Monumental Monsters

VANCE NELSON
Auth
or: . Dedication
N elson ny Inc
Vance mpa
blishing Co
th Pu on
: t Ear Editi 17 ny This book is dedicated to my Dad and Mom. They have been the
isher Plane First y, 20 d in a lson
Publ ecr ets of nsters Feb ruar e p r oduce n ce Ne
told S tal Mo ting: o r r r V a f caring parents that many children live without. In showing me the
Un umen Prin use d her o rets o
arth: Mon First N elson
.
m ay be e publis Untold Sec ,
net E Van c e s bo o k to f t h o: lbe a
r t meaning of love and acceptance, they helped me better understand
Title
: ts of P
la
© 2017 a r t of thi n c onsen tion write t d D eer, A
Secre igh t o p rit t e a P.O.,
R e the love and acceptance of my Heavenly Father.
Untold Copyr ed. N the w nform
g h t s reserv r w i thout i o n s . For i D e e r Park
rs: All r i e ta t 7 ,
Edito er atsoev ef quo x 2514
ce er wh of bri ny, Bo
Scien t Cart
ober
mann e c a s e o m p a
Dr. R ecker
t t in th hing C
a yne D ry
excep arth Publis
Dr . W n tE
n He Plane ada
natha 2, Can e.
e Bibl
D r . J o r M
rke 2
Dr. G
ary Pa T4 R
8 8 2 1-4-2 e r s i o n of th
tors: -986 sV
l Edi 978-0 Jame
tica B N : t h e King
Gra mma er
IS
are fr
om
Rober
t Cart
u o t a tions
son ure q
Ch s
i a
Script
Jenny ker
eries:
Gary
Par
ction
:
n C h ina s i n this s
rodu ed i her bo
o k
email
:
Desig
n/P Print e for ot t h.com t h rough
hic e b s i t et E a r ct u s
Grap asson our w Plan conta
Jeff C
hi e visit Secretsof please
Pleas ld rvi e w s ,
Unto r inte
www. i n g autho t h .com
egar d e tear
t i o n r p l a n
forma etsof
For in ntoldsecr
u
info@
TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface 7 France 102

Introduction 9 Meganeura monyi (Giant “Dragonfly”) 104
DNA, Genetic entropy, and the creator 10 Minorca 108
Fossil Giants Point to the Power of the Creator 13 Nuralagus rex (Giant Rabbit) 110
Island Gigantism and Giants in the Created World 14 Niger 114
Many Animals Grow Throughout Their Lives 15 Sarcosuchus imperator (Giant “Crocodile”) 116
Remnants of Gigantic Potential in Today’s World 15 Tanzania 120
Created Kinds, Varieties, and Classification 18 Hippopotamus gorgops (Giant Hippopotamus) 122
Fossil Giants: pre-Flood or post-Flood? 19 South Africa 126
Gigantism & the History of the World 19 Pelorovis antiquus (Giant African Buffalo) 128
Madagascar 132
Monumental monsters: Giants in the fossil record Archaeoindris fontoynontii (Giant Lemur) 134
Beelzebufo ampinga (Giant Horned Frog) 138
United states 20
Aepyornis maximus (Giant Bird) 142
Bison latifrons (Giant bison) 22
Russia 146
Holmesina septentrionalis (Giant Armadillo) 26
Hydrodamalis gigas (Giant Seacow) 148
Archelon ischyros (Giant Sea Turtle) 30
China 152
Gigantocamelus spatulus (Giant Camel) 34
Paraceratherium (Giant Hornless Rhinoceros) 154
Castoroides ohioensis (Giant Beaver) 38
Dinocrocuta gigantea (Giant “Hyena”) 158
Pontolis magnus (Giant Walrus) 42
Gigantopithecus blacki (Giant Ape) 162
Arctodous simus (Giant Short-faced Bear) 46
East Timor 166
Carcharodon megalodon (Giant Shark) 50
Coryphomys buehleri (Giant Rat) 168
Cuba 54
Australia 172
Ornimegalonyx oteroi (Giant Cuban Owl) 56
Diprotodon optatum (Giant “Wombat”) 174
Colombia 60
Obdurodon tharalkooschild (Giant Platypus) 178
Titanoboa cerrejonensis (Giant snake) 62
Procoptodon goliah (Giant Short-faced Kangaroo) 182
Argentina 66
Varanus priscus (Giant Monitor Lizard) 186
Chapalmalania altaefrontis (Giant Raccoon) 68
Antarctica 190
Megatherium americanum (Giant Ground Sloth) 72
Palaeeudyptes klekowskii (Giant Penguin) 192
Argentavis magnificens (Giant Condor) 76
Uruguay 80
Extinction of the Giants Explained 196
Josephoartigasia monesi (Giant “Guinea Pig”) 82
conclusion 198
Scotland 86
endnotes 199
Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis (Giant Land Scorpion) 88
photograph & artwork credits 208
Germany 92
Acknowledgments 209
Arthropleura armata (Giant Millipede) 94
Megaloceros giganteus (Giant Fallow Deer) 98
 Preface

While I was in elementary school, I never gave much thought to have lost many varieties, and most of the giants. This is the
