Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):

The Paluxy River Bed, Ancient "Stones of Ica,"
Dinosaur Figurines, Drawings, Dragons and
Sea Serpents, and the Book of Job --

Believe it or not, dinosaur footprints, and the footprints of man, are found in the same strata, in the very same formation, in some cases only 18 inches apart, at a geological dig in Glen Rose, Texas, called the Paluxy River Bed. The ancient footprints of "man" at the site are found to be evenly spaced, and go under overhanging shale formations, continuing under the formations, and have been excavated.

Writes Winkie Pratney in Creation or Evolution? Part III, the Fossil Record:

"There are some big (and I do mean BIG) problems getting the facts to fit in Sir Charles Lyell's geology. The neat 'geological ages' chart you see on school walls is a MYTH -- it never exists like that anywhere on earth or it would be a hundred miles high. That there are many examples of totally REVERSED 'strata layers' that no known force could have produced that way -- some are THOUSANDS of square miles (the Lewis overthrust for instance, weighs in at around 800,000 BILLION TONS, but shows no signs of grinding or sliding that a true 'overthrust' would produce). But some of the most embar- rassing discoveries of modern times are entirely 'misplaced fossils,' millions of years in the wrong place, such as human footprints found in Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Illinois, New Mexico, Kentucky, and other states, in rocks supposedly 250,000,000 years old" (Acts, p.15, June 1996).

Pratney continues, discussing the mysterious dinosaur tracks and human footprints found close together at the Paluxy River Bed:

"Though the dino tracks (in the Paluxy River Bed in Glen Rose, Texas, for instance) are real, perhaps the human prints were later 'clever carvings' by Indians (who must have gotten around other states a lot). Recent research, however, has shown that they CONTINUE under shale bulldozed away, and paleontologists like Dr. Camp of the University of California and Dr. G. Wescott of Ypsilanti, Michigan, have pronounced them genuine. Scores of other similar finds have come in: human skulls in the Pliocene strata; pollen and anthropods in Pre-Cambrian layers; even pictographs of a dinosaur among other animals on ancient canyon walls, which would knock some 70 million years out of the geologic column" (Acts, p.15, June 1996).

There is no doubt that conventional geologic and paleontological sciences cannot explain away these profound and exciting anomalies. They exist. Evolutionists have absolutely no explanation for it. The excuse that the human footprints are bogus, deliberate creations of men seeking to make a "profit," is proven to be as false as the theory of evolution itself!

But of course, modern geologists and paleontologists would laugh and scorn the very thought that dinosaurs lived side by side with early mankind. Darwin's theory of evolution postulates that all life on earth gradually evolved over eons of time, millions of years, and conventional theory states that dinosaurs lived about 100 million years ago. The only evidence to support this theory, of course, is the "theory" of evolution itself, which many scientists accept as "fact" today, despite the insurmountable obstacles to such a theory, particularly the lack of any truly "intermediate" or "transitional" species in the fossil record. Here it is, over one hundred years after Darwin, and the geological record is still "missing links" -- in fact, paleontologists have found virtually no true, provable intermediate links in the fossil record. If evolution were true, there should be scores of thousands of such "links" -- they should be plentiful and abundant. But, alas, they simply don't exist!

The other blockbuster disproof of the evolutionary theory, of course, is the incredible complexity of life itself. Evolution has found itself virtually speechless in the face of such features as the human eye, or the eyes of birds of prey, the ear, the sense of touch, taste, smell, and the fantastic complexity of the "cell" itself -- the building block of life.

When all is said and done, evolutionary theory is found to rest on one "proof" above all others -- the assumed proof of radioactive dating methods to date the rocks in which fossils are found. But how reliable is radiometric dating?

The astounding fact is that there is no scientific proof that radiometric dating is correct. In fact, a number of instances shows it doesn't work at all, and even different tests on the same or close samples of rocks sometimes results in totally variant readings.

The methods of dating commonly used on rocks, often giving ages in the millions or billions of years, are the "heavy-metal-dating" methods, such as Uranium-Thorium-Lead, Rubidium-Strontium, and Potassium-Argon. These dating techniques all begin with a radioactive isotope which naturally emit an alpha or a beta particle, and are eventually transformed into a different element, caused a "daughter" isotope. But how accurate are these methods?

Curt Sewell, in The Faith of Radiometric Dating, proves us with the shocking answer:

"The methods that give ancient ages produce almost as many 'wrong' answers as 'right' ones. The 'correct' answer is chosen on the basis of stratigraphic sequences, that is, what kinds of fossils are buried nearby. Of course, the fossil dates depend on the assumption of evolution. And, of course, the public usually doesn't hear of these wrong answers" (Bible Science News, November 1994).

