Dinosaurs in the Bible

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Blog | 0 comments

Dinosaurs in the Bible copy

Did you realize that dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible? 

In Job 40, we find a description of a behemoth. It feeds on grass like an ox (v.15), its tail sways like a cedar tree (v.17), its bones are like tubes of bronze and rods of iron (v.18), the behemoth ranks first among the works of God (v.19), it hides among the reeds in the marsh (v.21).  This behemoth is sometimes identified as a hippo or elephant by liberal theologians. However, neither of these animals fully fits the description. Instead, the behemoth sounds like an Apatosaurus (formerly called the brontosaurus). 

God was describing a creature with which Job was familiar. Since Job lived after the Genesis flood, this dinosaur did not disappear in the flood event. You will recall that Noah took representatives of all basic animal groups aboard the Ark, and that would have included the dinosaurs. They left the Ark and repopulated the Earth. God was just describing a huge creature that Job had seen. 

Job 41 mentions a creature called the leviathan. Again, details of the creature are mentioned: its strong scales are his pride (v.15), its sneezes flashing forth light, out of its mouth go burning torches, sparks of fire leap forth, out of his nostrils smoke goes forth as from a boiling pot and burning rushes, his breath kindles coals and a flame goes forth from his mouth (v.18-21), when he raises himself up, the mighty fear (v.25).

Liberal theologians, influenced by evolutionary thinking, attempt to identify this creature as a crocodile. It simply does not fit. God is describing this creature, the leviathan, to Job, and it sounds very much like a seagoing plesiosaur with the ability to produce smoke or flames. Even the lowly bombardier beetle has been given a similar ability to mix a chemical and blast over 100 degrees Celsius.

The people of Job’s day were clearly familiar with both the behemoth and leviathan. Throughout human history and the Bible, these types of creatures were referred to as “dragons”. Apparently, like many other creatures, they have become extinct since the time of Job and Noah.

(Source: Inspired Evidence – Donald DeYoung, Dinosaurs and Creation, 2000 pp.46-47)

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