evolutionary ideas. However, by the time I was in junior high, I had fundamental point of the book. From the beginning of the world
already been thoroughly indoctrinated in the idea of “millions of until now, the number of varieties of a vast array of creatures has
years” through television, books, and the public school system. When diminished, and the giants have all but vanished. Due to sin, the
I went to high school, learning evolutionary theory was a requirement curse, and the Flood, things are getting worse.
for anyone taking biology. Since I took biology up to grade twelve,
In one or two cases, I have opted to use original (or older) genus
I was required to study evolutionary theory. Interestingly, my high
and species names for creatures (based on intense research).
school teacher pointed out that known scientific facts didn’t seem to
These names (classifications) seemed less biased with evolutionary
align with evolutionary theory.
presuppositions. My choices weren’t out of ignorance.
After high school, I earned both a theology degree and a biology
I have been as careful as possible to reference the facts and
degree. The science degree strengthened my scientific training and
figures I mention in the text of the book. There is much misinformation
convinced me that evolutionary theory was not scientific. From there,
about all of these creatures. Exaggerations abound. Generally, for the
I spent the next decade and a half travelling the world doing field
living comparisons in the text of the book, I have given the largest
research, discovering evidence in the real world relating to Biblical
example (rather than the average size). This is also true of the scale
history. I worked in palaeontological excavations, did research via
diagrams for the living counterparts seen there.
archaeological expeditions, and participated in geological field work
These creatures bring glory to God, bring recognition pertaining
worldwide.
to His creative ability, and ultimately bring awe regarding His Power.
Many see evolution as a grand theory which explains how all life
I therefore felt compelled to write a book about them. Furthermore,
began as a single-celled organism and has become everything we see
they demonstrate the truthfulness of Biblical history. God’s Word is
today—dogs, people, horses, rhinos, and elephants. In this scenario,
true from the beginning.
life started off simple, and became more complex through time. This
is how Charles Darwin understood his theory, as we will see. Many If you are a born-again Christian, it is my sincere hope that the

see evolution as a mechanism of positive progress through time. The information in this book will be an encouragement to you. It is my

fossils themselves, however, show a very different record. The record hope that your faith in God’s Word will be strengthened and your

is not one of upward progress through time. Palaeontologists, who walk with God will grow.
know the fossils well, understand this. Things are not getting bigger If you are not a Christian, I pray that this book will encourage
and better over time. Often, they are declining. They are getting you to give serious thought to the God of the Bible and to the Christian
worse over time. Is this evolution? faith, that you will sense the urgency of asking the Lord Jesus Christ

Gigantic creatures that have lived in the past will be highlighted to forgive you of your sins, and that you will make a decision to trust

in this book. The reader should note, however, that there were and follow Him.
various ecological niches which would have been filled with creatures Enjoy the visual exploration of Monumental Monsters! It was a
of various sizes. The “giants” were but one of the sizes of creatures joy to research, write, and design this book. God bless you as you take
dwelling on the earth at any given time. It is true, however, that we a journey to a fascinating world filled with curiosity and wonder.
