Are Dinosaurs Mentioned in the Bible?
January 21, 2008
The word dinosaur meaning “terrible lizard,” was not coined until 1841 by an Englishman named Sir Richard Owen. With the King James Bible being written some 200 years earlier, the word “dinosaur” was simply not in the vocabulary in the days of King James.
Sir Richard Owen, English biologist and paleontologist
Interestingly enough, the word “dragon” does appear in the Bible 18 times. Grant it, many of those times are clearly referring to Satan; but many of those instances appear to be referring to a large and unique animal. Dragon is taken from the Hebrew word “tanniyn” which means dragon, serpent or sea monster.
If we move into the book of Job, starting in chapter 38, we see God talking with Job about ten different animals, as He leads up to verse 15 of chapter 40, He says, “behold now behemoth.” Behemoth appears to be a great and powerful animal, created by God, with great strength in his hips and a physical presence unlike any other animal of the past or present.
Brachiosaur is Behemoth
One thing I would like for you to notice in verse 17, “he moveth his tail like a cedar.” Cedar trees are quite plentiful in the Middle East and they are mentioned forty eight times in the Old Testament. What is so significant about this animal that God would point out his tail? How does the Bible describe the cedar tree?
Isaiah 2:13, “And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, [that are] high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan…”Isaiah 37:24 “…to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars…”
Ezekiel 17:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set [it]; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant [it] upon an high mountain and eminent:
Amos 2:9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height [was] like the height of the cedars…
In describing behemoth as having a tail like a cedar tree, God was painting a picture of what this animal looked like. The only animal, dead or alive, that has ever fit this description is one of the created-kinds called “sauropods.” Some of the animals that fit into the sauropod family are the Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus and the Seismosaur. What impressive animals they were, a look at the size of their skeleton alone will bring awe and wonder at the work of the hand of God.
In verse 19, this animal is described as being the “chief of the ways of God.” In Hebrew, the word “chief” (re'shiyth) means “first, beginning or best.” Behemoth was being described as the biggest, most powerful and most majestic animal ever created by God. Behemoth was created to demonstrate God's glory to all of humanity. We have also been created to bring glory to God. We can demonstrate this fact everyday of our lives by living Godly, holy lives rooted in His Word and obedient to His commands.
Blessings,
Tommy