Did God Create Dinosaurs? What Does The Bible Say?

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Published by Kenneth Garcia

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Co-Founder of Biblekeeper, Author & Theologian

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Many people like to watch dinosaur movies. The Jurassic Park franchise of six movies has earned over $6 billion worldwide. American author and filmmaker Michael Crichton conceived the film around a pterodactyl, a winged reptile cloned from fossil DNA. So, did God create dinosaurs?

Dinosaurs have captivated the imaginations of many people, young and old alike. The image of dinosaurs can be seen on T-shirts, coffee mugs, magazines, comic books, and video games. It occupies a prominent space and features in many well-known theme parks, like Disneyland, all over the world.

But we often wonder: Are dinosaurs real? Where did they come from? Are they alien creatures from distant planets? Are they really extinct, or do they still exist in some remote places?

Key Takeaways

  • Dinosaurs were created by God around 6,000 years ago, according to biblical interpretation.
  • Fossil records unquestionably prove the existence of dinosaurs, which varied greatly in size.
  • Theories suggest dinosaurs could still exist in some form today, and their extinction is linked to events like the biblical flood.

When Were Dinosaurs Created?

The topic of dinosaurs[1] is a continuing topic of debate between the believers and creationists who affirm the existence of a Creator and the evolutionists, who claim that all of life originated and developed from life forms on warm ponds billions of years ago.

According To Evolutionists

The evolutionists claim that dinosaurs existed on Earth around 245 million years ago and became extinct about 65 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era. This time period was many millions of years before the first humans, Homo sapiens, appeared on Earth.

According To The Bible

In Genesis 1, God created dinosaurs together with all the land animals, birds, and fish on the fifth and sixth days. The sixth day of creation was also the same day when God created people (Genesis 1:26–27). These biblical accounts reveal that people and dinosaurs lived together on Earth at the same time.

If we analyze the biblical timeline, Jesus Christ arrived on Earth around 2000 years ago. We then also conclude that the creation of the Earth, mankind, and dinosaurs happened around 6000 years ago, not millions or billions of years ago.

lone dinosaur in a forest and did god create dinosaurs

Did God Create Dinosaurs?

So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. … And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

— Genesis 1:21–23

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 there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

— Genesis 1:25, 31

God created the Earth and everything on it. The first chapter of the Book of Genesis tells us that God created all the animals on the fifth and sixth days of creation. The Bible describes that the birds and great sea creatures were created on the fifth day, while the land animals were created on the sixth day.

Did Dinosaurs Really Exist?

The existence of dinosaurs is unquestionable. When we go to a museum, our very eyes can witness the magnificence of dinosaur bones—their beauty or menace, body size, and structure.

Some species were as small as chickens, and others were huge, standing at 40 feet in height with a weight of around 80 tons. However, the average size of a dinosaur resembles a large sheep.

According to evolutionists, dinosaurs lived around 235 million years ago, long before man came into existence. Adherents of the Darwinian Theory claim that no human being ever lived with dinosaurs. The history of dinosaurs is seen in the fossil record deposits, or rock layers, on Earth.

In contrast, the scriptures reveal that dinosaurs first existed around 6,000 years ago. God made these creatures on the fifth and sixth days of creation. God also created Adam and Eve on the sixth day.

Dinosaurs, therefore, lived and thrived at the same time as people and were not separated by a multitude of millions of years. Dinosaurs could not have become extinct before people appeared on Earth because death, disease, and suffering only came about as a result of the sins of our first parents.

Moreover, representatives of all the animals, including the dinosaurs, were included in Noah’s Ark. All those left outside the Ark perished in the flood, and their remains became fossils. The remnants of dinosaurs were transformed into dinosaur fossils.

Did Dinosaurs Evolve From Other Animals?

The proponents of the evolution theory state that dinosaurs evolved from some kind of reptile that had originally advanced from the amphibians. However, they cannot clearly illustrate any transitional variant of species to show the transition.

If the dinosaurs came from amphibians, there must be evidence of a fossil record that shows they are part dinosaurs and part of some other species or member of the animal world. However, no such proof exists. When we see dinosaur remains in a museum, we see a dinosaur that is 100% dinosaur and not some creature in between.

The Bible teaches that God created all the animals on Earth, including the dinosaurs. They were made on the sixth day, together with human beings. Each species had a distinct purpose and role in the totality of God’s creation on Earth and in the universe.

Are Dinosaurs Mentioned In The Bible?

During The Time Of Creation

At the time of creation, all the other animals, birds, and fish were created on the fifth and sixth days. The animals, in particular the dinosaurs, were made together with mankind on the sixth day. God declared that all of creation was good. Humanity was charged by God to have dominion over all animals, including dinosaurs.

Adam Named The Dinosaurs

The Bible clearly illustrates that Adam named all the animals, birds, and other living creatures. Genesis 2:19–20 says: “The Lord God had formed out of the ground all of the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to Adam to see what he would name them. Whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air, and all the beasts of the field.”

Other Biblical Accounts

In the Old Testament, Job 40:15–18 speaks of a “behemoth”. The Bible describes an animal whose size is like a cedar tree and has strong physical attributes that resemble those of a dinosaur. In the Book of Psalms and Job, a “leviathan” is described as a sea serpent, bearing enormous physical size and strength. In Isaiah 27:1, God will eventually slay Leviathan, a serpent and a symbol of the Israelites’ enemies.

Bible Verses That Speak About Dinosaurs

Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox. 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. His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron.

