When did Job live?
ccdnt said:
Sometime after Creation Week (Creation Week = about 6,000 years ago) and before the birth of Christ.
Most people place the life of Job at approx 2100 BC +/-200 years which is significantly after the flood. Meaning those who think that dinosaurs were killed off in the flood, have no grounds for support in Job.
When was the book of Job written?
ccdnt said:
Opinions vary from 2100 BC all the way until Solomon in 1000 BC. The later it actually was written the less believable it becomes that dinosaurs were the animals described.
To whom was it addressed?
ccdnt said:
Regardless of this answer, the entire Bible (God’s Word) was meant for everyone.
This is the most interesting question. If it were to be a dinosaur that was being described, then dinosaurs would necessarily have been objects of awe throughout all generations, not just for when the book was written, and the last 150 years. Because the idea of that particular part of scripture being written to ALL of God’s people, why would only some get the benefit of knowing exactly what God was referring to?
With the first discovery of dinosaurs 'so-called' being approx 150 years ago, what did these verses mean to those who knew nothing about dinosaurs?
ccdnt said:
Why do you assume these people would know nothing about dinosaurs? Actually, what you bring up helps prove a point. Why would God give examples of animals that people would know nothing about? This suggests that these people were familiar with these animals.
I am saying, what did these verses mean to Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Owen etc. There is no record of any of them discussing dinosaurs that I know of.
If no one knew anything about dinosaurs 'so-called' prior to 150 years ago, how could these verses be used to strike awe in the hearers, as we now understand them to mean?
ccdnt said:
Exactly! A better understanding is that these people were familiar with animals that we now know as dinosaurs.
The beast that was written about then was alive then, as late as the time of Solomon, yet not recorded in any history books until 150 years ago. The beast that was alive at the time of Solomon must have been alive for all generations to witness, hence why I believe it was the hippo and crocodile that were being referred to, not a dinosaur.
With Job intending to be poetry am I to take everything precisely verbatim or not?
ccdnt said:
Is that the problem here or is it because of the belief that the earth is billions of years old and dinosaurs supposedly existed millions of years ago and became extinct before humans had “evolved”?
What I mean is that Job like Ecclesiastes is meant to be poetry on a certain level. And like Ecclesiastes has some verses that if taken 100% literally contradict other portions of scripture, there is sometimes poetic license required to properly understand them.
If pragmatists (atheists included) believe that these two portions of scripture, though poetic, were actually describing dinosaurs, why then won't they believe the literal account of the Son of God in the gospels?
ccdnt said:
Do you know atheists that believe that these verses are describing dinosaurs? I could see where that could be the case, as they would probably use this to say that the Bible could not be true since dinosaurs died out millions of years ago (as they would probably believe).
Yes, when one argues the existence of dinosaurs with atheists, some of the more informed even try to reference that the Bible does refer to them. They must be reading your posts
If these verses in Job actually were the only biblical reference to dinosaurs, would I be willing to hang my hat on them?
ccdnt said:
Even if this were the only reference to dinosaurs in the Bible, what would be the problem with that? How many times does the Bible have to mention something for it to be true?
Well, the one reference they are supposed to have is very shaky at best. I tend not to go with shaky, especially when there are so many other possibilities.
All current scientific understanding of dinosaurs puts them in a period that pre-dates creation by several million years. With this understanding should I suspect the creation account or the scientific account?
ccdnt said:
Actually, you are mistaken in your comment about “[all] current scientific understanding of dinosaurs…” There is not a universal agreement among scientists as to when dinosaurs existed. There are many Ph.D. scientists that believe in a six day creation as described in the book of Genesis that took place about 6,000 years ago, and they believe that God created the dinosaurs on day six with the rest of the land animals.
Point taken, ‘all’ is not the best word to have used.
ccdnt said:
Question - If you saw enough “proof” to convince you dinosaurs did/do exist, would this undermine your faith in God/Jesus or the Bible? (I say “do exist” because there is a possibility that one or more types of dinosaurs could still be alive today…especially in Africa. If a living dinosaur were discovered it would not be the first time that an animal believed by secular scientists to have become extinct millions of years ago to turn up living today. The Coelacanth is an example of this.)
My faith is not based on dinosaur existence or non-existence, it is based solely on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
If man can go to the moon, you would think he would be able to find a living dinosaur by now if there actually was one. 'Irrefutable' proof of the existence of dinosaurs is something that will only come when I see one.
ccdnt said:
Also, you do realize that single fossilized bones have been found that would be too large to have been that of a moose or some other extant animal.
Yes, I realize that claim has been made, it is probably from some sea creature either whale or other, which was left behind when the flood waters receded.
BGTF