Dinosaurs and Dragons

If Genesis is reliable history, and if the Earth is relatively young (probably not more than 12,000 years old), then dinosaurs roamed the Earth at the same time as mankind before dying out. Job (probably the first book of the Bible to be written) chapters 40-41 speak of animals called Behemoth and Leviathan that, according to the dialog, were around for Job and his friends to see. Chapter 40 describes Behemoth's great strength and its "tail like a cedar" tree. Chapter 41 refers to Leviathan's huge, powerful build, as well as a back covered with armor plating that deflected swords and arrows. I believe these accounts tell of dinosaurs.

What about dragons? Could fire-breathing creatures be a real part of biological history? Who would have thought that amazing creatures such as electric eels, fireflies, snakes that spit venom, angler fish, chameleons, or ink-spewing squid were real if they were not still with us? A few lines of evidence should be considered. First, there is the fairly clear teaching of scripture. The Bible leaves very little room for a hyperbole or metaphor interpretation. Job 41:19-21 says of Leviathan that,
"Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goes smoke as out of a seething pot or caldron. His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth."
Secondly there is the matter of historical evidence. Multiple ancient societies from around the world told stories of fire-breathing dragons. Thirdly, consider some biological evidence. There is a "fire-breathing" creature called the Bombadier beetle. Hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone are contained in separate chambers in the beetle's abdomen, from where it can be ejected to confront a predator with an explosive mixture reaching 212�F! Lastly, there is some paleontological evidence that a skull arrangement could have accommodated "fire-breathing." In his book Dinosaurs by Design, Dr. Duane Gish discusses how the hadrosaurs' nasal cavities could easily have connected to chemical reserves in the hollow, horny crest.