Do we hear of Dinosaurs in the Bible?
Many have collected dinosaur remains all over and they have no lingering doubt concerning their reality. Thousands of specimens have been found and excavated. However, simply because we acknowledge the existence of dinosaurs does not mean we must accept that it took millions of years for their appearance/disappearance. Many people see the dinosaur bones, but feel there is no direct Biblical supporting evidence for their creation. I think the existence of dinosaurs is very plausible and even supported in the Bible. The word “Dinosaur” does not even appear in the KJV of the Bible and that makes perfect sense. Because In 1842, the English naturalist Sir Richard Owen coined the term Dinosauria, derived from the Greek deinos, meaning “fearfully great,” and sauros, meaning “lizard.”
“Gen 1:24-25 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 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.”
Among the beasts of the Earth, there were animals of all sizes, great and small, including those we know today as dinosaurs. We know they were here because we see their remains, but where did they go? Intermittent extinction of animals is ongoing, but the greatest mass-extinction event to occur on the Earth, the global, Universal Flood, witnessed the sudden end of 75% of all land species, including plants and animals, and 95% of all marine species. When this transpired about 4,400 years ago, tens, even hundreds-of-millions of animals perished, most obliterated by the forces of the great Deluge, but some remains survived because of a very unique, perfectly balanced environment of heat, pressure, water, and ocean chemistry, known as a hypretherm. Those fossil remains show us that the continents were all once connected, that all dinosaurs died in a flood environment (worldwide, all dinosaur fossils are found in flood sediment), and that the extinction event happened in the springtime. In fact, fossilization of dead animals is not happening today; it only happened during the Great Flood.” Russ Barlow, editor of the Universal Model, New Millennial Science
Sir Richard Owen
BRITISH ANATOMIST AND PALEONTOLOGIST WRITTEN BY: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
“Sir Richard Owen, (born July 20, 1804, Lancaster, Lancashire, Eng.—died Dec. 18, 1892, London), British anatomist and paleontologist who is remembered for his contributions to the study of fossil animals, especially dinosaurs. He was the first to recognize them as different from today’s reptiles; in 1842 he classified them in a group he called Dinosauria. Owen was also noted for his strong opposition to the views of Charles Darwin.
Owen was educated at Lancaster Grammar School and was apprenticed in 1820 to a group of Lancaster surgeons. In 1824 he went to Edinburgh to continue medical training, but in 1825 he transferred to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. He was admitted to the Royal College of Surgeons of England, where he was engaged as curator of the Hunterian Collections (made by John Hunter, the renowned anatomist) and set up in medical practice. In 1830 he met Georges Cuvier, a celebrated French paleontologist, and the following year visited him in Paris, where he studied specimens in the National Museum of Natural History. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1834, in 1836 Owen became Hunterian professor at the Royal College of Surgeons and in 1837 its professor of anatomy and physiology, as well as Fullerian professor of comparative anatomy and physiology at the Royal Institution. Leaving medical practice and devoting himself to research, he was appointed superintendent of the natural history departments of the British Museum in 1856. From then until his retirement in 1884 he was largely occupied with the development of the British Museum (Natural History) in South Kensington, London. On retirement he was created a knight of the Order of the Bath.
Among Owen’s earliest publications were the Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Physiological Series of Comparative Anatomy Contained in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons in London (1833), which enabled him to acquire a considerable knowledge of comparative anatomy. His Memoir on the Pearly Nautilus (1832) was a classic, and he became a highly respected anatomist. By 1859, the year of the publication of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species, however, Owen’s judgment was muddied by his sense that his own preeminence in biology was about to be lost, and he set about to discredit Darwin, who had been a good friend and colleague for 20 years. Owen wrote a very long anonymous review of the book (The Edinburgh Review, 1860), on which Darwin commented:
“It is extremely malignant, clever, and I fear will be very damaging. . . . It requires much study to appreciate all the bitter spite of many of the remarks against me. . . . He misquotes some passages, altering words within inverted commas. . . .”
Owen is also said to have coached Bishop Wilberforce in his debate against Thomas Huxley, one of Darwin’s chief defenders. As Darwin’s thesis began to become more accepted in the scientific community, Owen shifted his position somewhat; although he denied Darwinian doctrine, he admitted the accuracy of its basis, claiming to have been the first to have pointed out the truth of the principle on which it was founded.”