— Job 40:15–18

On that day, the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Isaiah 27:1

Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, or snare his tongue with a line that you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook?

— Job 41:1–2

You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.

Psalm 74:13

You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him food for the creatures of the wilderness.

Psalm 74:14

Why Did God Create Dinosaurs?

God made the universe and Earth and everything in it. He also created man in His likeness so that we can bear His holiness and righteousness. Because we are His most important creation, everything in the galaxies and on Earth was created to support and enhance our existence here on Earth.

God has filled the world with much diversity of life forms to set numerous purposes and roles in the working of all His creations. The Bible tells us God also charged mankind to rule and have dominion over all creation, including the dinosaurs long ago.

Genesis 1:26 reads: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'”

A primary purpose for the creation of dinosaurs is for the very sustenance of the life of humanity. At the time, the landmass of the Earth was covered by large shallow seas. These habitats supported the lives of the dinosaurs that had huge body masses. The existence of the large population of dinosaurs during the past significantly contributed to Earth’s present supply and storage of biodeposits.

These large animals stored food in their stomachs and defecated or dispersed them into far distant areas in substantial quantities. These by-products became fertilizers or nutrients that support other life forms. Examples of such biodeposits include oil, coal, limestone, natural gas, and other elements that sustain our very lives at present.

Because God expresses love for all of humanity, we possess more than “76 quadrillion tons of biodeposits” that we can use to develop and advance mankind’s civilization and technology.

What Happened To The Dinosaurs?

Evolutionists

The extinction of the dinosaurs was first suggested in 1980 by evolutionists. They assert that over 66 million years ago, an asteroid the size of a mountain struck near the Yucatán Peninsula in Central America. The asteroid had an explosive force similar to 100 trillion tons of TNT.

Some evolutionists also claim that volcanic eruptions resulted in massive climate change that affected and terminated the survival of many animals. The dinosaurs died during these cataclysmic events.

Creationists

The Bible reveals that a representative of all animals, including the dinosaurs, was herded into Noah’s Ark. It is presumed that many various species of dinosaurs also perished when God judged the world during the Flood.

Because of God’s judgment, death passed to all life because of the sins of our first parents. As a result, many life forms and species became extinct. A primary reason for this is climate change. Mankind’s departure from its original mandate on Earth was also distorted and therefore the cycle of death, extinction, and the emergence of other species became a normal occurrence.

But these ancient life forms still exist today. For example, we now have new variants of COVID-19 viruses after a preceding variant has died out.

Will We Ever See A Live Dinosaur?

While the chances are small, it is still possible to see a dinosaur living in our midst. Certain species that may not be as big as we perceive them may still be living in the remote and unexplored jungles or areas of the planet.

Scientists are still discovering new species of animal and plant forms in the present day. In some countries, natives claim that they have seen beasts that resemble dinosaurs, as we know them. It is a scientific fact that birds possess the same ancestors as the dinosaurs or have evolved alongside them. These birds are still flourishing on Earth.

The Aardvark is identified as a species that belongs to the family of dinosaurs that still exists today. They look like a pig, especially with their body and snout, and share common ancestry lines with elephants. Aardvarks thrive and live in sub-Saharan Africa. According to scientists, fossil records of Aardvarks have been almost unchanged for the last 55 million years.

Another stunning discovery of an animal or fish that thrives today is the elephant shark. This is the slowest-evolving vertebrate that has been found and remained unchanged for 420 million years, which is around 200 million years before the emergence of dinosaurs.

Believers in the creation account would not be surprised if a living dinosaur is discovered today. Large animals were wiped out in the past because of natural causes or climate change, as we still experience today. But we are still in the present company of living elephants, rhinos, and other species that share the same ancestry line as dinosaurs.

dinosaurs hunting in a dense jungle and did god create dinosaurs

Summary

The contention about the origins of dinosaurs prevails in the halls of science, churches, and schools. There is no doubt about the existence of dinosaurs. They were real and some species may still be in existence today.

But one thing is certain. This unceasing controversy immeasurably leads to the existence of a Creator who made all things out of nothing. Dinosaurs affirm the infallibility of God’s Word, which also corroborates findings from archaeology and other fields of modern science.

The subject of dinosaurs gives us more faith in Jesus Christ, who is both omniscient and all-powerful. God has revealed the purposes of the existence of dinosaurs and their wonderful role in the environment and the lives of humanity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did God Create Dinosaurs?

In the creationist view, God created dinosaurs, possibly around 6,000 years ago, as part of the divine creation of all animals and humans.

What Does The Bible Say About Dinosaurs?

The Bible does not explicitly mention dinosaurs, but some interpretations suggest that creatures like “behemoth” and “leviathan” could be references to dinosaurs.

Do Evolutionists And Creationists Agree On The Existence Of Dinosaurs?

Both evolutionists and creationists agree that dinosaurs existed, but they differ on the details of their origin and the timeline of their existence.

When Did Dinosaurs Exist According To Science?

Scientifically, dinosaurs are believed to have existed from about 245 million years ago to 65 million years ago, during the Mesozoic Era.

Are There Any References To Dinosaurs Living With Humans?

Some creationist beliefs suggest that humans and dinosaurs coexisted, but there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

What Led To The Extinction Of Dinosaurs?

The prevailing scientific theory is that a massive asteroid impact, along with volcanic activity and climate changes, led to the extinction of dinosaurs around 65 million years ago.

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