In scriptural usage parables are not always distinguished from allegories.  But properly speaking parables are narratives of supposed incidents—­at least of incidents the reality of which is of no consequence—­for the purpose of illustrating important truths; while allegories are figurative descriptions of actual events.

A symbol represents some great truth or event of the future under the form of an action, or some material structure or arrangement. Prophetic symbols take the form of actions, and are of two kinds: 

First, actual, where the prophet himself performs some action before the eyes of his countrymen; as in chap. 24:18, where Ezekiel, in obedience to God’s command, refrains from all expressions of grief at the death of his wife; and chap, 37:16, 17, where he joins together two sticks to represent the reunion of the ten tribes with Judah and Benjamin.  See also Jer. 27:2 compared with 28:10.

Secondly, ideal; that is, seen only in vision; like Ezekiel’s prophecy upon the dry bones, chap. 37:1-10, and his measurements of the New Jerusalem with its temple, porches, etc.  Chaps. 40-48.

It is often difficult to determine to which of these two classes a given symbol belongs.  Did Jeremiah, for example, actually go to Euphrates to bury the linen girdle there, or only in prophetic ecstacy?  Jer. 13:1-11.  Did Ezekiel perform the acts recorded in chap. 4 in reality or in vision?  The answer to such questions is not of great importance, since either way the meaning of the symbols and the instructions which they furnish are the same.

18.  If we divide the book of Ezekiel into two equal parts of twenty-four chapters each, the first part contains prophecies delivered before the overthrow of Jerusalem.  These are arranged in chronological order.  After an introductory chapter describing the vision of the glory of God which the prophet had when called to his office, there follows, in the form of visions, allegories, symbolic actions, and direct addresses, a series of vivid descriptions of the sins of Jerusalem and the judgments of heaven that are about to fall upon her.  With these are interspersed denunciations of the false prophets that flatter the people in their sins, and fervent addresses to his fellow-captives remarkable for their plainness and evangelical spirit.  The second part opens with a series of prophecies against seven foreign nations, in which the order of time is not observed—­first, short prophecies against the four neighboring nations, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia (chap. 25); secondly, a series of prophecies against Tyre, to which is appended a short prophecy against Sidon (chaps. 26-28); thirdly, a like series of prophecies against Egypt (chaps. 29-32).  These prophecies were fulfilled through the same Chaldean power that executed God’s righteous vengeance on the covenant people.  As the number seven is made out by separating Sidon