What does the Bible say about dinosaurs’ extinction?
Once dinosaurs are mentioned, movie lovers first think of the science-fiction movie Jurassic Park.
Many see dinosaur movies and documentaries as works of fiction, but they truly exist.
The good or surprising thing is that the Bible hints at these creatures.
We might miss them while studying because we do not give much thought to them, or our subconscious naturally separates science from God.
However, the Bible mentioned some creatures, such as the Behemoth and Leviathan, with similar physical features to dinosaurs.
Although scientists and other Bible believe the description of these creatures matches the hippopotamus and crocodile, only that they were exaggerated, the truth is that there is not enough evidence to dispute that these creatures were imaginary.
The Bible is a complete book that touches every area of life.
It perfectly captures the past, represents the present, and predicts the future.
Even though the Bible might not be detailed about some events or animals, it does not discredit their existence or the fact that God created and acknowledged them.
This article discusses dinosaurs in the Bible and their existence in the Bible days.
God created all creatures.
Before we dive into the existence of dinosaurs in the Bible, it is crucial to first state that God created the heavens and the Earth and all the living and non-living creatures in it, whether extinct or still existing.
Genesis 1:25-28 says, “Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. And God made the beast of the Earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the Earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”
Whether these creatures eat plants or meat or are carnivores, God created them all.
Another argument about animals, especially ruthless ones like Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus, etc., is that God didn’t make wicked animals, or they would have been a source of danger to the people living when they existed.
However, what transpired in the Garden of Eden proved that God’s original intention was for animals and men to coexist peacefully.
In Genesis 2:19, God gave Adam the authority to name all animals.
Before an animal is named, it must be closely examined.
That shows that Adam was close to the animals well enough to observe and name them. Also, we must know that before corruption or sin entered the world through the fall of man, beasts, and man lived together without fear of harm.
Therefore, dinosaurs would not have posed any danger to man in the Garden of Eden or at the beginning of time. However, things might have changed as time went on.
Are dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible?
Two animals mentioned in the Bible bear a close resemblance to dinosaurs: Behemoth and Leviathan.
Although the Bible did not specifically mention dinosaurs, its detailed description of these creatures matches that of a typical dinosaur.
Behemoth (Job 40:15-24)
Behemoth and Leviathan, circle of John Linnell, 1792–1882, British, after William Blake, 1757–1827 – @Getty
Job 40:16-17 highlights some key features of the Behemoth that are closely related to most dinosaurs, especially those that walk on two legs or bipedal, like Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops.
The verses read: “See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.”
This part of Job 40 focused more on the strength of the abdominal region of the Behemoth.
The bipedal dinosaurs have extremely strong and large rare legs because they walk on them.
Job describes the strength of Behemoth’s hips, the power of its stomach muscles, and then how firmly woven the tendons of its thighs are.
This proves that they have strong and muscular abdomen regions and most likely walk on two legs, typical of most dinosaurs.
Job 40:17 compares Behemoth’s tail to a cedar.
A cedar is a large tree, towering up to 40-50 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide.
Without a doubt, what Job was describing was an enormous creature that is clearly not in existence today and looks closely like a dinosaur.
Job describes the strength of its frame, saying, “His bones are like beams of bronze, His ribs like bars of iron” (Job 40:18).
This description presents Behemoth as a strong creature, just like the dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs’ bones were highly durable and long-lasting because they had to bear the enormous weight of these prehistoric creatures and endure the harsh conditions of their habitat.
Job 40:23-24 hints at the size of the Behemoth and how it can navigate large water bodies, including the Jordan River, without being washed away by storms or heavy water currents.
“Indeed the river may rage, Yet he is not disturbed; He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth, Though he takes it in his eyes, Or one pierces his nose with a snare.”
Interestingly, Job 40:19-22 describes the Behemoth as a land animal hidden by trees and feeding on wild animals on mountains.
This presents it as adaptive to land and water, like an amphibian. Spinosaurus fits this description. It lived on land and water.
Leviathan (Job 41)
The Destruction of Leviathan – Picture from The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments books collection published in 1885
Job describes another creature in Job 41 with unique features, the Leviathan.
The Leviathan has an impenetrable skin (Job 41:14-17).
According to Psalm 104:24, the Leviathan lived in water.
This makes Bible scholars call it a crocodile. However, other descriptions depict it as a fire-breathing beast like a dragon.
“His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth.” (Job 41:18-21)
Leviathan’s depiction as an aquatic beast that dwells in the ocean’s depths also reiterates its relationship with dinosaurs.
For example, Spinosaurus spent most of its time submerged in water because of its adaptations to life in the water.
Why was there no record of dinosaur encounters with any Biblical figure?
Another valid observation raised by scholars is that no biblical figure was recorded to have encountered any dinosaur in the Bible.
This observation might be tied to the fact that the Bible gives credit to the existence of certain animals that we still have today today.
For example, the mentions that the snake deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden, David killed a lion and bear, the gods leaked the wounds of poor Lazarus, and countless records of livestock like goats, sheep, doves, etc. However, no one was attacked by dinosaurs or tamed anyone.
Although this may sound like a good argument, let’s consider some statistics.
According to National Geographic, a study predicted some 8.7 million species on Earth. However, only 1.6 million of them have been identified.
The fascinating thing is that only a little over 120 animal species are mentioned in the Bible. Isn’t that amazing?
Can we say other animals not mentioned in the Bible, like Kangaroos, Pandas, Elephants, etc., did not exist during the Bible’s days? They did.
It only shows that the Bible is not a book of animal records but the Word of God we need to live holy and righteous lives.
Therefore, God must inspire Bible writers to focus more on crucial matters that will help our spiritual well-being and relationship with God instead of keeping a record of all the animals and their encounters with people in the Bible times.
What is the biblical explanation for the extinction of dinosaurs?
Several theories exist about what caused the extinction of dinosaurs.
The most popular and accepted theory is that an asteroid struck the Earth, causing widespread devastation, including wildfires, tsunamis, etc., leading to the extinction of many plants and animals.
Although scientific theories such as the asteroid impact hypothesis have some level of academic credibility, the biblical theory of extinction still has weight.
When considering possible factors responsible for the disappearance of these creatures, the story of Noah and the flood comes to mind.
The Bible’s story illustrates how the rain fell nonstop for 40 days, leading to a massive flood that wiped away all living creatures that did not enter Noah’s Ark as instructed by God.
However, it poses more questions, such as why the dinosaurs were not in Noah’s ark.
Were they too big, or did Noah not go after them? We do not have the answers. However, according to the story, not all living creatures made it into Noah’s ark.
Genesis 7:23 says, “So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air.
They were destroyed from the Earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive.” Were the dinosaurs among them? Highly possible.
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David Akeju is a Christian writer who believes in the transformational power of God’s Word. His articles and books have been published on global platforms, and thousands of lives have been touched. He works with pastors and ministers, churches and ministries, and brands.