Sewell points out that John Woodmorappe did an extensive search of the literature on radiometric dating reports, reviewing 445 technical articles from 54 geochronology and geology journals. These reports listed over 350 dates measured by radiometric dating methods that "conflicted badly with the ages assigned to fossils found in these same strata." Says Curt Sewell, these dates covered "expected" ages ranging from 1 to more than 600 million years. He states:

"In almost every case of a discrepancy, the fossil dates were accepted as correct. The radiometric dates were discarded."

Woodmorappe quotes one honest researcher who admits candidly,

"In general, dates in the 'correct ball park' are assumed to be correct and are published, but those in disagreement with other data are seldom published nor are discrepancies fully explained" (John Woodmorappe, "Radiometric Geo- chronology Reappraised," in Christian Research Society Quarterly, September 1979, p.114).

Obviously, the "proof" of radiometric dating techniques falls far short of conclusive evidence supporting evolutionary theory. Its results are so untrustworthy and undependable that whenever it conflicts with "other data" it is thrown out the window, and ignored. The "other data," of course, is the "theory" of evolution itself as it is assumed to have occurred -- that is, the supposed and assumed "dates" of the nearby fossils found near the tested rocks.

Says Sewell of the problem:

"Errors are particularly bad with the K-Ar (potassium-argon) method. Studies have been made of submarine basalt rocks of known recent age near Hawaii. These came from the Kilauea volcano. The results ranged up to 22,000,000 years" (Sewell, op. cit.).

A puzzling anomaly of science is a skull found by Richard Leakey in 1972 near Lake Rudolph in Kenya which was "virtually indistinguishable" from a modern skull. Yet it was found beneath a layer of volcanic rock which had an accepted date of 2.6 million years old. Leakey declared the skull to be 2.9 millions years old. Controversy has swirled over the dating of this skull, however. The first attempt at dating the rocks above the skull resulted in dates ranging from 212,000,000 to 230,000,000 years of age -- the so-called Triassic Period when dinosaurs began roaming the earth! The interesting thing is that mammal bones, supposedly much younger, as mammals hadn't "evolved" until the Cretaceous period, or about 60 million years go, were found under the stratum of rocks dated over 200 million years of age!

Rather than admit the anomaly, and confess that this finding jeopardized the standard theory of evolution -- in fact, it stood evolution on its head! -- the scientists simply declared that these dates were "obviously in error" because of the "possible presence" of extraneous argon derived from "pre-existing rocks." How interesting! When the insurmountable evidence didn't fit the theory, it's the evidence which is thrown out or explained away, in order to maintain the appearance of a reliable "theory" of evolutionary progress!

Marvin L. Lubenow, in Bones of Contention: A Creationist Assessment of the Human Fossils, declared:

"The question arises, 'How does one know when one has good samples for dating?' The only answer to that question is that 'good' samples give dates that are in accord with evolutionary presuppositions. 'Bad' samples are the ones that give dates not in conformity with evolution -- a classic illustration of circular reasoning" (published by Baker Book House, 1992, p.255).

Curt Sewell reports another anomaly in studies of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Rocks from a recent lava flow were dated by radiometric means and were found to be quite discordant, all disagreeing with each other! The supposedly "more accurate" rubidium-thorium method gave an age of 2.1 billion years -- clearly a massive error! The lava being dated flowed over the edge of the top of the already eroded canyon. Thus the radiometric date arrived at turns out to be many thousands of times older than its true (recent) date!

When we throw out the radiometric dates of the rocks, however, and the pre-suppositions of the ages of fossils based solely on the theory of evolution, we find that evolutionists and scientists are left with no demonstrable proof whatsoever for the supposition of long ages of hundreds of millions of years in the geologic "time scale" drawn up by artists and geological myth-makers. The idea that dinosaurs lived many millions of years ago in the Jurassic, Triassic, and Cretaceous ages is riddled with suppositions, gaps, and holes.

In light of these facts, isn't it time scientists of all kinds re-examine the basis and the foundations of their theories and reconstructions based solely on evolutionary hypothesis? Isn't it time we let the facts speak for themselves, and stop making "excuses" for "wrong dates," and admit the falsity and fraudulent nature of the theory itself? Isn't it about time we took note of the fact that radiometric dating does not prove long ages of the earth -- nor does science prove the geological ages were factual? Rather, the whole of geological and paleontological dating which is based primarily upon evolutionary suppositions is itself a mere supposition -- a modern fable based on a myth -- the myth of Darwinism!

