The Behemoth is mentioned only once in Scripture, in Job 40:15–24. God describes it to Job as part of His demons/”>demonstration of divine power and unmatched creative authority. The passage begins,
“Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; He eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar…” (Job 40:15–17)
This creature is unlike any known animal. It is herbivorous (“eats grass like an ox”), yet possesses massive strength, particularly in its loins and belly. The mention of its tail being like a cedar is especially notable. Cedars are tall, thick trees. This comparison cannot reasonably apply to an elephant or hippopotamus, which have short, thin tails.
A Closer Look at the Details
God continues in Job 40:18–24, describing Behemoth’s bones like “beams of bronze” and “bars of iron,” and stating,
“He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring near His sword.”
Behemoth is presented as a colossal creature, unmatched in strength and position within the created order. It dwells peacefully under the lotus trees and remains unbothered by a raging river. This portrays both size and unshakable calm, a creature with no fear.
Was Behemoth a Dinosaur?
Many scholars and commentators throughout history tried to identify Behemoth as a known animal, suggesting it could be a hippopotamus or elephant. But these identifications fail under scrutiny, especially the tail comparison. The description aligns better with a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur such as a sauropod. These dinosaurs were massive, had thick limbs, strong bellies, and large tails like cedars.
Further, the phrase “first of the ways of God” indicates a creature of extraordinary rank in the created order; fitting more with a dinosaur than any modern land animal. Job, who lived after the flood but before Moses, may have had firsthand knowledge of now-extinct creatures.
Creation and Coexistence
Behemoth was “made along with you,” as stated in Job 40:15. This suggests that man and Behemoth were contemporaries. This contradicts evolutionary claims that dinosaurs died millions of years before humans existed. From a biblical standpoint, all land animals were created on Day Six, along with man (Genesis 1:24–26), supporting the idea that Behemoth was a living dinosaur in Job’s time.
God’s Purpose in the Behemoth
God did not describe Behemoth to stir curiosity about monsters. He was demonstrating His supremacy. In confronting Job’s questioning spirit, God brought forth the most impressive beasts to display His power. Behemoth, massive and untouchable, bows to no one but its Creator. Job 40:19 says,
“Only He who made him can bring near His sword.”
This statement magnifies the majesty of God. No man could subdue Behemoth, but God, as Creator, holds absolute control.
My Final Thoughts
The Behemoth is a witness to God’s power and creative might. Its size, strength, and behavior defy natural explanation through modern animals. Most consistent with its description is a massive dinosaur, likely a sauropod. More importantly, the Behemoth is a theological illustration: God alone is unmatched. He alone creates what man cannot control. The Behemoth is not just a creature of legend, but a real beast, given as testimony of the greatness of the Almighty.
Before the renaming, Abram had already been called by God and had walked in faith. In Genesis 12:1–2, God said,
“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation…”
Abram obeyed, journeying to Canaan. But it was in Genesis 17 that the covenant took its full form and the names were changed. Genesis 17:5 says,
“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”
The renaming came as a sign of covenant. Abram means “exalted father.” Abraham means “father of a multitude.” The shift reflected a deeper calling and a fulfilled promise, as God had now established His everlasting covenant with him.
Why Sarai Became Sarah
Similarly, Sarai was renamed. Genesis 17:15–16 records,
“Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her.’”
Sarai means “my princess,” possibly reflecting a personal or family-based status. Sarah means “princess” in a broader, nobler sense: a matriarch of nations and kings. Her new name affirmed her role in God’s divine plan.
The Significance of the “H”
Many scholars and Hebrew linguists note that the added “H” (the Hebrew letter “hei”) in both names holds spiritual significance. The “hei” represents breath, spirit, and divine revelation. It appears twice in the name of God, YHWH. In adding the “hei,” God was symbolically placing a portion of His name into theirs.
This change marked a spiritual transformation. Abraham and Sarah were no longer just participants in history (they were vessels of promise and faith). The breath of God, His Spirit, was upon them, changing their identity to reflect their divine mission.
Fulfillment in Isaac
Immediately after these name changes, God reaffirmed His promise to give them a son, Isaac. Genesis 17:19 says,
“Then God said: ‘No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him.’”
The renaming, then, coincides with the miracle of life: the impossible becoming possible through faith. It marks the turning point from waiting to receiving, from promise to fulfillment.
My Final Thoughts
God changes names when He changes purpose. Abram and Sarai received new names not just to reflect a future, but to carry the presence of God within their calling. The insertion of “hei” symbolizes the breath of God, the Spirit indwelling and empowering them to walk in covenant faith. Through Abraham and Sarah, nations would rise, and through their lineage, the Christ would come. Their new names spoke not only of destiny, but of divine intimacy and empowerment.
God created animals with intentional design and purpose. In Genesis 1:24–25, we read,
“Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind… And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind… and God saw that it was good.’”
Animals were part of God’s original “very good” creation. They were made by His word, for His glory, and as companions in the created order. Yet they were distinct from man, who alone was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Do Animals Have Souls?
In Ecclesiastes 3:21, Solomon ponders,
“Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?”
This verse suggests a distinction between human and animal spirit. While animals are said to have the “breath of life” (Genesis 7:15), they are not given eternal spirits as humans are. They do not possess the image of God, moral awareness, or the capacity for relationship with God in the redemptive sense.
