Genesis 1:20-25, “20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. 24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

There they are. Every animal in the sky, in the waters, and on the ground was created during days 5 and 6 of the creation. It’s really that simple. Note that not every single animal that we know of today is mentioned either in the creation account or even elsewhere in Scripture. Where’s the aardvark? Or the ant-eater? They are not mentioned here, and yet we know they exist. Likewise with dinosaurs. Scripture doesn’t have to necessarily mention them specifically or by name for them to be real and have been created in Genesis 1.

There are a few more things to consider when talking about dinosaurs. First, prior to the flood of Genesis 6-9, life spans, including those of mankind were considerably longer. It’s difficult to know exactly what the earth was like – including the climate and ecosystems – prior to the flood. Because reptiles continue to grow until death, this would help explain how they grew so large.

Second, at the time of the flood, a downpour enveloped the entire earth resulting in the sudden rush of water from above even while the fountains of the deep burst up from the ground. This sudden deluge explains the various fossils found around the world. These sudden, rushing flood waters would have stirred up massive amounts of soil which would eventually settle creating the layers of rock we know today.

Third, we need to remember what the flood meant for the earth. This was not a mere collection of water over the surface of the earth. Instead, Scripture describes this as a cataclysmic event that reshaped the surface of the earth – altering its landmasses and ecosystem forever. The waters of the deep burst forth, separating entire land masses and most likely creating the mountain ranges that we know of today. This cataclysmic event explains the sudden drop in life span in the Post-flood environment. Furthermore, after the flood, mankind is given meat to eat as well as vegetation (Genesis 9:1-4). Changes in climate and human factors contribute to shorter life spans for reptiles and help to explain why they eventually (and probably relatively quickly) became extinct.

Finally, we need to take heed of the Bible’s description of earth’s history. Contrary to many textbooks, the Bible describes an earth that is approximately 6,000 years old. The Flood took place around 4,300 years ago. This is the way that God has described the history of the world pieced together from the various genealogies and known human history. When you consider what we find in the world today, it makes sense along with the Bible’s description of what has come before. The difficulty in reconciling the “common consensus” of science with the Bible’s story is not because there is a problem with God’s word. We must interpret the world in light of Scripture, not the other way around.

Additional resources:

https://answersingenesis.org/dinosaurs/