Dinosaurs did live during the time of man. In addition to all the evidence cited up to this point, in this article, we have other astonishing evidence that dinosaurs and mankind existed side by side, in an earlier age of the human race. This evidence comes from such widely scattered regions as South America, Mexico, and California.

The Paluxy river bed in Glen Rose, Texas, is only one baffling conundrum for evolutionists to ponder. Consider the following. Charles Berlitz writes of the ruins of ancient Tiahuanaco, in modern Bolivia, where an amazing discovery was found on ceramic pottery unearthed at the site. He asserts:

"On ceramic pottery unearthed in the ruins of Tiahuanaco, Bolivia, and also on stonework there, an animal is shown that is easily recognizable as a paleontological reproduction of a TOXODON, an animal resembling a hippopatamus, supposedly extinct for millions of years. The site of this unusual discovery is in itself extraordinary: Tiahuanaco, now 13,000 feet above sea level . . ." (Berlitz, Atlantis, the Eighth Continent, p.192).

Ceramic pottery from the ruins of Tiahuanaco, known to have existed about 4,000 years, depicts an animal supposedly extinct for MILLIONS OF YEARS! How can this be? The stonework and pottery show an animal easily recognizable as an ancient "Toxodon," a hippopatamus-like creature which the inhabitants of Tiahuanaco would hardly have known if it became extinct millions of years ago.

Berlitz continues his fascinating discussion of some of the remarkable discoveries of depictions of men associated with dinosaurs during the time of man! Notice:

"In widely separated areas of North and South America, construction of earth mounds and artificial shaping of hills and cliffs show familiarity on the part of the ancient artisans with animals SUPPOSEDLY EXTINCT in the Americas for thousands, and in some cases, MILLIONS OF YEARS. A great mound in Wisconsin is shaped like the outline of an ele- phant or mastodon . . . Some pre-Incaic people carved the rock cliffs of the Marcahuasi Plateau of Peru into huge representations of lions, camels, and something resembling a STEGOSAURUS .

"In the vicinity of the village of Ocucaje and Ica, in Peru, a collection of rounded stones totaling perhaps 16,000 and weighing from five pounds up to huge boulders of 800 pounds has been amassed by Dr. Javier Cabrera, who has about 11,000 of them in his museum. What is unusual about these 'stones of Ica' is that they are covered with incised drawings ostensibly made by carvers of past civilizations. The engraved drawings show people, extant and extinct animals, star maps, the star ring of the zodiac, and maps of unidentified land areas. The people are shown hunting or struggling with a variety of monsters that resemble BRONTOSAURS, TRICERATOPS, STEGOSAURS, AND PTERODACTYLS, . . . Even more surprisingly, human beings are portrayed as having domesticated animals that appear to be DINOSAURS and are using them for transportation and warfare. People are shown using telescopes, looking at the stars, and performing surgery" (ibid., p.193-194).

Since the original stones were discovered, local villagers appear to be "cashing in" on the discovery, faking stones to sell to tourists and the public. Wherever there is a "buck" to be made, hawkers and forgerers will climb out of the woodwork to make a profit. However, these stones cannot be so easily dismissed because early Spanish reports tell that some of the stones were sent back to Spain by Spanish explorers in 1562 -- proving they are not of recent origin. There is no rhyme or reason for them to have been "fabricated" so many centuries ago. Furthermore, the fact that they are at least several centuries old is attested to by the oxidation produced by the aging of the minerals covering the incisions of the drawings.

The famous "stones of Ica" show dinosaurs and human beings dwelling side by side in peaceful settings. Perhaps Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble and the pet dinosaur "Dino" in the "Flintstone" comic strip are not so far-fetched, after all!

Another intriguing discovery was made near Acambaro in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. In 1925 Waldemar Jusrud, a Danish storekeeper, was on an inspection tour of his ranch, when he noticed a small ceramic figurine projecting from the side of a rut in the rain-washed road. The artifact was unlike any he had ever seen, and probing further,

"he began to uncover additional models of people and animals resembling those portrayed on the Ica stones, the GIANT SUARIANS of the Jurassic period of millions of years ago

". . . Julsrud eventually was able to amass 33,000 of them.

"The human figures and the animals were frequently portrayed together. Some of the DINOSAUR-LIKE REPTILES appear with women in nonviolent or nonhunting situations, as though they were domestic animals or pets. The human figures show details of dress somewhat resembling those of the ancient Middle East: laced sandals, chain mail, shields, and a variety of weapons" (Berlitz, p.195-196).

Why not? Even today little children love to have cute, cuddly dinosaur stuffed pets, television shows feature dinosaurs in family situations, and Fred Flintstone had his pet "Dino."

