Have you ever had or heard a conversation along these lines? “Since the Bible only records 6,000 years of history, it’s technically claiming that dinosaurs didn’t exist, right? You know that’s completely impossible…We have scientific evidence to back their existence up.” Usually, things like this derail what could have been an eye-opening discussion on the Bible and faith. Why does this happen so often? For me, before I understood the purpose of the Bible, I never knew how to respond to a comment like this. I’d nod with a, “You do have a point…”
If it’s not dinosaurs, then it’s the remains of people from 10,000 years ago. Or it’s questions about all the species of the earth coming into Noah’s ark in pairs. These observations and inquiries always throw a wrench into discussions about God or the Bible. But let’s consider for a moment, why doesn’t the Bible talk about dinosaurs? What is the true purpose of the Bible?
What the Bible Isn’t
To find the answer, we have to understand what kind of book the Bible is not. In this world, there are fiction books and non-fiction books. And if you want to get even more specific, there are hundreds of different genres within those categories. So what kind of book is the Bible?
First off, the Bible is not a science textbook. It’s not here to tell us how long ago the physical earth was formed or what lived on the earth billions of years ago. We have carbon dating, fossils, and science to teach us about that. It may sound silly, but looking for dinosaurs in the Bible is like searching for the answer to a chemistry equation in a history book.
The Bible also isn’t just a collection of stories of people throughout history or encouraging, wise words to make us feel good. While it does include these things, they serve a deeper and more specific purpose as to why God included them. Well then, what is the Bible’s purpose?
What the Bible Is
We need to know what the Bible is, and what we should expect to receive from it. If we keep looking for things that weren’t meant to be there in the first place, for answers to questions that the Bible doesn’t even pose, then we’re missing a critical point. The Bible isn’t here to teach us about everything like world history or as mentioned earlier, things like dinosaurs.
It says in 1 John 5:13 that this (the Bible) was written to let us know that there is eternal life. It’s a book that tells us what eternal life is, why we need it and how to obtain it. And for this purpose, the Bible gives the account of God’s history, God’s plan and God’s heart. It’s about God’s work to give us an understanding of eternal life. Simply, the Bible instructs us on how to reach salvation and heaven. That’s why the Bible starts off from 6,000 years ago. That’s when there was an event that sparked God’s effort and plan to give us salvation and eternal life. So what happened?
Corruption and Disconnection
At the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 2, God dwelled with man on earth. Can you imagine that? A world with God would have been a world of life and peace…a paradise…Eden. Approximately 6,000 years ago, God created Adam and entrusted him to keep and care for the garden of Eden. This paradise didn’t last though. Eden was ravaged and corrupted from within when Adam and Eve abandoned God and chose to follow the serpent’s deceptive words. God had no choice but to leave the earth He created due to the increasing corruption and sin of man.
Take a moment to consider God’s position. How He must have felt when His creation didn’t heed His warning. Ignoring His caution to stay away from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And how would He feel seeing how the world has drastically diverged from His original plan of peace and paradise?
The Purpose of the Bible
This heartbreak may be difficult for us to grasp or empathize with, but let’s try. Think of someone whom you love dearly. Or even your precious pet that you can’t imagine life without. You provided them with protection, love, and everything else they needed. But one day, they are deceived, they walk away from you and fall into the hands of someone evil, and are now in a life-or-death situation where you can’t physically reach them. Though you can’t go save them directly, wouldn’t you still try everything else in your power to rescue them?
This is God’s heart for His creation. Even though the sin that plunged the world into the devil’s choking grasp was because of one man, Adam, the effects and consequences have come upon each and every one of us. We may not see it ourselves, but from God’s perspective, we’ve been cut off from the life He intended for us. And now instead, we live in a world of despair that God has been planning and working to rescue us from. He plans to reconnect with His people, and restore it to how it once was 6,000 years ago.
God’s Rescue Plan
This is where we see the purpose of the Bible. Like mentioned before, it’s not just a history book, it’s definitely not a science book, nor is it a collection of stories to make us feel good. It’s God’s rescue plan that He has shared with us. His roadmap for a very narrow and dangerous path in order for us to get back to Him. Since God can’t come to us directly, He has used people throughout history to write down His plan and then share it with others.
Imagine you’re locked up but your friends are on the outside coming up with a plan to save you. To keep you updated, they send secret letters. Those letters tell you what to do and when, where to go, and the like. You would make sure to know those words by heart so that you would have every chance of escape, right? It would be foolish to not look at those letters. And if that were the case, if you didn’t even read the letters, needless to say, you wouldn’t be prepared on the day of the escape.
God’s Desire and Intention
If we think of the Bible in the same way, God ultimately wants to live with His creation again, so He gives us the way to do this through the Bible. Even the devil, standing in between us and God, won’t be able to stop us if we understand the true purpose of the Bible.
So the next time you find yourself about to be derailed by dinosaurs, remember: fossils are for science, the Bible is for God. Then ask yourself, do I understand, truly, what God has purposed in the Bible? Because the Bible is what we should be using to not only explain and strengthen our faith, but also what we need to live out our faith according to how God wants, and ultimately, the roadmap back to Him.
Written by Samantha
Here are some other posts about the Bible and faith! Check them out!
Do You Think You Would Have Believed in Jesus 2,000 Years Ago?
Expectation vs Reality: Jesus, the Man of Sorrows
Music to God’s Ears: How to Pray a Prayer that Pleases God
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The question on the age of the earth, finding human evidence dating thousands of years, watching “Time-team” finding archeological evidence of human existence in Australia dating back 60,000 years. I must admit it’s easy not to get caught up in the tsunami of scientific bombardment. I find it difficult at times and struggle with my inner self and pray for guidance, then I read articles like yours why we shouldn’t dig to find dinosaurs in the bible and your explanation is something I have been considering that the bible is not a scientific historical source, but a way we can live and love God. I akin it to a Vehicle’s maintenance book in that to keep your vehicle operating you must perform maintenance on every part to ensure it continues to operate in accordance with the maker’s guidelines. Thank you for sharing your comments.