take the life of his son. Little did he realize in the time of his test that this was to be a later metaphor of God the Father offering up His Son (Jesus Christ) for the salvation of the whole world by paying the price for man's sins so as to offer mankind the free gift of salvation.
Now, I think there are Christians who may think (as a result of Christ's teaching on non-resistance under the New Covenant) that destroying His enemies literally is offensive to them. I know of some Christians who are Pacifists who are against all forms of war and they reject the GOD of the Old Testament (Which takes Jesus's teachings on non-resistance to the wrong extreme; Note: I do believe we as Christians are to act non violent in this life as a part of our faith, and we should not take up a gun or weapon to go to war). Anyways, I can imagine those Christians who are offended of God of the OT with Christ saying, "Does this offend you?" For people do not realize that in order to have peace, you need to have war. There needs to be a battle to stand for what you believe in. To stand for the Lord and His good ways vs. the evil and sinful ways. But there is a time and a place for everything. For if the Lord says "stop," we stop. If He says "go" we go.
When a person's stomach rumbles full of hunger and they feel like they are almost passing out of lack of food, a good meal truly satisfies. That is the picture here with the battle of Armageddon with Christ's 2nd coming with his saints following Him into the battle. They are finally going to satisfy the Consummation (Mentioned in Daniel). The End. The Consuming (Consummation) of it all. The Lord and His saints will finally be satisfied by the wicked being destroyed from off the Earth so as to bring in age of righteousness (i.e. the Millennium or the 1,000 year reign of Christ).
