Are There Dinosaurs In The Bible
Explicitly, we dont have any references to dinosaurs in Scripture, but we may have two creatures mentioned in Job 40 and Job 41. The behemoth, as described in Job 40:15-24 has a large tail and strong bones, among other descriptions that dont appear to point to any known land animal were aware of on earth today, according to Allan Steel for Answers in Genesis.
Another creature, mentioned in Job 41 is the leviathan, a water creature that appears to almost breath fire and has very thick skin that could be similar to the thick skin associated with dinosaurs or even dragons.
That being said, we do have to keep in mind that many biblical authors implemented several uses of metaphor and hyperbole.
Some commentators have said that the leviathan could be a crocodile and the behemoth a hippopotamus. Although not as large as dinosaurs, these creatures wouldve wreaked havoc in the ancient world. In ancient Egypt, for instance, hippos and crocodiles who swam the depths of the Nile were greatly feared, writes Isabel Stünkel for the MET. With one snap of the hippos jaws, a person could perish, and any hunters who went toe to toe with a crocodile risked death as well.
Although Christians do fall on both sides of the debate, its inconclusive as to whether the behemoth and leviathan refer to the creatures we know, such as hippopotamuses and crocodiles, or if they point to a creature that has since gone extinct, such as a dinosaur.
Dinosaurs In The Bible:
If dinosaurs and people lived at the same time, shouldn’t the Bible talk about dinosaurs?
Yes — and it does. Dinosaurs are one of the most frequently mentioned animals in the Bible. The only thing is, the word dinosaur is not used.
The word “dinosaur” was not invented until 1841. It could not be used by early translators of the Bible. For example, the King James Version translation was completed in 1611, over 200 years before the word “dinosaur” was created.
Is there another word for dinosaur that is used in the Bible?
Yes! Here are a few verses:
“…and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.” – Malachi 1:3
“…they snuffed up the wind like dragons.” – Jereniah 14:6
“…and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” – Isaiah 27:1
The word is dragon. It’s interesting to note that people around the world have similar stories about “dragons”… and the descriptions of “dragons” are similar in all cultures… and those descriptions basically match what we think dinosaurs look like.
When the Bible talks about dragons, it is talking about what we now call dinosaurs.
Here’s a detailed description from Job 40:15-19
What is behemoth?
This is the largest land animal God made. Some Bible translators have said behemoth may be an elephant or hippopotomus. But both of those have small tails, not a tail that moves like a cedar tree.
Yes, the Bible talks about dinosaurs. They are mentioned in the Bible nearly more times than any other animal.
Children From All Around The World Are Captivated By Dinosaurs From Television Shows Movies Books Theme Parks And Toys The Mystery Of These Ancient Creatures Continue To Stir Their Imaginations And Draw Them In To Learn More For Some Children This Love Of Dinosaurs Might Even Become A Lifelong Passion Maybe Some Of Your Children Are Already Aspiring Paleontologists Just Like Dr Kendall Park In The Jonathan Park Audio Adventures
My children are still in the dinosaur-loving phase and always on the hunt for a new dinosaur book or documentary, always open to learning something new. However, the problem Ive encountered is that most books and documentaries teach about these amazing creatures from an evolutionary point of view. And this worldview doesnt line up with the Bibles teachings and the Creation account in Genesis.
It didnt take my children long to question how dinosaurs could be hundreds of millions of years old when the Bible teaches that everything was created just thousands of years ago. Up until recently, they seemed satisfied with my answer that according to Scripture, God created all animals on the sixth cay of Creation , and that this would have included dinosaurs .
However, I was recently taken off guard when one of my boys posed a very good question. If God created dinosaurs just like all the other animals, then why doesnt the Bible talk about them?
Many people , assume that the existence of dinosaurs isnt mentioned in the Bible. But when you take a closer look, youll discover that the Bible does reference animals that fit the description of what we call dinosaurs today.
God talked to Job all about a dinosaur that could have been sauropod
For example, in Job 40:15 we see God telling Job about an animal He calls Behemoth.
Look at Behemoth,
which I made along with you
and which feeds on grass like an ox.
What strength it has in its loins,
Its tail sways like a cedar
- Job 41
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What Did Dinosaurs Eat
The Bible teaches that the original animals were commanded to be vegetarian. There were no meat eaters in the original creation. Furthermore, there was no death. It was an unblemished world, with Adam and Eve and animals living in perfect harmony, eating only plants.