Is it really so far-fetched? But we have even better evidence than this that dinosaurs lived together with mankind on this planet -- we have the Word of YEHOVAH God itself!

The most impressive and irrefutable evidence that dinosaurs co-habited the earth with man is found in the book of Job. Evolutionists have never adequately explained the mystifying remarks made by Job, who lived this side of Noah's Flood, where he speaks of "behemoth" and "leviathan" -- two huge creatures, one dwelling in the seas, and one upon the land. YEHOVAH God says to Job, "Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee" -- evidently created at the same time man was (Job 40:15). Notice YEHOVAH's description of this creature:

"Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force in the navel of his belly. He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are like bars of iron. He is the CHIEF of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan in his mouth. He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares" (Job 40:15-24).

The Septuagint translation of the Old Testament Hebrew into the Greek language circa 250 B.C., during the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt, adds a great deal of understanding to this enigmatic passage of Scripture. We read this astonishing report in the LXX:

"He sets up his tail like a cypress; and his nerves are wrapped together. His sides are sides of brass; and his backbone is as cast iron. This is the chief of the creation of the Lord; made to be played with by his angels" vs.12-14).

YEHOVAH God said this huge creature ate grass like an ox, was a grazing animal, and "moveth his tail like a CEDAR" -- that is, his tail was like a huge cedar tree! (v.17). Furthermore, "His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron." He is the "chief of the creation of the Lord" (v.18-19). YEHOVAH God said of this creature, "his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly" (v.16).

What more perfect picture is there of a DINOSAUR? The speculations of most scholars that this refers to the crocodile is specious nonsense, as even a fourth grade elementary school student could tell you! Crocodiles don't eat grass like an ox; nor do they have bones like iron bars; nor are they "chief" of the ways of YEHOVAH God; nor does their strength emanate from their "loins." Nor are they land-dwelling creatures; nor do they feed upon the mountains. Only a true dinosaur, a brontosaurus or stegosaur, a brachiosaur, or even a Tyrannosaurus Rex, perhaps, would fit this description. But not a crocodile!!!

And why did YEHOVAH God create these creatures? "Made to be played with by his angels"! Clearly, then, they were part of an original angelic world on this earth, prior to the time of man. However, they also existed during the time of man, as YEHOVAH was describing a creature with which Job had some familiarity -- he knew what YEHOVAH God was talking about!

Similarly, in Job 41, YEHOVAH asks Job about another creature -- this one a sea creature:

"Canst thou draw out LEVIATHAN with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? . . . None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me? . . . Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. His scales are his pride, shut up together with a close seal. One is so near to another, that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered. By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or cauldron. His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. In his neck remaineth strength and sorrow is turned into joy before him. The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of nether millstone. When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of the spear. Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride" (Job 41:1-34).

This remarkable description of a sea-dwelling dinosaur-type of creature is compelling in its extensive and technical analysis of what we today would call a "dragon" or "sea serpent" of incredible power and strength. Obviously, Job was very familiar with this creature that dwelt in the domain of the sea. Again, the Septuagint provides even more information about this creature:

"But wilt thou catch the SERPENT with a hook, and put a halter around his nose? . . . and wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or bind him as a sparrow for a child? And do the nations feed upon him, and the nations of the Phoenicians share him? And all the ships come together would not be able to bear the mere skin of his tail; neither shall they carry his head in fishing vessels. But thou shalt lay thy hand upon him once, remembering the war that is waged by his mouth; and let it not be done any more. . .

"I will not be silent because of him: though because of his power one shall pity his antagonist. Who will open the face of his garment? and who can enter within the fold of his breastplate? Who will open the doors of his face? terror is round about his teeth. His inwards are as brazen plates, and the texture of his skin as a smyrite stone. One part cleaves fast to another, and the air cannot come between them. They will remain united each to the other: they are closely joined, and cannot be separated. At his sneezing a light shines, and his eyes are as the appearance of the morning star. Out of his mouth proceed as it were burning lamps, and as it were hearths of fire are cast abroad. Out of his nostrils proceeds smoke of a furnace burning with fire of coals. His breath is as live coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth. And power is lodged in his neck, before him destruction runs. The flesh of his body is joined together: if one pours violence upon him, he shall not be moved. His heart is firm as a stone, and it stands like an unyielding anvil. And when he turns, he is a terror to the four-footed wild beasts which leap upon the earth. If spears should come against him, men will effect nothing. . . for he considers iron as chaff, and brass as rotten wood. . . . His lair is formed of sharp points; and all the gold of the sea under him is as an immense quantity of clay. He makes the deep boil like a brazen cauldron; and he regards the sea as a pot of ointment, and the lower part of the deep as a captive; he reckons the deep as his RANGE. There is nothing upon the earth like to him, formed to be sported with by MY ANGELS. He beholds every high thing: and he is king of all that are in the waters."