Monumental
Introduction

Monsters
Introduction
Imagine turning back the pages of history a few hundred
to a few thousand years, to a time when many creatures on
this planet were of monumental size; we might call them
monumental monsters. It seems strange that creatures
existed in the recent past which dwarf their currently living

giants in the fossil record

counterparts: animals such as fallow deer about 6 ft (2 m) tall
at the shoulder with antlers nearly 12 ft (3.7 m) across; rats
which weighed as much as well-pampered, fat and lazy house
cats; and birds which stood about 10 ft (3 m) tall and weighed
over 1000 lb (450 kg), laying eggs with an internal volume
equivalent to about one hundred and seventy chicken eggs.
These facts ought to make one ask some basic questions.
What in the world has happened? Why have these giant
varieties disappeared from our planet? Why have they only
left behind their smaller, weaker, and seemingly more pitiful
counterparts? What happened in the recent past that has led
to such drastic changes to the fauna of this world?
Textbooks, television, museums, magazines, parks, and
public schools make sure we hear about “evolution,” what
Charles Darwin called, “…the production of the higher
animals…,” 1 which he believed resulted “…from the war of
nature, from famine and death….” 2 Although real scientists
and researchers know better, they seldom correct this
popular misconception that Darwinian evolution produces
“onward and upward” progress, changing a few simple
life forms into an ever expanding variety of “bigger and
better” plants and animals. This popular belief in “upward
evolution,” however, is contradicted by overwhelming
evidence from around the world.
 Fig. 1 Artist’s conception of DNA
Fossils are typically interpreted through an evolutionary I explained that there are many kinds of “change through time,”
paradigm. Yet, when one investigates the history of living including upward change based on Darwin’s words and
organisms on this planet, it becomes conspicuously apparent downward change based on God’s Word. The prediction of
(to the keen observer) that we don’t actually observe “upward downward change, supported as it is by enormous evidence of
evolution” in organisms through time. Instead, we see decline, decline in size and variety, is based on the Biblical record of a
decimation, and, in some cases, the demise of organisms once perfect creation by a flawless Creator, followed by the effects
through time on a grand scale. No matter what level we explore, of sin, the curse, and the Flood leading to imperfection, decline,
we typically find a dramatic decline in size and variety among and the demise of so many gigantic forms. We observe greater
members of a group—exactly the opposite of what evolutionists variety in the past—including many gigantic varieties—and fewer
predicted. Decreased variability within kinds is striking, but varieties today—including many smaller, weaker, and apparently
most spectacular is the demise or disappearance of “giants” from more pitiful counterparts. This is no surprise to a Bible-believer.
so many groups. When one compares many fossil organisms to Harsh environmental changes after the Flood would lead a Bible-
their living counterparts, they often provide powerful evidence believer to predict even further decline among creatures getting
that they have declined in size, variety, or both. off the Ark as they went on to “multiply and fill” the post-Flood
world. The Bible itself predicts change through time. Change?
I was teaching at a Bible camp, and one student became very
Yes. Evolution? No.