God Is the Supreme Scientist, Says Curator of BYU’s Museum of Paleontology
Contributed By Jason Swensen, Church News associate editor
(Quote from article link above)”He eventually enrolled at BYU, joined the Church, and continued his paleontology studies under Jensen. Some on campus were suspicious of science, prompting debates over, say, creationism and evolution. But Scheetz never picked sides between his scientific learning and his burgeoning gospel testimony. No need, he said—the Creator is also the supreme Scientist.”
What does the Church believe about dinosaurs?
“Did dinosaurs live and die on this earth long before man came along? There have been no revelations on this question, and the scientific evidence says yes. (You can learn more about it by studying paleontology if you like, even at Church-owned schools.)
The details of what happened on this planet before Adam and Eve aren’t a huge doctrinal concern of ours. The accounts of the Creation in the scriptures are not meant to provide a literal, scientific explanation of the specific processes, time periods, or events involved. What matters to us is that as part of His plan for us, God created the earth and then created Adam and Eve, who were our first parents and were instrumental in bringing about the Fall, which enabled us to be born on earth and participate in God’s plan.” (See Jeffrey R. Holland, “Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet,” Ensign, May 2015, 105.)
How do dinosaurs fit into the creation? By Ask Gramps
“…a comment on carbon dating, which may be used for only rather recent geological time estimates. There is a radioactive isotope of carbon, called carbon 14, (14C). It has a half-life of 5100 years. That means that for any given amount of 14C, half of it will have dissipated in 5100 years, another half in another 5100, etc.. 14C is produced by neutron bombardment of nitrogen (14N) in the atmosphere, and unites with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, (CO2). Only an extremely small amount of the carbon in the atmosphere consists of the isotope 14. CO2 from the atmosphere is absorbed into the structure of plants through their leaves. Scientists can determine the ratio of the radioactive isotope, 14C, to the stable isotope, 12C, and from the known rate of decay of 14C, they can estimate how long ago the plant material was living and absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
The question is, how accurate are the estimates? In the first place, the cosmic ray flux into the earth’s atmosphere is known to vary. Over the last few thousand years it has fluctuated a number of times by at least ten percent. Secondly, the scientists assume that the relative concentrations of the atmospheric constituents have been constant over the geological time periods of interest. A number of factors can occur that would alter the atmospheric composition, such as atmospheric pollution from volcanic eruptions, which would in turn affect the accuracy of 14C dating. So, beyond 5000 years or so, I would not give much confidence to the time estimates based on carbon dating. Full Article Here
Woolly Mammoths Survived on Alaska Island Until Just 5,600 Years Ago, New Study Shows
They are perhaps the most iconic animals of the Ice Age. But woolly mammoths survived in North America an astonishing 6,000 years after the Ice Age ended, scientists say. Entire article Here:
Dinosaurs & Dragon Legends
Do the revelations teach a 7,000 year temporal existence of the earth? Can the scriptures and writings of the presidents of the church be harmonized with the scientific principle of Uniformitarianism?
The scriptures are very clear that the earth has a temporal or mortal existence of 7000 years. John the Revelator saw by revelation the history of this earth. This history was divided into 1000 year increments or seven seals. The Prophet Joseph Smith was given a revelation explaining the teachings of John the Revelator concerning the seven seals spoken of in his work. Part of this explanation explains that the Lord created the earth in 6 days on His time, resting on the seventh, and that this earth will likewise continue for a 7000 year temporal existence.
. . . as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man . . .
Additionally, the Lord explained that the book, which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals represents:
. . . the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or it temporal existence.
The seven thousand years of this earth’s temporal existence? This scripture is very clear and definite as to the continuance of this earth. Some however, have suggested that it does not mean what it clearly says. What is the proper scriptural interpretation of this phrase? President Joseph Fielding Smith in explanation of Doctrine and Covenants 77 taught:
Here is a definite statement by revelation to us that this earth will go through 7,000 years of temporal existence. Temporal, by all interpretations, means passing, temporary or mortal. This, then, has reference to the earth in its fallen state, for the earth was cursed when Adam . . . transgressed the law. Before that time this earth was not mortal any more than Adam was.
Read the rest at the Joseph Smith Foundation Here!
Dinosaurs—Part of God’s Creation By Eric Hovind
It is the most dramatic and important opening of any chapter of any book. Given as a declaration of fact, the first verse of Genesis covers the creation of time, space, and matter in a single sentence; a solitary breath. Thus began the world and everything in it.
Genesis 1:24 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: And it was so.”
