God’s Gift and Provision: Dinosaurs & Oil

by Rev. Jess Foglesong

When I was a young fellow in high school I was always interested in science: Biology, Anthropology, Anatomy, Zoology, Astronomy … just about all the sciences. And of course like most kids (especially boys), there was that special interest in Dinosaurs.

I had that super curiosity as to their Gigantic size. The Brontosaurus, T-Rex, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus … and the larger Supersaurus which grew to 130ft long and 60ft. Tall (that is a Big Mama)! These Giants of long ago were in existence for about 160 million years, beginning somewhere close to 230 million years ago. They lived and survived with nothing to stop their robust progression and development. They just got larger and larger. Until one day, about 65 million years ago a cataclysmic event happened: A giant Meteor (a space rock), large enough to survive the searing heat of our earth’s atmosphere crashed into the Yucatan Peninsula creating a super explosion that affected the entire earth. The sun was blocked out for days and weeks. The atmosphere and air was thick with a deadly, toxic debris that permeated every inch of earth's surface. -- every animal specie that breathed air began to suffocate, and soon died -- especially the larger animals: The great Dinosaurs took their last breath; they died basically where they stood. There was no place to run for cover. The toxic cloud over came all of them -- all perished … forever.

This was a sudden change in earth’s dominant inhabitants: the cold blooded group of animals (Reptiles and Dinosaurs), and made way for the emergence of warm blooded animals: Mammals … and eventually homo sapiens.

God was there! He created all things. Including the Great Dinosaurs. And when it was time -- He removed them, to make way for our emergence millions of years later. God’s plan of salvation and restoration was in the works -- even back then.

As I mentioned earlier: when I was in high school, there was interest in the sciences, especially Zoology. One day I was at a good friends house having a coke, and my friend’s father (who worked for the local gas and electric company) stopped by for his regular lunch break. He was a “gas meter service man” … and soon we were all in conversation, and I asked him, “where did all the oil come from?” And he laugh and said -- you won’t believe it but it comes from dead dinosaurs. I go What? “Dinosaurs” … how in the heck do dinosaurs become our oil (and gasoline) to keep our cars running and homes heated, warm and cozy? And of course he explained -- well I think that when they all died millions of years ago, their bodies blended into the ground and sat there in the deep hallows of earth until one day they turned into Oil . The fuel that provides us with the means to survive in the cold, the means to transport ourselves and our goods to where-ever need be, and the means to protect ourselves via vehicles and vessels. It is a wonderful gift from our Creator! My friend’s father knew the full meaning and dimension of the product that he was working with. He knew the importance of Oil, and why it was available to us.

Ever since then I have understood the value of God’s provisions and gifts. The most important gift of all of course is “Life” itself. But part of living on this little ball called Earth, floating daintily in a vast vacuum of space, are the provisions that God has provided. Aside from the abundance of food, from the earth and sea; He has provided a vast amount of fuel within the earth called Oil --- or I should say: Dinosaur carcasses -- fossil fuel.


Oil is everywhere, and God expects us to utilize this “gift” that He provided -- through an accumulation of animal product for 160 million years: Genesis 24, 25 "Let the earth bring forth living creatures, according to their kind: reptiles, wild animals, and roaming beast. He saw that it was good." Good for who? Good for future mankind -- human beings. Genesis 26, 27: Let us make man in our image and likeness to rule over the fish in the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, and all the wild animals on earth, and all the reptiles that roam and crawl upon the earth."

Like our body's blood flowing through our veins and arteries, Oil, as well, pools just below the surface of our earth, available for us to tap and utilize.

He viewed our future; He knew the predicament of humanity -- of having a need, a way of transporting ourselves via vehicles and airplanes to the far corners of the world. He has provided this product for us to use; to discover it where-ever it is found and available. We should accept His gift -- graciously -- and not let our arrogance and ego get in our way.

God is the creator of the universe and of this earth. He is the true Steward of this earth. It is not us that decides the future of what may or may not happen to our planet. It is God’s option. He is in charge! We are the renters! The users. We cannot play God! We need to just be ourselves … and Live, and utilized what has been provided for us -- through the millennia.

God has created a beautiful planet we call earth. And has provided everything we need to survive. The earth will not melt due to global warming, it will not freeze due to a sudden chill. God has promised to provide for us through the ups and downs of life on earth. He could have (in the beginning) forgotten about us. But he remembered us and when earth fell into darkness, He hovered over the face of the deep and said “let there be light” … and there was Light! He took the time to re-create and re-fashion earth to ensure the emergence of Human Life, culminating in the redeeming perfect nature of His Son Jesus The Christ, on the cross at Golgotha -- dying for our expiation (paying our ransom), and vindicating (from satan's charges) his Father in Heaven -- Our Creator and true Saviour.

God is our ultimate eternal provider. And God' best is always for you!