angry when I mentioned that gigantic fossil organisms
demonstrated precisely what we would expect and predict from
DNA, Genetic Entropy, and the Creator
the Biblical record, that many creatures have declined in size
10
and variety over time due to the effects of sin, the curse, and the It would take a lot of information to build a reproducing
Flood. The student claimed this was evolution, since evolution was bacterium and even more to build a human being or one of the
merely “change through time.” The secular school systems teach fossil giants described in this book. Where did the information
that evolution is merely “change through time,” but if evolution to make such marvellous living things come from? For over fifty
were actually true, it would be a special and specific type of years, scientists have known the information defining each kind
change. If you start with single-celled creatures and eventually end of life is encoded in DNA (Fig. 1). There is one set of DNA shared
up with university professors who teach the theory of evolution, by all human beings, the famous “human genome.” However,
then somewhere along the way, new genetic information must in humans, many genetic variations exist. These introduce
be added into the system, since a single-celled bacterium has individual variations, such as dark-to-light skin tones, short-to-
very little genetic information in comparison to a human being. tall height, variation in musical, athletic, and academic talents
You can think of that information as “specified complexity.” The or interests, etc. In fact, the known variations within humans
building plans for a sand box are specified complexity. Likewise, could produce more unique, individual human beings than the
the building diagrams for a computer are specified complexity. number of atoms in the known universe! All other created kinds
Where does the new specified complexity come from? Secular share this broad, but bounded variability, enabling them to carry
evolutionary theorists cannot explain the origin of this type of out God’s command to “multiply and fill” ecological niches all
information through natural processes. Yet obviously, it must over the world (a command given at creation is repeated after
come from an intelligent source, and cannot originate from matter the Flood). The variability is produced by a number of complex
itself, any more than the ink from a pen can write a book by itself. systems. For example, the epigenome affects the protein-encoding
 genomic DNA in multiple ways: turning genes on or off, extinction of every single living species of organism on this in comparison to this daunting animal. This monumental
turning gene activity up or down like a dimmer switch, or planet (if no one were to intervene). To give an analogy, it is like creature offers but a glimmer of the power of God. It
altering gene expression in response to environmental having a boat with holes in it. Mutations (errors in the DNA) cannot be pierced through its nose (Job 40:24). Mankind
changes. It operates with complex sensor-effector systems cause more and more holes to form, causing the boat to sink faster can do nothing to capture or control this mighty animal.
to appropriately define and respond to an environmental and faster as it deteriorates more and more. The evolutionary Nevertheless, the all-powerful God, who made it, can not
stimulus. What amazing design! naturalists cannot even stop the boat from sinking. However, only approach it but can subdue it if necessary. In verse 19
they actually wish to explain the origin of the boat by the very we read that “…he that made him can make his sword to
Notice I indicated DNA stores information. Just as
process that is causing its demise, but they have absolutely no approach unto him.” God’s power is shown through the huge
information in a book comes from the author and not from the
hope of accomplishing the task. Natural processes operating creatures He has made, but His power is exceedingly more
ink and paper, so the information in DNA must come from an
today can simply account for the degradation and demise of the immense than these creatures.
author. The DNA itself is not the author, but only the material
boat, not for its origin. This is the identical predicament they
used by the Creator to store the information. Just like the In Job 41, we see another example, Leviathan. Here again,
are in regarding an explanation for the origin of the genome,
information on silicon chips in a computer points to ingenious Job is presented with a monumental beast against which he
the complete set of DNA found in every living creature. Natural
acts of “human creation,” so the far greater and more ingenious is seemingly powerless. We see an animal that clearly brings
processes operating today are leading to degradation and
information in DNA points to plan, purpose, and special acts of substantial dread to his mind. What an awe-inspiring beast!
destruction of the genome’s information. Natural processes can
a transcendent Creator. The greater size and variety seen within Job is asked a series of rhetorical questions in Job 41:1-5:
in no way explain its origin. Based on what we do know, not on
groups of past living things (including giants) both point to and
what we don’t know, information only comes from an earlier Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue
confirm the transcendent Creator (Romans 1:18-32).
source of information. Furthermore, information always comes with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook
12 When Charles Darwin (Fig. 2) wrote the Origin of Species, from an intelligent source. What form of tortured and twisted into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Will he 13
he knew nothing of DNA, nothing of cellular complexity, and logic does it take to assume that the very processes leading to make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words
nothing of the laws of heredity we teach in middle schools today. the extinction of every species today were also responsible for unto thee? Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take
If he had, we probably wouldn’t even be discussing evolution their origin in the first place?3 him for a servant for ever? Wilt thou play with him as with a
right now. Why? Because his theory of evolution would have bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
If natural processes observed today are destroying the
never left the ground, figuratively speaking. When evolutionists
genetic information in organisms and not improving it, there The answers are clear, needing no clarifications. Obviously
in the early 1900s learned that random changes in genes called
must have been an Intelligent Creator responsible for its Job can do no such things with such a powerful and
mutations could produce short-legged sheep and fruit flies
origin in the first place, and thus the origin of the organisms uncontrollable entity. Job is being reminded of how much
with oddly-shaped wings, they dropped Darwin’s idea that the
themselves. The Bible has always declared, “In the beginning more infinitely powerful the Creator is than this creature, and
environment conferred new traits on an organism (Lamarckian
Fig. 2 Charles Darwin God…” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible’s very first verse remains the that in like manner Job also has no power over God.
