Are you wondering if God created dinosaurs? It’s a legitimate question that many Christians have asked.
After all, dinosaurs were around millions of years before humans and the Bible mentions nothing about them. So how can we reconcile this fact with what the Bible says? Today, we will answer this question.
God’s Creatures Inside The Bible
The Bible doesn’t mention dinosaurs, but it’s important to understand the context in which the Bible was written. The authors of the Bible were writing in a time when the concept of “dinosaurs” as we know them today didn’t exist.
However, there are several passages in the Bible that describe creatures that some people believe may have been dinosaurs.
The Creature Behemoth
One such passage is found in the Book of Job, which describes a creature called Behemoth.
Some scholars believe that Behemoth was a dinosaur, probably a sauropod. The passage says that the creature had bones like beams of bronze and limbs like bars of iron. (Job 40:18).
It’s also said that the creature is the first of the works of God” (Job 40:19). Based on this we can assume it’s a description of a dinosaur since a dinosaur is one of the first creatures on Earth.
This also shows that Behemoth was a powerful and impressive creature, perhaps one that was incomparable in its strength and size.
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Mentions About “Dragons” and “Leviathan”
Other verses of the Bible which may refer to dinosaurs are found in the book of Psalms.
Psalm 74:13-14 says that God has broken the heads of the dragons in the waters and crushed the heads of Leviathan. Many people believe that these “dragons” and “Leviathan” were definitely dinosaurs or at least creatures that were similar in appearance to dinosaurs
God Created The Whole World
The Book of Genesis describes the origins of the universe and the earth. Based on the verses from this book we can understand that all animals were created by the will of God.
For example, in the opening verses of Genesis is written that God created the heavens and the earth. God created different things for the existence of our planet at different times, at some point animals and nature were also created.
Because of this, we believe that God was the ultimate creator of everything that exists, including the earth and all that it contains.
Thus, God created all living creatures, including dinosaurs, on the sixth day of creation (Genesis 1:24-25).
Overall He created a big range of creatures, including those that crawl on the ground and those that roam the earth. Some people think that dinosaurs are called “beasts of the earth” in the Bible.
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Scientific Perspective on Dinosaurs
From a scientific perspective, dinosaurs evolved through a process of natural selection and genetic mutation over millions of years.
They first appeared around 230 million years ago and went extinct about 66 million years ago. The theory of evolution doesn’t necessarily conflict with the idea of God creating life, but it shows that the process of creation may have involved a longer and more complex process.
Some species of dinosaurs survived and changed to adapt to the environment. Thus, modern birds and various lizards appeared. They are the very dinosaurs that God created and there is no contradiction in this.
Many Church figures recognize that animals can change within their species, just as wolves turned into small breeds of dogs.
The Theory of Evolution
The theory of evolution, which describes the process by which species change over time, doesn’t conflict with the Bible.
Many religious people believe that God created the universe and all living things, but they also accept that evolution is a scientific explanation for how life has developed and diversified over time.
However, there are some people who interpret the Bible literally and believe in a literal six-day creation period as described in the book of Genesis.
We shouldn’t forget that the Bible is written in metaphorical language. Perhaps God indeed created the universe and the world in six days, but the processes that took place on Earth couldn’t happen at one moment, it took millions of years.
Therefore, the fact that God created dinosaurs, some of which became extinct, and a small part of which became birds and lizards fully corresponds to Christian theology.
The Opinion of The Church Fathers
Many theologians and Church Fathers wrote about the first creatures in their works. They wrote especially about the creation of the earth and about the creatures described in the Bible.
Relationship Between God And The Natural World
Saint Basil the Great, for example, wrote about the relationship between God and the natural world. In his work “Hexameron,” he discusses the creation of the animals and how they reflect God’s wisdom and power:
“For God, who is good and just and all-powerful, has not created anything without a purpose. Everything in creation reflects His wisdom and power, from the smallest insect to the largest dinosaur. Indeed, even the dinosaurs, which are now extinct, were part of his grand design for the world.”
(St. Basil the Great, Hexameron, 8:6)
Dinosaurs Are Evidence of God’s Power And Glory
Saint John Chrysostom wrote in his Homilies on Genesis that the existence of the dinosaurs is evidence of God’s power and glory:
“Consider the power and wisdom of God, who created not only the animals that we see today but also those that are now extinct, such as the dinosaurs. He created them all for his own glory and for the benefit of the world.”
(St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis, 5:2)
From these words, we can find out that dinosaurs are a reflection of God’s glory and were beneficial, for example, all birds originate from dinosaurs. They agree that even extinct creatures such as dinosaurs were part of God’s grand design for the world.
Final Thoughts
It can be concluded that God created the whole world, including space, stars, our planet, all animals, and humans. Of course, dinosaurs were also created by God and are even described in the Old Testament.
The Church Fathers also agree that these creatures appeared because of God’s will, they show the power of God and played an important role in the development of our planet.
Sources:
St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis, 5:2
St. Basil the Great, Hexameron, 8:6
Charalampos
Charalampos is an Orthodox Christian who wants to help others learn about Christianity. His main goal is to help people understand the Bible and how to apply its teachings in their everyday lives. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing sports, and hiking.
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