Today, we continue to discover physical evidence of many creatures that no longer exist, including reptiles known as dinosaurs. Their skeletal remains give us a glimpse into the structure and size of these remarkable animals. Yet the controversy rages: Did these creatures evolve into existence and eventually become extinct millions of years before humanity stepped onto the scene of world history? Or were humans and dinosaurs created by God; co-existing for centuries before saurian extinction?
Part of the Original Creation?
In the Book of Exodus, as God gives His perfect law to Moses on Mount Sinai, He reiterates the plain reading of the Creation Story from Genesis chapter one:
Exodus 20:11 “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” [Emphasis added]
If God created everything in six days, with land animals and humans both coming into existence on the sixth day (Genesis 1:24-31), then humans and dinosaurs did occupy the same world at the same time. So what happened?
What Happened to the Perfect World?
Initially, God’s creation was perfect, with all animals and humans living in harmony, all feasting on plants, trees and their fruit. Everything was vegetarian in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:30). Sometime after the original creation, man sinned and this perfect world was corrupted in many ways. Eventually, God saw fit to punish the wickedness that had overtaken the world. But he spared Noah, “a just man, and perfect among his generations and Noah walked with God.” (Genesis 6:9)
Dinosaurs on the Ark?
The story of Noah saving the animals on the ark is not exclusive to those of Judeo-Christian descent. Over 277 cultures worldwide share a common story about a man who saved humanity and animals from extinction by building a vessel to survive a catastrophic deluge. Of course, scoffers reject the notion that anyone from ancient times could build a boat large enough and sturdy enough to hold all of the animals, especially the dinosaurs. However, it is logical to assume that the same God who created the world, and warned Noah of the upcoming disaster, could also provide him with the exact specifications he needed to build a seaworthy vessel. These specifications, recorded for us in Genesis 6:14-16, have been modeled, tested, and found to be sound by a number of scientific studies. Similar studies have shown that Noah needed to bring less than 8,000 animals on board the ark, in order to fulfill his mission. Some of them were dinosaurs; not the biggest and the meanest he could find, but smaller members of the saurian family who could preserve the population.
Why Aren’t Dinosaurs Mentioned in the Bible?
If dinosaurs were part of the original creation and taken on board Noah’s ark with the rest of the land dwelling animals, why aren’t they mentioned in the Bible?
Since the word “dinosaur” wasn’t actually coined until 1841, the creatures we now refer to as dinosaurs were simply called dragons throughout most of history. Not only does the Bible use the word “dragon” repeatedly, 21 times in the Old Testament and 12 times in the Book of Revelations, the Book of Job describes creatures called Behemoth and Leviathan, which seem to indicate large, reptilian beasts, like dinosaurs. (See the Book of Job, chapters 40 and 41.)
Job 40:15-19 “Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach
unto him.”
In Hebrew, the word “Behemoth” translates as “gigantic beast.” For this animal to be described by God as “the chief,” it must surely have been a huge and magnificent sight!
What Happened to the Dinosaurs?
Throughout history, dragons have been a huge part of folklore, each culture replete with legends of flying reptiles, as well as monsters of land and sea. Notable historians such as Herodotus, Strabo, Dio, and Josephus have documented accounts with enormous creatures called dragons. In the journals of Alexander the Great and Marco Polo, there have been found additional references to these creatures, some large enough and scary enough to terrify the most stalwart of soldiers. Ancient writings have been discovered containing recipes which call for dragon parts like their bones, blood, and saliva. It seems that ancient man did not believe dinosaurs were a thing of the past, but a veritable threat to their present and future.
By the Middle Ages, dragon sightings had become rare. Those who did show themselves were instantly hunted for sport, food, or medicine. Yet the sightings continued. Today we continue to discover and unearth drawings and artwork with depictions of these monsters. From pottery, stones, and statues, to detailed carvings on an 800 year old temple in Cambodia, archaeology is abounding with pictures of the creatures we now call dinosaurs. So why is there a concerted effort to deny the co-existence of these creatures with humanity?
Millions of Years Ago…
We’ve heard it before, in numerous ways. Dinosaurs lived millions and millions of years ago. They died out before man came into existence and were not discovered until the early 1800’s. The proof for this is in the fossil evidence and extinction. In order for their bones to be fossilized, and then buried under miles of dirt, rock, and other bones, they must have been wiped out long before mankind existed. Whatever disaster destroyed the dinosaurs must have happened before our ancestors were crawling around on all fours, or they would have been destroyed too. Today, these assumptions are touted as fact, as indisputable as gravity.