Sadly, it did not stay this way for very long. Adam rebelled against his Creator, bringing sin into the world . Because of this rebellion, Adam, and thus all of his descendants , gave up the right to live with a Holy and just God. God therefore judged sin with death.
The Bible plainly teaches from Genesis to Revelation that there was no death of animals or humans before Adam sinned. This means there could not have been any animal fossils before sin.
After Adams sin, animals and people started to die. It was now a different world, one of death and strife. A world that was once beautiful now suffered under the curse placed upon it by the Creator . But a promise was given that God would provide a way for the penalty of sin to be paid so there would be a way for man to come back to God.
Are Dinosaurs Real
Those who have collected dinosaur remains in the Midwest plains of Canada and the United States or in the Colorado Plateau region have no lingering doubt concerning their reality. Thousands of specimens have been found and excavated, thereby debunking the first theory mentioned. However, simply because we acknowledge the existence of dinosaurs does not mean we must accept that it took millions of years for their appearance/disappearance. The second theory comes from those who see the dinosaur bones, but feel there is no direct Biblical supporting evidence for their creation. Theory number three, is one that is rather plausible and even supported in the Bible.
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What Is A Dinosaur
Dinosaurs were a diverse group of reptiles, some avian, while others walked on land or were water-dwellers. Some dinosaurs were plant eaters, while others were carnivores. All dinosaurs are believed to have been egg-laying. Although some dinosaurs were gigantic creatures, many were about the size of a chicken or smaller.
Dinosaurspart Of The Original Creation
Through Gods Word, historical records, and evidence uncovered, we can see that dinosaurs were part of the original creation. Adam and Eve saw them in the Garden of Eden Noah took them on the Ark and mankind has interacted with them and been fascinated by them for over 6,000 years. It is only in recent times that there has been a concerted effort to assert their extinction before the dawn of humanity. This error has led many to question the Word of God and thereby to deny the reality of Creation, the Flood, and the Coming Judgment. Yet, over the centuries, science has proven to be like shifting sand. Only Gods Word is steadfast.
Genesis 1: 31And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.
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What Should I Say About Dinosaurs A Christian Physicist Reflects On The Origins Of Life
What about evolution? A young mother once asked me, What should I tell my children about dinosaurs? This question can be expanded a bit. What should we teach our middle school or high school children about the origins of the cosmos, the Earth, and life on our Earth? What our children are taught before they leave high school may strongly influence their relationship to the church and to Jesus as they encounter later science courses along with various worldviews, particularly in college. I maintain that we must always tell our children the truth, including the truth regarding origins. As followers of Jesus who live in the world God created and upholds, we are aware of two sources of knowledge about this very good creation. We read in the Bible about creation, and all of us are aware of at least some aspects of that same creation as understood by natural science. The accounts of creation in these sources do not use the same words and do not have the same overall areas of concern, but we can expect that at least the accounts should not conflict. The book of nature described by science should not contradict the book of nature as read from the Bible. But for the past century and a half, too much conflict has existed.
ORIGINS
Evolutionary science is neutral or agnostic in regards to metaphysical implications it is a naturalistic endeavor in scientific method only and implies no religious or philosophical position.
EVOLUTIONARY THEORY
CHRISTIANS AND EVOLUTIONARY SCIENCE
Why Are Dinosaurs Not Alive Today
The sudden extinction of the dinosaurs, as shown by the geological record, is a mystery that evolutionary paleontologists have considerable difficulty explaining. What happened to wipe out the dinosaurs so quickly? A change of temperature? A change in the plants? Blasts of heat from a meteor? Mammals eating dinosaur eggs? A change in oxygen concentration? Overspecialization? Senility? All these have been offered as explanations by evolutionary scientists. The dominant theory at present is that a large object from space hit Earth and blasted up so much dust that the sun was obscured for months. Plants and animals died. However there are problems with this theory. If this happened, why was the extinction selective? Why did some plants and animals, including some more fragile than dinosaurs, not become extinct?
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Why Arent Dinosaurs Mentioned In The Bible
If dinosaurs were part of the original creation and taken on board Noahs ark with the rest of the land dwelling animals, why arent they mentioned in the Bible?
Since the word dinosaur wasnt actually coined until 1841, the creatures we now refer to as dinosaurs were simply called dragons throughout most of history. Not only does the Bible use the word dragon repeatedly, 21 times in the Old Testament and 12 times in the Book of Revelations, the Book of Job describes creatures called Behemoth and Leviathan, which seem to indicate large, reptilian beasts, like dinosaurs.