evolution) and added mutations as the “raw material for
most scientific statement regarding the origin of the wonderful As you read through this book and investigate one
evolutionary progress.” Scientists discovered, however, that
A revolutionary book by Dr. John Sanford, respected organisms we see on this planet. gigantic creature after another, don’t forget the lessons Job
mutations only make changes in already existing DNA. So, in
reality, they are like typographic errors in the genetic script geneticist and co-inventor of the “gene gun” has demonstrated learned on that day. Just like Behemoth and Leviathan, the
Fossil Giants Point to the Power of the Creator
and nothing at all like scriptwriters producing new genetic what he calls genetic entropy. Extinction, not evolution, is the monumental monsters in this book ought to make you think
information. Furthermore, mutations are usually recognized expected outcome of accumulating mutations. The information in Job chapters 40 and 41 describe two great beasts “…far about the incredible power God Himself possesses, the One
by the defects, disease, and diseased organisms they produce, the DNA is continuously breaking down, getting worse, as would exceeding man in bulk and strength…,” 4 created by God. They who made these creatures. These creatures are but a faint
making them agents of downward change through time, be expected by natural processes. In the end, this deterioration are used by God to remind Job of God’s awesome power. The reflection of His power and majesty, who is the very Creator
consistent with the Biblical record. of the information found in the DNA will ultimately lead to the first of these animals is called Behemoth. Mankind is nothing of the entire cosmos itself.
 Island Gigantism and the effects of sin, the curse, or the Flood, and therefore was Many Animals Grow Throughout Their Lives In a world without disease, without accidental death,
Giants in the Created World perfect. A perfect creation undoubtedly had creatures that without carnivorous behaviour, without predators, without the
It is interesting that there are certain reptiles such as
reflected a perfect environment in some substantive way. effects of “old age,” what would creatures look like? Interesting
Island gigantism, known technically as “insular crocodiles, turtles, and snakes that grow as long as they
to ponder, isn’t it? It seems many animals would become
gigantism,” is a phenomenon where many gigantic creatures are alive. Sarcosuchus imperator is an awe-inspiring fossil
monumental monsters. The world just described above is the
on islands are a result of certain special conditions on islands “crocodile” we will look at in detail later. Along with this
world the Bible describes before sin—interesting to ponder
which are different from mainland environments. Though monumental monster, we will also look at Archelon ischyros,
indeed. The three gigantic fossil reptiles with which we began
some of these conditions may not be directly testable, the a giant sea turtle which dwarfs any of its living counterparts.
this discussion clearly lived after sin, but before Noah’s Flood.
inferences are logical, and are likely correct. It is possible that It is the largest known turtle to have ever existed. Its genus
Even for a time after sin entered the world, these reptiles
one of the reasons animals, which are typically smaller on the name, Archelon, means king of turtles. 6 Besides these two
attained monumental proportions!
