One of the most popular questions asked in Genesis and Creation related classes, is: What about the dinosaurs?
What most people know, or believe, about dinosaurs usually comes from the little they have been taught in public education. It goes something like this:
“There have been five major mass extinctions over the course of Earth’s history. Dinosaurs went extinct in the fifth mass extinction 65 million years ago. Beginning about 235 million years ago, dinosaurs dominated life on land for roughly 150 million years. They evolved from the “thecodonts,” an extinct group of crocodile-like reptiles. During their long history, dinosaurs changed a great deal, in part because the world they inhabited changed. Thus, dinosaurs represent a long parade of change and adaptation.” Taken from the (currently in use) California High School Textbook: “Holt Biology,” 2007.
Students must memorize this information and then are required to pass tests regurgitating the above without being allowed to investigate alternative, viable, theories. We are, roughly, in the third generation of this type of evolutionary indoctrination in our public schools and it is now accepted as fact by most educators, even though it does not meet the requirements that other scientific theories do, based on the scientific method. The major problem for evolutionary theory and their dinosaur “story” is that it does not match up with the actual available evidence – see previous posts on evolutionary theory: Creation or Evolution? and 12 Things Evolution can’t answer, but Intelligent Design Can.
Recommended Christian websites with sources for both children and adults on the topic of dinosaurs and more:
Institute for Creation Research: icr.org
Creation Ministries International: creation.com
Creation Today: creationtoday.org
Dr. Dino: drdino.com
Creation Ministries: creationministries.org
So what is true about the dinosaurs? First, it is important to understand that there are two main philosophies on how living things came to be, and Secular Humanism’s evolutionary theory is the only one allowed to be taught in the public school curriculum, Creation Science/Intelligent Design is basically outlawed, and teachers can lose their jobs for presenting it:
1) Secular Humanism: This “philosophy” is responsible for evolutionary theory’s monopoly in public education. What is taught within this theory often differs in opinion as to when animals like the dinosaurs existed, when they became extinct, and how. In reality, The fossil record does not support the various dates given, nor does it contain the transitional forms required to support evolutionary teaching on animals like the dinosaurs. What we really find in the fossil record are species unique unto themselves, appearing suddenly in full form as we have today. We also find massive groupings of fossil with evidence of death caused by a sudden water laid event, all over the world.
2) Creation Science/Intelligent Design: According to the Biblical worldview, God created the dinosaurs (all land animals) on the sixth day, same day as humans. Noah was able to take a pair of dinosaur “kinds” on the Ark that would carry the genetic information for all of the species that would exist after the Flood (see post on Noah’s Flood). Most of the fossils we find today show evidence of a rapid mud or water laid catastrophe.
Dinosaurs have been cited in historical records around the world, living at the same time as humans after the Flood. The word “dragon” or “monster” is used in these records because the word dinosaur is a more modern term that began to be used in the mid 1800’s. We also have evidence of dinosaurs in recent history because archeologists and paleontologists have found dinosaur bones with soft tissue still in it, indicating that these fossils are not millions of years old, but only a few hundred to a few thousand years old.
Watch this one minute clip on dinosaur soft tissue, by “That’s a Fact” Videos:
- The ice age that followed the Flood (this is actually in agreement with some evolutionists, except they believe the ice age was caused by asteroids or another catastrophic event, not Noah’s Flood)
- Lack of food sources that were abundant before the Flood; most dinosaurs were herbivores (plant eaters)
- Humans, over time, killed off most of the dinosaur species after the Flood (conquests are found in many historical records)
- Long life spans declined after the Flood and dinosaurs were not living long enough to reach previous large sizes
Dinosaurs are reptiles and we still have many of them with us today in the form of alligators, lizards, iguanas etc. If these modern reptiles could live a few hundreds years they would be enormous because most reptiles continue to grow as they age. The word dinosaur actually means “terrible lizard.” It is important to remember that the word “dinosaur” did not exist until it was coined in 1840, prior to that time words like “dragon” were used.
Watch this short clip by “That’s a Fact” on Dinosaurs and Humans:
What does the Bible have to say about dinosaurs?
- Most dinosaurs would be in the category of “land animals” and were created on day six of the Creation Week (Genesis 1:24-25), unless referring to sea creatures that were created on day five (Genesis 1:20-23)
- There are various passages in the Bible that refer to animals with descriptions that are identical to what we would know of as “dinosaurs” (Remember the word dinosaur is a modern term):
- “Behemoth” – Job 40:15-18: “Behold now, Behemoth, which I made as well as you; he eats grass like an ox. Behold now, his strength in his loins and his power in the muscles of his belly. He bends his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are knit together. His bones are tubes of bronze; his limbs are like bars of iron.”
- “Leviathan” – Job 41:15-23: “His strong scales are his pride, shut up as with a tight seal. One is so near to another that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated. His sneezes flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning torches; sparks of fire leap forth. Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth as from a boiling pot and burning His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes forth from his mouth. In his neck lodges strength, and dismay leaps before him. The folds of his flesh are joined together, firm on him and immovable.
- “Tanninim” is a Hebrew word that is used 27 times in the Old Testament to indicate “Sea Monster.” Comparative linguistics also shows this word translating as dragon, monster and snake that stretches out moving forward like smoke.
- Dinosaur fossils are found with other known pre-flood plants and animals
- Most cultures around the world have Flood and dinosaur accounts that support the Biblical record; these accounts appear in art, literature, and historical records – many of these have specific details of dinosaur encounters that could only have been recorded by eyewitnesses
Going Deeper: Recommended Presentations
Watch Kent Hovind present: “Dinosaurs and the Bible Part 1”
“Dinosaurs and the Bible Part 2″
Genesis Bible Study:
Read, or re-read, Genesis chapters 9-10, then answer the following questions:
- Noah and his family were the only ones who lived on both sides of the Great Flood. Noah would now be the father of humans to come after. What did God promise through a covenant with Noah and his sons? (Gen. 9:8-19) Who were Noah’s three sons?
- What did the sons do when their father got drunk? What were the blessings and curse that Noah spoke about his sons after this happened? (Gen. 9:20-27)
- Chapter ten is called the “Table of Nations” and gives us a backdrop for the new world, post Flood. Which son will we follow from here as part of the “Scarlet Thread” of Jesus?
- Research where the descendants of Noah’s sons would populate. What are these modern day locations?
Join us next week as we continue our “Case for Creation and Genesis.”
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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.
Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.
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Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15