I remember
years ago when I was a boy how fascinated I was about dinosaurs. I used to read
and look at the pictures of every book on the subject that I could get my hands
on. I used to dream about becoming a great archaeologist when I grew up. Well,
I am all grown up. I never became a great archaeologist, but I never lost my
interest in the subject about these mysterious creatures. However, I have
learned about two differing views about dinosaurs: The evolutionist’s school of
thought on dinosaurs and the Creationist’s school of thought on them. I used to
believe dinosaurs were extinct millions of years ago, never considering the
possibility of these great beasts existing within the past several thousand
years instead.
Dragons or Dinosaurs?
Nobody questions the existence of dinosaurs, for many bones
in museums around the world attest to this fact. However, mention to someone
about the existence of Dragons and you will soon find quite a different story.
For many people associate Dragons with mythology instead of historical fact. The
truth is many people don’t realize that the term dinosaur is a fairly recent
word, whereas the word dragon is a much older term. It was Sir Richard Owen who
first called these great lizards dinosaurs in 1841. The fact is dragon is the
original name for these great, terrible lizards we today call dinosaurs. So as
the title to this article says, Did Dragons really exist?
Did Dragons Really
Exist?
Yes! Definitely yes! As already alluded to, dinosaurs is
just another name for dragons. This means that many of the bones and
constructed skeleton remain of dinosaurs in the museums around the world are
really dragons! Further evidence of these dragons is mentioned in the Bible.
The book of Job, which is the oldest book in the Scriptures, gives us
descriptions of two dinosaurs: (1.) The Leviathan
[a great sea dragon] and (2.) the Behemoth
[a great land dwelling dragon] (see Job 40 : 15-24
Did Dragons Really
Breath Fire?
When we think about fire breathing dragons usually mythology
comes to mind. We find it hard to believe that actual fire breathing beasts
ever existed. Yet, a description is given of one in the book of Job chapter 41:
1-34. Its name is Leviathan, the great dragon of the deep. Verses 19-21 states:
"Out
of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils
goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindleth coals,
and a flame goeth out of his mouth."
These verses are neither poetic license, allegorical
language, nor is it mythological language being used here as some would argue.
God uses the mighty and fierce Leviathan as an example of a great beast no man
can stand against, "who then is able
to stand before me [God]?" (Job 41: 10). Of course, Job knew the
answer to that is 'no one.' Noted author Darek Isaacs gives this brief summary of fire
breathing dragons around the world.
"The fiery nature of these
reptiles is widely reported and consistent in the legends as are batlike wings,
a fondness for water, rigid scales, carnivorous diets, and tremendous
aggression and size. Indeed, the legends are rich and plentiful that report
these dragons could seemingly exhale flames at will.
In Spain, Coca is a monstrous, fire-exuding dragon. It is so renowned that it
is still carried in effigy at some Spanish festivals. In the British Isles, the
Fire-Drakes seemed to be a species of
dragon that were flying fire-breathers that inhabited northern Europe.
The fire-breathing trait leapt the
oceans and is found in the stories of American Indians. One enormous dragon
named Gaasyendietha, found in the
legends of the Seneca Indians in the northeastern United States, had quite the hot
temper.
Jurik
was a flying dragon in the legends of the people of Sunda in Indonesia. Its
fiery profile could be seen as it flew in the night sky. Kiya was a Japanese dragon that could fly and blast fire from its
mouth.
The Lung
refers to a class of fire-breathing dragons in China, who "...is shown with a
scaly serpentine body with four legs, a long, sinuous tail, and a head resembling
that of a gigantic lizard....The nostrils breath smoke or fire..."
Eastern Europe also makes a play with Kaukas, who is a flying, fiery dragon
from Lithuania.
Albania
offers Kucedre, a flying dragon that
spits fiery sparks as it travels through the air. Not to be outdone, the Middle East presents Thu'ban.
This is a Persian (Iranian) fire-breathing dragon."[1]
With so many stories and legends of these great
fire-breathing dragons around the world there must be some truth to these
stories. The fact that the Bible gives a full description of what one of the
greatest and fiercest fire-breathing dragons looked like is quite revealing.
God's Word is to be taken seriously, not as some fantasy fairytale to not be
taken seriously. The difference with this great dragon called Leviathan that is
described in the Bible is that it is a sea dwelling dragon. Its home is in the
ocean. It did not fly and make its home in caves, cliff tops or mountains. Yet Job 41: 19-21
tells us that it was actually a fire-breathing dragon. Why would Job waste so
much time giving a detailed description of what Leviathan looked like, if he is
only mythological or allegorical in nature. Also a couple Scriptures attest to
the fact that the Leviathan was an actual great sea monster that lived in the
ocean : "There go the ships: there
is that Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein" (Psalm 104:
26). "and he shall slay the dragon
that is in the sea" (Isa. 27: 1). Another interesting fact is that
Leviathan is mentioned in 4 Scripture passages (see Job 41: 1-34; Psalms 74: 14; 104:
26; Isa. 27: 1), while the term "dragon" or "dragons"
is mentioned 31 times in the Bible (see dragon: Psalm 91: 13; Isa. 27: 1; 51:
9; Jer. 51: 34; Ezek. 29: 3; Rev. 12: 3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 16, 17; 13: 2, 4, 11; 16:
13; 20: 2; dragons: Deut. 32: 33; Job 30: 29; Psalm 44: 19; 74:
13; 148: 7; Isa. 13: 22; 34: 13; 35: 7; 43: 20; Jer. 9: 11; 10: 22; 14: 6; 49:
33; 51: 37; Mic. 1: 8; Mal. 1: 3).
Now some people may still find a great animal that breathes
fire like a dragon imaginary and nothing more than a fairytale. Well, the
possibility of an animal capable of breathing fire is not so far fetched as
some may think. Just think about our modern day bombardier beetle's defense mechanism, or some species of cobras who spit poison, and finally the
electric eel that is able to let off
a shock of up to six hundred volts. Such voltage can easily kill a man. So if
God gave such unique abilities to today's animals, why then is it so hard to
believe and accept the strong possibility that such great dragons that existed at one time were capable of breathing fire out
of their mouths? The fact that the Bible testifies to the existence of the
Leviathan and its ability as a fire-breather and that history bares out many
stories and legends of these great dragons, which have been recorded in their
oral traditions and written records, such as seen in the drawings on cave walls
and pottery, etc. The interesting fact is many of these ancient drawings and
paintings on pottery and cave walls look just like the dinosaurs we see in
today's books and museums. Yes, I believe that such legendary dragons such as
the Leviathan that breathed fire actually did exist at one time.
[1] Darek
Isaacs, Dragons or Dinosaurs? Creation or Evolution? (Bridge-Logos Foundation,
Alachua, Florida,
2010), pgs. 121-122.
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