Dinosaurs in the Bible? Were they real or a myth or just describing something else? The question that I have is do we take God at His Word or do we say that the book of Job is a myth? I have been taught that we take it at face value. If you say that this part or that part of the Bible isn't true then you have to say that the whole thing is not true. Just because these creatures are not around today doesn't mean that they weren't around at one time. There are also parts of the Bible and these parts are made clear that they are figuratively speaking of something else.
First, let's look at the behemoth. In Job chapter 40 we see that God made the behemoth just as he made man. We also learn that the behemoth was the first creature that He created. I have read articles that said it must be a hippopotamus, to which I say they are not taking God at His Word. A hippopotamus does not have a tail like a cedar. Just think of the size the behemoth must be to have a tail like a cedar. The clue in Job 40:19, that he was the first of God's creation and that only God could kill it is about as large as a behemoth itself. The behemoth is obviously a pre-flood creature and the earth at that time was a lot different. Apparently, it didn't survive the flood. Yet, because lived around the time of Abraham stories from what the earth was like before the flood would have been widely known, so Job would have understood what God was talking about.
The second creature God mentions is the Leviathan. Not only is it mentioned here in Job but also in Psalms and in Isaiah. In Psalm 104, we learn that God made it and it is lived in the sea. It also played among the ships. This is when we see it mentioned as a real created creature. When reading Job and Isaiah we get the underlying sense that this serpent is something else and falls in line with the dragon in Revelation 12 and 13.
When it comes to the figurative meaning of the Leviathan/dragon it is always something/someone going against the Children of God. Wesley says this about Isaiah 27:1;
Leviathan - By this leviathan, serpent and dragon (for all signify the same thing) be understands some powerful enemy or enemies of God, and of his church or people, which may well be called by these names, partly for their great might, and partly for the great terror and destruction which they cause upon the earth. The piercing - Which by its sting pierces deeply into mens bodies. Crooked serpent - Winding and turning itself with great variety and dexterity. Whereby he seems to signify the craftiness and activity of this enemy, whose strength makes it more formidable.
As we look at God's description in Job 41 and Isaiah 27, we see several things that we need to be aware of:
Does this serpent sound familiar? He is named in Revelation 12:9, " So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." In Revelation 12:17, we are told what his plans are; " And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
We know that Jesus has defeated him when He rose from the dead. God has given us armor to put on daily to protect us from this serpent. We know that this serpent is like a roaring lion seeking to destroy us. A loin that roars is old, too slow to hunt and roars to scare it's prey out into the open so the younger lions can kill it. Jesus has taken the teeth out of this serpent and he has no power over us.
First, let's look at the behemoth. In Job chapter 40 we see that God made the behemoth just as he made man. We also learn that the behemoth was the first creature that He created. I have read articles that said it must be a hippopotamus, to which I say they are not taking God at His Word. A hippopotamus does not have a tail like a cedar. Just think of the size the behemoth must be to have a tail like a cedar. The clue in Job 40:19, that he was the first of God's creation and that only God could kill it is about as large as a behemoth itself. The behemoth is obviously a pre-flood creature and the earth at that time was a lot different. Apparently, it didn't survive the flood. Yet, because lived around the time of Abraham stories from what the earth was like before the flood would have been widely known, so Job would have understood what God was talking about.
The second creature God mentions is the Leviathan. Not only is it mentioned here in Job but also in Psalms and in Isaiah. In Psalm 104, we learn that God made it and it is lived in the sea. It also played among the ships. This is when we see it mentioned as a real created creature. When reading Job and Isaiah we get the underlying sense that this serpent is something else and falls in line with the dragon in Revelation 12 and 13.
When it comes to the figurative meaning of the Leviathan/dragon it is always something/someone going against the Children of God. Wesley says this about Isaiah 27:1;
Leviathan - By this leviathan, serpent and dragon (for all signify the same thing) be understands some powerful enemy or enemies of God, and of his church or people, which may well be called by these names, partly for their great might, and partly for the great terror and destruction which they cause upon the earth. The piercing - Which by its sting pierces deeply into mens bodies. Crooked serpent - Winding and turning itself with great variety and dexterity. Whereby he seems to signify the craftiness and activity of this enemy, whose strength makes it more formidable.
As we look at God's description in Job 41 and Isaiah 27, we see several things that we need to be aware of:
- All of the questions asked by God about this serpent can be answered with a NO.
- We cannot fight him and win.
- Despair is around him.
- The serpent's heart is of stone.
- He has no fear of man.
- He loves high and lofty things.
- He is the king of the children of pride.
- He tries to flee from God and His judgment.
- He is sly, cunning, twisting his words to trap the unsuspecting.
- He will one day come to an end.
Does this serpent sound familiar? He is named in Revelation 12:9, " So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." In Revelation 12:17, we are told what his plans are; " And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
We know that Jesus has defeated him when He rose from the dead. God has given us armor to put on daily to protect us from this serpent. We know that this serpent is like a roaring lion seeking to destroy us. A loin that roars is old, too slow to hunt and roars to scare it's prey out into the open so the younger lions can kill it. Jesus has taken the teeth out of this serpent and he has no power over us.