Will There Be Animals in Heaven?
Scripture points to animals being present in the future Kingdom. Isaiah 11:6–9 describes the Millennial reign of Christ with vivid imagery:
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb… and a little child shall lead them… They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain.”
This passage indicates peace among animals and between animals and man. Similarly, Isaiah 65:25 repeats,
“The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox…”
These descriptions are not symbolic only; they portray a real, restored creation where animals live in harmony. Romans 8:21–22 tells us,
“The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption… For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”
Animals are part of creation. Their groaning suggests they too await redemption in the sense of being included in God’s renewal of the world.
Will Our Pets Be in Heaven?
While Scripture shows animals in the future Kingdom, it does not say whether specific animals (like beloved pets) will be resurrected. The Bible emphasizes personal, spiritual redemption, which is something animals do not undergo. Still, God is compassionate. Matthew 10:29 reminds us,
“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.”
God’s care for even the smallest creatures may suggest He holds a plan for their restoration. Yet the Bible does not indicate there will be a resurrection of individual animals.
My Final Thoughts
Animals were made by God, for His glory, and they reflect His creativity. Though they do not possess eternal souls like humans, Scripture reveals that animals will be present in God’s restored Kingdom. They will live in peace and fulfillment, free from fear and violence. While we cannot say for certain whether our pets will be with us, we trust in the goodness and wisdom of God. His redemption is full, His compassion unmatched, and His new creation will be beyond what we imagine.
The Daniel Diet
The so-called “Daniel diet” comes from Daniel 1, where Daniel and his friends refused the king’s food. Daniel 1:8 says,
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.”
Daniel’s concern was not about health or nutrition, but holiness. The king’s food was likely sacrificed to idols and violated Jewish dietary laws. The request to eat only vegetables and drink water was not a declaration of superior nutrition; it was a stand for righteousness.
A Miraculous Outcome
Contrary to expectation, Daniel and his companions appeared healthier. Daniel 1:15 records,
“And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.”
This was miraculous. It defied natural expectations. In a culture that knew strength came from protein and hearty meals, their improvement through vegetables alone pointed to divine intervention. The text gives no credit to the food; it gives glory to God.
Not a Vegetarian Mandate
This was not a call to permanent vegetarianism. It was a temporary fast, a consecration for a specific moment. Scripture never presents the “Daniel diet” as a health prescription. In fact, God’s Word repeatedly includes meat in His provision. After the flood, God told Noah in Genesis 9:3,
“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.”
Later, under the Law, God prescribed various clean animals to be eaten. Jesus Himself ate fish (Luke 24:42–43) and served fish and bread to thousands (John 6:11).
Peter’s Vision and Divine Permission
In the New Testament, God revealed through Peter’s vision that food distinctions were no longer binding. Acts 10:13–15 says,
“And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’”
God made it clear that in Christ, dietary laws had been fulfilled. Believers are free to eat, giving thanks to God.
Death in a Fallen World
In Eden, mankind was given plants to eat (Genesis 1:29), but after the fall, death entered the world. Animal sacrifice was introduced as a covering for sin, beginning in Genesis 3:21, when God made garments of skin. Death became necessary. Food would now come through toil and death (evidence of the fall). The necessity of killing for food is a reminder of a broken world, not of an ideal state.
My Final Thoughts
The “Daniel diet” is often misunderstood. It was not about nutrition; it was about consecration. God honored the faith of His servants with a miracle, not a model. Scripture allows for the eating of meat, and commands nothing regarding vegetarianism. In a fallen world, death is part of survival, and through Christ, we are free from dietary law. Let no one impose a diet as doctrine. Eat with thanksgiving, and live with holiness.
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). It is received by faith alone, not by works. Ephesians 2:8–9 declares,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Any teaching that adds to or takes away from this message is a false gospel. Paul warned the churches in Galatians 1:6–9,
“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel… But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you… let him be accursed.”
Works-Based Gospels
Some religious groups teach that salvation is earned through sacraments, church membership, or good deeds. This denies the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. Romans 11:6 says,
“And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.”
Whether Catholicism with its penance and Mass, or cults requiring strict law-keeping, the message is the same: salvation must be earned. But Scripture teaches the opposite; salvation is a gift.
Gospels That Add Writings
The gospel is found in the Word of God. Groups like the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses add new revelations (the Book of Mormon, the Watchtower publications). Yet 2 Timothy 3:16–17 affirms,
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God… that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The Bible is sufficient. Any gospel requiring “new truth” undermines the authority of Scripture and preaches another gospel.
Tradition Over Truth
Others elevate tradition to the level of Scripture. Mark 7:13 rebukes this practice,
“Making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down.”
When tradition overrides the plain teaching of God’s Word, it becomes a stumbling block. True faith rests not on rituals or lineage, but on Christ alone.
The Burden of Religion
False gospels burden people with fear, striving, and guilt. But Jesus says in Matthew 11:28–30,
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Religion enslaves, but the gospel sets free. It is liberty through truth, not bondage through error. Galatians 5:1 declares,
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
My Final Thoughts
The gospel is simple, powerful, and complete in Christ. Any addition, whether it be works, tradition, new books, or religious effort, is a corruption. Let us guard the gospel, contend for the faith, and boldly reject every false message that seeks to pervert the truth. Christ alone saves. Scripture alone guides. Faith alone receives.