Should we be suspicious about man’s word related to dinosaurs and their origins?
Well, first consider this: we know God’s Word is true and accurate about every topic it discusses. Because we know this, we are not suspicious about what Scripture teaches. We do need to make sure we are reading God’s Word in context, keeping in mind the type of literature being used in each passage and the rules of the original language’s grammar.
When we take God’s Word as written, we know that birds were created on day five and land animals were created on day six.
Concerning dinosaurs, we know Genesis (including chapters 1–11) is written as typical historical narrative, and it is treated as such by Jesus and others in the rest of the Bible. And when we take God’s Word as written, we know that birds were created on day five and land animals were created on day six. (Note: In 1841, the word dinosaur was invented to apply to a specific group of land animals.)
So what we call dinosaurs today were created the day after birds were created—about 6,000 years ago. This makes it very obvious one can’t fit the evolutionary story into the Bible because evolutionists teach that some dinosaurs grew feathers and evolved into birds. And now, evolutionists claim they have found evidence of dinosaurs with feathers and that this substantiates their evolutionary beliefs. How should we as Christians approach such claims?
First of all, in regard to the issue of origins, which involves historical science (beliefs about the past), we should be immediately suspicious of any claim that fallible, finite, sinful man makes. We know the heart of man is wicked (Jeremiah 17:9) and that a man’s heart determines what he believes: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, NKJV). We also know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10).
Now, could God have made some dinosaurs with feathers? Well, he could have—God can do anything! God made unique animals like the platypus that has a duck-like bill, a beaver-like tail, hair like a bear, and webbed feet like an otter—but feeds its young on milk like a mammal, lays eggs, and has venom like a snake. God is infinitely creative.
But when it comes to dinosaurs with supposed feathers, we should be extra suspicious because evolutionists are most adamant that some dinosaurs evolved into birds. This means they desperately want dinosaurs to have feathers. To them, this is an important part of their evolutionist religion. We now even have evolutionists claiming birds are living dinosaurs!
What evolutionists claim as “dinosaurs with feathers” turn out to be either true birds or to be dinosaurs with no confirmed feathers.
Our scientists at Answers in Genesis, including paleontologist Dr. Gabriela Haynes, have spent countless hours researching the claim that some dinosaurs had feathers. And you know what they’ve found? What evolutionists claim as “dinosaurs with feathers” turn out to be either true birds or to be dinosaurs with no confirmed feathers. Another evolutionary claim bites the dust.
Yes, we should be suspicious of anything that man without God claims concerning origins, purpose and meaning of life, and so on.
If you love dinosaurs and want to learn more about topics like this, don’t miss Beyond Bones—an exciting new conference coming up at the Creation Museum on September 20, 2024.
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.