Response to the OP continued .....
Next He created new life forms to replace those destroyed by His former judgment of the earth. These were distinctly different creatures who multiply only in kind and in distinct habitations. They are very much like the ones living on the earth today.
Earlier life forms that existed prior to the Lord's judgment of the earth were similar but also included creatures that He did not replace.
Evidence of these extinct life forms are found in the fossil discoveries today like large reptilian creatures.
Dinosaurs existed before
Genesis 1:2 and they were not replaced by the Lord when He created the new life forms recorded in
Genesis 1:20-26.
Claims have been made in modern times that some of these still exist, but they are not convincing.
There has been speculation that two creatures described in the book of Job are dinosaurs which coexisted with humans and lived in Job's day.
Careful analysis of behemoth and leviathan as they are described leads to a very different conclusion. [
Job 40:15-24, 41:1-34]
The first one is the manatee, or dugong, and the second one is the legendary crocodile. Neither of these should be confused with the dinosaurs of the pre-Adamite earth.
Manatees are aquatic air breathing mammals who spend much of their time eating marsh and under water grasses. The Biblical description says that behemoth eats grass like the ox.
The manatee has a very large unique tail which can rotate in any direction and is used to propel it through the water.
The design of the tail, very strong diaphragm muscles, and sensitive snout feelers used for detection in searching for food are described in scripture.
The creature's rear appendages are merged together internally to form its multi-directional tail. This provides the power and flexibility for the large manatee to move through the water at amazing speed.
Movement of the tail is much like the movement of a large tree swaying in the wind. The statement "it moves its tail like a cedar" is used to describe this action.
They have large thick tails. The largest manatee on record in modern times is about 3,500 pounds.
This creature also has the densest bones of any other known animal. The bones have no marrow and are exceptionally strong.
The bones are so dense and thick that when the manatee expounds enough air from its lungs, it sinks immediately to the bottom of the water like a submarine. This bone structure is described in Scripture.
The Manatee has a very humble spirit and is described in contrast to leviathan who is mean spirited and aggressive.
Behemoth's temperament is described as the "chief ways of the Lord", or primary and receptive behavior. Leviathan displays the opposite trait of His latent wrath.
Manatees inhabited costal waters of the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and associated river systems like the Jordan in Job's day. This is the Biblical description of the manatee (dugong, sea cow).
The description of leviathan is a dead ringer for the crocodile. This creature has both a larger pre-Adamite fossil record and a more recent smaller version which is described in the book of Job.
Even the smaller version of this obnoxious reptilian is extremely dangerous and highly implacable.
They are at the top of the food chain and known for their fearless aggressive behavior. The Bible's description is accurate and appropriate.
The sparks, fire, and smoke that proceed from his mouth are symbolic of his great wrath when he is in attack mode. He does not actually produce the sparks, fire, and smoke, but one might think so if ever confronted by this killing machine.
The crocodile's angry, relentless, and sudden attack is very much like the Lord's wrath in judgment which is often described with symbolic fire and brimstone.
The Lord's final act associated with the reconditioning of the earth about 6,000 years ago was the creation of human kind. We are distinctly different from all of the other living creatures including the angelic beings.
We are spirits with physical bodies created in His own image. No other beings of his creation have this distinction.
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