Here, we find a powerful dragon-like sea creature, much like an aquatic dinosaur of incredible strength, much like the fabled "dragons" of ancient myths of many peoples. But this creature existed, and Bible prophecy indicates still exists, beneath the depths of the sea!

According to the prophet Isaiah, YEHOVAH God will destroy this creature in the future "Day of the Lord's wrath." The Septuagint states:

"Go, my people, enter into thy closets, shut thy door, hide thyself for a little season, until the anger of the Lord have passed away. For, behold, the Lord is bringing wrath from his holy place upon the dwellers on the earth: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall not cover her slain.

"In that day God shall bring his holy and great and strong sword upon the DRAGON, even the serpent that flees, upon the DRAGON, the CROOKED SERPENT: he shall destroy the dragon" (Isa.26:20-21; Isa.27:1,LXX).

Every ancient country had stories of dragons. In Greece, they were slain by Hercules, Apollo, and Perseus. Nimrod, the "great hunter before the LORD," may have achieved fame by killing such a monster.

Norwegian, German, and early English legends speak of such unspeakable creatures. Who hasn't heard of "St. George and the dragon"?

And among the Chinese, even today dragons are the central creatures featured in New Year's parades, cavorting down the streets of Hong Kong, and Chinatown. Are they really merely mythical, as modern scientists assume?

Writes Henry M. Morris in The Remarkable Record of Job:

". . . it seems unlikely that the ubiquitous tales of fire-breathing dragons in ancient times, coming as they do from all parts of the world, could have come into existence without a strong factual basis. Furthermore, the Bible often mentions dragons just as it mentions unicorns -- always in such a way as to show that the writers believed they were real animals.

"For example, the first mention of the animal creation refers to such animals. 'God created great whales' (Gen.1:21). The word translated whales in the King James is often translated sea monsters in other versions. In most other passages, however, the word is translated dragons or sometimes serpents. It apparently was meant to identify the animals called a dragon in other nations.

"The leviathan is specifically identified as a dragon in one biblical text, where it is called 'leviathan . . . the dragon that is in the sea' (Isa.27:1)" (Morris, p.118-119).

There is nothing mythological about the book of Job! It is one of the most "scientific" books of the entire Bible! It discusses matter-of-factly about such scientific marvels and secrets not understood until modern times -- such as freshwater springs under the oceans, the hydrolic cycle, the mysterious "path" of lightning, the revolution of the earth on its axis, how it is suspended in "space," and even the mysteries of the "Pleides," the "seven sisters" and their relationship to each other! Write for our article, The BIBLE -- Science or Superstition?

Ancient peoples around the world believed in the reality of "dragons" and "sea serpents." They were highly intelligent and scholarly people. Even in the Middle Ages, scientists and scholars alike believed in the existence of these creatures. Says the Encyclopedia Britannica, eleventh edition, of "dragons":

"The similarity of the Northern and Oriental snake myths seems to point to some common origin in an antiquity too remote to be explored. Whatever be the origin of the Northern dragon, the myths, when they first become articulate for us, show him to be in all essentials the same as that of the South and East. He is a power of evil, guardian of hoards, the greedy withholder of good things from men; and the slaying of a dragon is the crowning achievement of heroes -- of Siegmund, of Beowulf, of Sigurd, of Arthur, of Tristram -- even of Lancelot, the beau ideal of medieval chivalry. Nor were these dragons anything but very real terrors, even in the imaginations of the learned, until comparatively recent times. . . In the works of the older naturalists, even in the great Historia animalium of so critical a spirit as Conrad Gesner (died 1564), they still figure as part of the fauna known to science" (vol.8, p.467).

The evidence that dinosaurs, and "dragons," existed during the time of man, of course, completely throws the various dating techniques and theories of modern paleontologists into a tailspin. Unfortunately, evolutionists would rather deny the truth, and suppress it, than admit that their theory is shot full of holes -- giant sized craters you could drive a truck through!

Which will we believe -- the guesses and cynicism of "science-falsely so-called"? or the plain testimony of history, rock carvings, geological footprints, and above all, the Word of YEHOVAH God itself?

As Yeshua the Messiah said, "The Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). He also declared, "thy word is TRUTH" (John 17:17). And the apostle Paul asserted, "ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God (i.e., is "God-breathed"), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (II Tim.3:16-17).

Which will you believe?