mainland, became gigantic on islands, is the elimination of fossil reptiles, there is Titanoboa cerrejonensis, the giant
predators. This is interesting indeed, since when predators fossil snake, estimated to be about 48 ft (14.6 m) in length. Remnants of Gigantic Potential in Today’s World
were later introduced to many of these islands, many of these It was a monstrous snake, the longest and heaviest ever Plants especially seem to maintain potential for monstrous
giant creatures perished. An example of island gigantism discovered. If certain reptiles, such as these three basic growth within their genetics. Under ideal conditions, many
is the giant parrot known as the Kakapo from New Zealand groups mentioned, keep growing as long as they live, then plants can attain incredible proportions even today, after sin,
(Fig. 3). It is the largest parrot in the world, and has only why don’t today’s counterparts get as large as their fossil the curse, and the Flood. Numbers 13:23 states that “…they
recently become endangered after mankind arrived in New counterparts? There are at least two possibilities. Conditions came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a
Zealand, bringing mammalian predators. 5 for growth (food supply and climate) were better when the branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two
14
fossil varieties existed, or the fossil varieties lived longer, or upon a staff…” (Fig. 4). One cluster of grapes which required 15
What is intriguing, however, is that the book of Genesis
a combination of both. Whatever the answer, one thing is for two men to carry it, is impressive indeed.
records a time in history when God created the world perfect, a
sure, this planet is not getting better.
time when there were no predator-prey relationships. Genesis
1:29-30 indicates that everything was originally created to be Indiana University illuminates us with the following
vegetarian, where animals were never to eat one another, and comments on the growing patterns of various creatures:
that in this state, “…God saw every thing that he had made, [M]any animals, including some mammals, keep growing
and behold, it was very good…” (Genesis 1:31). Would this throughout their lives. Kangaroos, for example, just keep
have affected the size of the creatures before sin entered that growing and growing until they die. Most fish, amphibians,
perfect world? It is an interesting thing upon which to ponder. lizards, and snakes are also indeterminate growers. Until
Just as one of the components suggested for island gigantism something, disease, a predator, or old age—takes them down,
has been a lack of large predators, could a lack of predators in these animals know no bounds when it comes to size.
the perfect creation have also led to extremely large and more
Why don’t you regularly see dinosaur-sized lizards, fish and
robust versions of the normally small and diminutive animals
snakes? Part of it has to do with the law of the jungle, so to
we see today? Though Scripture does not explicitly state the
speak. Simply put, most animals are eaten or killed before
point, and therefore we cannot, nor should we, dogmatically
they get really big. Also, the longer an animal lives the
assert this point, it would be no surprise to a Bible-believer if Fig. 3 Kakapo: giant parrot
greater the chance it might catch some deadly disease. In
many creatures in the original creation were markedly larger,
short, most animals die or are killed before they reach truly Fig. 4 Canaan, engraved in 1780
more robust, and stronger than their living counterparts. One
gargantuan proportions. 7
thing Scripture does make clear is that the creation was without
 A cabbage was grown in Alaska in 2012 which weighed 138.25
lb (62.71 kg).8 A lemon was grown in Israel in 2003 which weighed
11 lb, 9.7 oz (5.27 kg).9 A pumpkin grown in Germany in 2014
weighed 2323.7 lb (1054.01 kg), about as much as a small car.10,11
This is just a sampling of what is possible under ideal conditions
Fig. 6 Ankole-Watusi cattle
with plants. Imagine what the plants must have been like in the
perfect world which God originally created. In Fig. 5, you can see
a giant horsetail from the pre-Flood world, with a substantially
smaller living variety for comparison.12
Although this planet has declined, it still shows glimmers of
the Creator’s fingerprints within the few quasi-giants that remain.
When the true giants died off, much of the genetic potential was
possibly lost in the populations as a whole. Therefore, to regain
the gigantic varieties of animals would be difficult if not impossible
(even through specialized breeding).
We will here discuss one quasi-giant species that is still living
today, the Ankole-Watusi cattle. These are cattle which are
originally from Africa, and possess tremendous horns. In fact, they
16 17
have been known to grow horns up to 10.5 ft (3.2 m) across.13 You
can see two of these cattle on the facing page (Fig. 6). I call this a
quasi-giant since the body size of these cattle can only reach up to
about 1500 lb (680 kg), which is not nearly as large as the fossil
bovine of Africa or North America. However, its horns rival any
fossil bovine in size.
