In the Beginning – Dinosaurs

Did dinosaurs exist in the Bible? The word Dinosaur does not appear in the bible, but many animals are not mentioned by name in the bible. Some are mentioned but not by the name we recognize today, ex. The whale in the story of Jonah was called a big fish.

My father worked road construction and while working in the mid 60’s around Holyoke, MA they uncovered dinosaur fossils. This of course shutdown the site for a short period of time. Dad discovered and kept two fossil footprints. They were of two different types of dinosaurs. One was rather large and a smaller one. For years, until he donated them to a museum, me and my sisters had the best show and tell display. What I am saying is that these footprints were not something I saw in a museum but in their raw and original form. As some say the proof is in the pudding. So, yes there actually at one time were dinosaurs.

As we studied earlier on the fifth- and sixth-days God created all living creatures. These creatures were made complete and did not come about by evolution but by the spoken word of God. I would like to also point out the word beast that is mentioned and pertains to many types of animal creations. “Merriam Webster Dictionary describes a beast as, a four-footed mammal as distinguished from a human being, a lower vertebrate, and an invertebrate . something formidably difficult to control or deal with.” Microsoft Bing defines beast as, “an animal, especially a large or dangerous four-footed one.””a wild beast”  I for one would consider a dinosaur as a beast. “Genesis 1:24-25 KJV And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

Some say that Behemoth and Leviathan were dinosaurs others argue that the Behemoth was a hippopotamus and the Leviathan was a crocodile. I disagree with their conclusions.

Why do I believe Behemoth and Leviathan were dinosaurs? Let’s look at the Behemoth first which is found in Job 40:15-24. The first flaw with the hippopotamus theory I see is that Hippos are similar to what we call pigs in that they lack sweat glands. Just as pigs cover themselves in mud to protect their tender skin; the hippo stays immersed in water during the day to protect their skin.  They do not come out until evening to graze in the fields. Yet Job said the Behemoth laid under shady trees. “Job 40:21-22 KJV He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.”

Hippos do not live in the mountains but along the river, “Job 40:20 KJV Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.”

Job also tells us that this creature had a tail as a cedar. Cedars are trees (large) not stubby little tails. “Job 40:17 KJV He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.” The later part of verse many believe is talking about its testicles, but could it be describing boney protrusions on its tail?

The Leviathan is found in Job 41 and many believe it describes a crocodile. “Job 41:14-18 KJV Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. 15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. 16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. 17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. By his neesings (blows out air its nose) a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.”

Although the Leviathan has some similarities to the crocodile they do not add up to an identical match. The Leviathan is found in water but it is believed to be a dragon.
“Job 41:19-21 & Job 41:31 KJV Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. 20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. 21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth…Job 41:31 KJV He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.”
“Psalms 104:26 KJV There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.”
“Isaiah 27:1 KJV In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.”

In conclusion I do believe that dinosaurs existed from the beginning of creation. I know God is the creator of all things. I know I saw real fossils.  I do not know for sure what happened to the dinosaurs but can only speculate that as man’s population grew and spread that God no longer saw a need for them. Some theorize volcanic eruptions polluted the air others believe asteroids hit the earth. Their demise is another question that we can ask when God takes us home.