The difference between a parable and a true story may not be clear to many people ...but, it is nonetheless important, and there are some indications that may help us.

It varies, but most parables focus more on the actual story ...not on the specific details of certain aspects of the story that are usually just general information.

Like the Gingerbread Man story ...it mentions an old man and an old woman, and he can run away from us too.  No names are mentioned.

Similarly, in the Bible, Jesus mentions a certain man, thieves, a certain priest, a Levite, and a certain Samaritan. This has all the elements of a parable.

But, in contrast, let's look at the two stories in the Old Testament that many people think are parables ...the two that most people question the validity of their truth.  

Those two are:

• The Creation
• The Flood

The Flood account doesn't say a certain man ...it mentions Noah by name, who was previously mentioned in the genealogy.  It also does not say a certain large boat, but describes its length as 300 cubits, its width as 50 cubits, and its height as 30 cubits.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, it does not name the priest, nor does it say he walked 30 cubits from the certain injured man.

Okay, what about the Creation account??

It does not mention the beauty of the silhouette of trees at the shoreline, against the brilliant splash of color in the sky at dusk.

It lists, in order, what was Created on Day #1 ...and Day #2 ...through Day #6.  And in Chapter 2, we have an intimate personal description of Adam ...focusing on his relationship with God, and then with Eve.

God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul.  God provided a garden for Adam, and God formed the animals for Adam to see ...and to name.  God gave Adam a restriction to define a choice ...and when he chose unwisely, he was provided with a covering.  But also saw there were consequences for wrong actions.

Yet, redemption is always what God shows us ...with the necessity of His righteousness, which we see is fulfilled through Jesus.                                                      

One more indication would be not just that Jesus mentioned it, but also how Jesus mentioned it.

 Jesus said, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark."

And referencing both marriage and Creation, Jesus said, "But from the beginning of the Creation, God made them male and female.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder."

And we see Jesus is once again restating what is said in the Old Testament, Chapter 2, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

I am showing how this all ties together, but perhaps I should finish by reiterating ...or making my initial point with more clarity.  If I say it's like in the story of the Gingerbread Man, I'm not saying it's like in the days of the Gingerbread Man. And Jesus does mention the days of Noah in drawing a parallel, not a parable, to how things will be in the last days ...His Second Coming.

And Jesus mentions the beginning of Creation , and how male and female were made ...not evolved.  Some of you may think the fairy tale of evolution is cute, but it is devilishly inaccurate.

                              ******************************