Conditions directly after Noah’s Flood mimicked the
quintessential pre-Flood conditions for a brief time in certain
areas of the earth. As a result many animals grew to enormous
sizes. Though nearly all of the true giants have disappeared off
the face of the earth, remnants still appear here and there to
remind us of the perfect world that once was. Throughout this
book, especially from the fossils themselves, greater reminders
will be brought to light of the world that God originally made.
We will be reminded of how sin, the curse, and the Flood have
ruined the world. This history, of a world ruined by sin, ought
to further remind each one of us that we have a need. Each one
of us needs to be re-united with the Creator of the universe
through his son Jesus Christ.
Fig. 5 Fossil horsetail beside living counterpart 
 Created Kinds, Varieties, and Classification We must always remember that the current human classification Fossil Giants: pre-Flood or post-Flood?
of God’s created organisms is flawed. Creation scientists are working
The Bible indicates ten times in Genesis chapter 1 that God There are a number of pre-Flood creatures that attained
hard to fix this problem with a new system known as baraminology,17
created creatures to reproduce “after their own kinds.” In the massive sizes preserved in the fossil record, having been
a classification system of the created kinds founded upon Scripture
Hebrew text, the word for kind is mîn. These mîn are distinct buried in sediment which was laid down in the worldwide
in conjunction with science.
groupings of creatures and plants that would have had vast Flood of Noah’s time. However, many of the giant fossil
built-in genetic potential, and were thus capable of filling the remains which are preserved all over planet Earth today are
earth’s various ecological niches as they multiplied. Inferred much more recent, and are the remains of creatures that lived
from the Bible, each kind of creature and plant would be after the great Flood. In fact, some of these giants have died
expected to produce impressive variability, but one kind would only in the last few hundred years.
not change into another kind. Roses would stay roses, people As we will see, the history of this planet is one of perfect
would stay people, camels would stay camels, walruses would Design followed by Decline due to sin, then massive Decimation
stay walruses, and penguins would stay penguins; nonetheless, at the Flood of Noah. Further Decline, Decimation, and even
varieties would abound within each created kind. Demise of certain varieties occurred after the Flood down to our
In the 18 th century, Carolus Linnaeus (Fig. 7), building on very own time. These giants point to one clear and simple fact:
the work of previous scientists, developed a scientific system to things are running down, they are not getting better.
classify the plants and organisms created by God. Linnaeus felt
he was led of God to classify God’s organisms. As one historian Gigantism and the History of the World
16
18 put it, to Linnaeus his early taxonomic work, Systema Naturae, 19
First of all, we have read in this introductory section that
was “the workingplan underlying creation.” 14 Linnaeus used
there is undeniable evidence of Design based on the
the word genus to designate the created kinds, 15 since genus
remarkable complexity seen in each organism’s DNA. The
is the Latin word meaning kind. There is little doubt the word
giant organisms which we will look at in greater detail clearly
genus was extracted directly from the Latin Vulgate translation
had a transcendent Designer. Secondly, due to sin, the curse,
of the Bible and imported into the scientific classification the Flood, and post-Flood conditions, we will see evidence
system. 16 Therefore, when Linnaeus was classifying creatures of how groups Decline in size and variety; this often reaches
according to their genus, he was actually attempting to classify an extreme point that we can call Decimation. In fact, the
the creatures God made according to the created kinds. These accumulation of the above mentioned conditions can take
created kinds would have diversified due to the built-in genetic their toll on a population until a particular kind of organism
potential within their genomes, causing much variety to be vanishes; we can call this Demise. This all sounds like
present (within each created kind). These “varieties” were exceedingly bad news, and in a sense it is. But we will also
classified under each genus as “species.” be discussing Deliverance through Jesus Christ. This is less
However, things have changed since the development of about the history of the world as it relates to the organisms,
this early classification system. This is due in part to the fact and more about the future of the world and how it relates
to you, the reader. We will discuss this in more detail as we
that evolutionary theorists have taken over. In the modern
Fig. 7 Carolus Linnaeus progress through the evidence of gigantism. Here is a way to
classification system, the created kinds can be more closely
remember the history of the world, as it relates to gigantism:
aligned with the family level.
Design, Decline, Decimation, Demise, and Deliverance.