Scientifically, we have discovered that fossilization does not take millions of years. It just requires the right conditions. And the burial of millions of animals, plants, and marine life is explained quite easily by the worldwide flood recorded in the Book of Genesis. This wasn’t just a bit of rain that fell from the sky, but a worldwide catastrophe of epic proportions!
Dinosaurs—Part of the Original Creation
Through God’s Word, historical records, and evidence uncovered, we can see that dinosaurs were part of the original creation. Adam and Eve saw them in the Garden of Eden; Noah took them on the Ark; and mankind has interacted with them and been fascinated by them for over 6,000 years. It is only in recent times that there has been a concerted effort to assert their extinction before the dawn of humanity. This error has led many to question the Word of God and thereby to deny the reality of Creation, the Flood, and the Coming Judgment. Yet, over the centuries, science has proven to be like shifting sand. Only God’s Word is steadfast.
Genesis 1: 31 “And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.”
see https://creationtoday.org/dinosaurs-in-the-bible/
About the Author: Eric Hovind
“Apparently the intensive plural of behemah, meaning “beast.” A large river animal (possibly the hippopotamus), described in Job 40:15–24.” LDS Bible Dictionary.
“(/bɪˈhiːməθ, ˈbiːə-/; Hebrew: בהמות, behemot) is a beast mentioned in Job 40:15–24. Suggested identities range from a mythological creature to an elephant, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, or buffalo.[1] Metaphorically, the name has come to be used for any extremely large or powerful entity.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behemoth
Leviathan
“Any great sea or land monster, such as the crocodile, either as an actual creature (Job 41:1) or as symbolic of a nation (Ps. 74:14); a large serpent (Isa. 27:1).” LDS Bible Dictionary
“(/lɪˈvaɪ.əθən/; Hebrew: לִוְיָתָן, Livyatan) is a creature with the form of a sea monster from Jewish belief, referenced in the Hebrew Bible in the Book of Job, Psalms, the Book of Isaiah, and the Book of Amos.
The Leviathan of the Book of Job is a reflection of the older Canaanite Lotan, a primeval monster defeated by the god Hadad. Parallels to the role of Mesopotamian Tiamat defeated by Marduk have long been drawn in comparative mythology, as have been wider comparisons to dragon and world serpent narratives such as Indra slaying Vrtra or Thor slaying Jörmungandr,[1] but Leviathan already figures in the Hebrew Bible as a metaphor for a powerful enemy, notably Babylon (Isaiah 27:1), and some scholars have pragmatically interpreted it as referring to large aquatic creatures, such as the crocodile.[2] The word later came to be used as a term for “great whale” as well as of sea monsters in general.” Wikipedia Levianthan
Dragon/Leviathan
“The Lord points to His power in the leviathan—All things under the whole heaven are the Lord’s.” Chapter 41 Job Heading.
“19 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. 22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. 31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. 32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.” Job 41:19-22, 31-32
“Two Hebrew words are thus rendered though they are sometimes translated whale, serpent, jackal, or sea-monster. Probably a large snake or snakelike animal in Deut. 32:33; Ps. 74:13; 91:13. A jackal in Job 30:29; Isa. 13:22; 27:1; 34:13; 35:7; 43:20; 51:9; Jer. 9:11; 10:22; 51:34; Mal. 1:3. Used figuratively in Ezek. 29:3. In the New Testament it is always used figuratively, as in Rev. 12:3, 7, 9, 13, 16; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13; 20:2; see also Mosiah 20:11; Alma 43:44.” LDS Bible Dictionary
Fiery serpents
“Snakes marked with flamelike spots, or whose bite caused acute inflammation (Num. 21:6). The Lord sent these upon the children of Israel to “straiten them,” and He prepared a way that those who were bitten might be healed by looking at the serpent of brass that Moses raised up before them, which was a symbol of the Redeemer being lifted upon the cross (John 3:14–15). The event is confirmed in latter-day revelation (1 Ne. 17:41; 2 Ne. 25:20). See also Serpent, brazen.” LDS Bible Dictionary
Cureloms and Cumoms
Moroni briefly mentions beasts called “cureloms and cumoms” in Ether 9:19, mentioning that they are “useful unto man.” While they only make a brief appearance in the Book of Mormon, these unknown beasts might as well be mythical creatures to most scholars. But to some these may also be the Mammoth or Mastodon or even a larger beast like a Dinosaur.
Animal
Beasts and wild beasts are mentioned many places in the scriptures. In the LDS Bible Dictionary it gives the following list of some of the terms titled as Beasts.
Beast
