When I was in college, someone asked me, “how does the Bible explain dinosaurs?”
Half-joking, I said, “What if dinosaurs never existed? What if God just put their fossils in the ground? Maybe their whole purpose was to spark curiosity — and curiosity could lead people to discover Jesus.”
That sent us down a rabbit hole (or perhaps a nuralagus hole), imagining a world where dinosaurs never lived, just their bones did. We had fun with it, but the conversation was more science-fiction than faith — and definitely not rooted in Scripture.
Years later, I realized I’d never really revisited the topic. I’ve grown in my understanding of both the Bible and dinosaurs, but my “college theory” still lingered in my mind. So, I decided to ask a real question:
What does the Bible actually say about dinosaurs?
The answer: not much.
But the Bible does give some hints and create some mystery around giant, ancient creatures that brought fear and wonder to the writers of scripture.
Perhaps these were dinosaurs? Perhaps dinosaurs were long gone before people were created? Perhaps speculation and mystery is all we’ll ever be able to determine for certain?
Here’s what I see in scripture, and I’ll let you decide what it means.
Behemoth and Leviathan
In Job 40–41, we meet two mysterious creatures.
Behemoth is described as a colossal, plant-eating land animal:
“Its tail sways like a cedar… its bones are tubes of bronze… it ranks first among the works of God” (Job 40:17–19).
Leviathan is a fierce sea creature, sounding like something from dragon legends:
“Flames dart from its mouth… the mighty are terrified… the sword that reaches it has no effect” (Job 41:19, 25–26).
Elsewhere, Leviathan shows up in Psalm 104 (as a creature God made “to frolic” in the sea) and in Isaiah 27, where God defeats the “monster of the sea.”
Whether these were dinosaurs, now-extinct reptiles, or poetic metaphors, Scripture makes one thing clear: God is their creator, and even the most powerful creatures are under His rule.
Did God make dinosaurs?
Yes. Colossians 1:16 says:
“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things have been created through him and for him.”
Dinosaurs, like every creature, bear the fingerprints of the Creator. They existed because God made them — and they are a part of his grand design. We may never truly understand the history of dinosaurs, but we can be assured that they were created by God.
Why aren’t they alive today?
They’re extinct.
Theories as to how they went extinct range from the flood to an ice age, asteroid impacts, or climate changes. We may never know exactly why, but extinction isn’t unusual. Many species have come and gone. What’s unusual is how much dinosaurs continue to fascinate us thousands of years after they disappeared.
The closest relatives to dinosaurs that exist today are actually birds! So the next time you see a chicken or a cardinal, you will be looking at the closest thing to a living dinosaur.
Where do dinosaurs fit in the creation story?
Genesis 1 places sea creatures and flying animals on Day 5, and land animals on Day 6.
“Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. 24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 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 God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1|21-25)
Dinosaurs could have lived then, before sin entered the world. Fossil evidence suggests many were plant-eaters, which fits with the Bible’s picture of a death-free creation before the fall (Genesis 1:29–30).
Sharp teeth, sharp claws, spikes, armor plates, may have various other purposes, or may have only been used for eating meat after the fall. After sin, death entered the world — and all creation was affected (Romans 8:20–22).
To fit dinosaurs into a global flood narrative, only small or young dinosaurs would have fit on the ark. If dinosaurs lived alongside humans, they may have died out more quickly after the flood, unable to thrive in a harsher post-flood world.
While I may never truly understand the history of dinosaurs, who knows, maybe I’ll see them in heaven one day?
So why do dinosaurs matter to the Gospel?
Dinosaurs remind us of two truths: God’s power in creation, and the reality that even the mightiest creatures are impacted by the fall, because all creatures die. Extinction is a sobering picture of the fragility of life in a broken world.
But here’s the good news — unlike dinosaurs, we are made in God’s image, created for eternal relationship with Him. So while sin brought death, when we put our trust in Jesus, His death pays the price for our sin. Jesus then conquered death through His resurrection, and offers us eternal life through trusting in Him (John 11:25–26).
Dinosaurs may be gone, but their fossils remain a reminder that God made, loved, and will one day restore. Revelation 21 tells us when Jesus returns, he will make “all things new.” Maybe that includes creatures we’ve only ever seen in museums — we’ll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, dinosaurs can stir our wonder and remind us: The same God who made the most powerful creatures also made you — and sent His Son to save you.
If you’re curious about God, creation, and the hope found in Jesus, we’d love to talk more. Join us for worship, explore more topics in our video library, or stop by one of our upcoming events.