Job 40:15-19 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee he eateth grass as an ox.Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.His bones are as strong pieces of brass his bones are like bars of iron.He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
In Hebrew, the word Behemoth translates as gigantic beast. For this animal to be described by God as the chief, it must surely have been a huge and magnificent sight!
Problems With Including Dinosaurs
There are some technical problems that God would have faced in including dinosaurs in the creation account. There is no word for “dinosaur” in the Hebrew language. Now, God could have invented a Hebrew word for dinosaur and explained what those animals were like and how they had died out. However, this is a one page description of the creation of the world and life in it. Trying to explain about an extinct group of creatures would have taken a lot of space and distracted from the rest of the creation account.
The second chapter of Genesis gives a spiritual account of the creation of mankind and man’s relationship to God. The entire account is centered on God and man. Therefore, one would expect the creation account to describe events that are important to mankind.
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What Happened To The Perfect World
Initially, Gods creation was perfect, with all animals and humans living in harmony, all feasting on plants, trees and their fruit. Everything was vegetarian in the Garden of Eden . Sometime after the original creation, man sinned and this perfect world was corrupted in many ways. Eventually, God saw fit to punish the wickedness that had overtaken the world. But he spared Noah, a just man, and perfect among his generations and Noah walked with God.
What Does The Bible Say About Dinosaurs
1. Genesis 1:19-21 And there was evening, and there was morningthe fourth day. And God said, Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
2. Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
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When Did Dinosaurs Live
The story we have all heard from movies, television, newspapers, and most magazines and textbooks is that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago. According to evolutionists, the dinosaurs ruled the Earth for 140 million years, dying out about 65 million years ago. However, scientists do not dig up anything labeled with those ages. They only uncover dead dinosaurs , and their bones do not have labels attached telling how old they are. The idea of millions of years of evolution is just the evolutionists story about the past. No scientist was there to see the dinosaurs live through this supposed dinosaur age. In fact, there is no proof whatsoever that the world and its fossil layers are millions of years old. No scientist observed dinosaurs die. Scientists only find the bones in the here and now, and because many of them are evolutionists, they try to fit the story of the dinosaurs into their view.
Other scientists, called creation scientists, have a different idea about when dinosaurs lived.
Other scientists, called creation scientists, have a different idea about when dinosaurs lived. They believe they can solve any of the supposed dinosaur mysteries and show how the evidence fits wonderfully with their ideas about the past, beliefs that come from the Bible.
Where Did Dinosaurs Come From
The answer of modern science is that plant-eating dinosaurs evolved from a group of reptiles known as archosaurs during the Triassic Period. However, in Genesis 1:20-25 we read that God created birds and water animals on the fifth day of creation, and the land-dwelling animals on the sixth. God gave both humans and animals the green, seed-bearing plants for their food . Early humans and animals were all vegetarian. Humans had nothing to fear from dinosaurs .
3. Genesis 1:20-25 And God said, Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky. 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth. 23 And there was evening, and there was morningthe fifth day. 24 And God said, Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind. And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Did dinosaurs and humans coexist?
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Are Dinosaurs In The Bible
Some scholars say yes, others no. This article takes the stance of the affirmative.
Two instances in the Bible could possibly describe a dinosaur, or at least, a dinosaur-like creature. Some theologians will argue the author could have used hyperbole or metaphorical imagery, but if he chose to do so, he picked some rather odd images to describe mundane creatures.
1. Behemoth
In Job, this creature is described as having a tail like a cedar and an herbivore diet. It also says this colossal beast had large bones like beams of bronze.
From the portrayal in those verses, it seems as though the passage indicates a creature similar to a diplodocus. Some commentators try to say God had described a hippopotamus in this passage, but the depiction doesnt seem to match up. Hippos, for instance, dont have tails like cedars.
2. Leviathan
The leviathan seems to have armor-plated skin that no hook can pierce. Like the behemoth, the author makes note of the strong limbs this animal possesses.
Psalm 104:26 indicates the leviathan lived in water, which could point to why some people say its a crocodile. And Isaiah 27:1 describes the leviathan as a twisting serpent.
These may align with a crocodile, but Job seem to indicate this creature literally breathed fire. Crocodiles and other similar reptiles have not been known to breathe fire. This may indicate a dragon-like species existed during Jobs time.
