Genesis 6:19 Daily Devotional & Meaning – God Preserves Every Living Creature
- Benjamin Michael Mcgreevy
- Mar 7
- 3 min read
Daily Verses Everyday! Day 32
“And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every [sort] shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep [them] alive with thee; they shall be male and female.”
In this verse, God’s preservation extends beyond humanity to include every living creature. By instructing Noah to bring two of every kind of animal into the ark, God ensures that the entire web of creation continues, not just human life. Humanity’s original purpose, as given in Genesis 1:28, was to steward and govern the animals and the Earth responsibly. If God had destroyed all creation including the animals, mankind’s calling to oversee, care for, and enjoy the creatures would have been rendered meaningless.
This demonstrates that God’s judgment is not arbitrary; it is measured and purposeful. Even in the midst of judgment, He preserves the framework of creation, ensuring that His design and human stewardship can continue after the Flood. This also shows us that God genuinely cares about the animals in the world. Creation is not merely a backdrop for human life; it is a reflection of God’s wisdom, creativity, and care.
Later in Scripture, in the Book of Job, God highlights the majesty and provision of animals, describing their strength, instincts, and beauty, revealing His pride and delight in all living creatures. Similarly, in Matthew 6, Jesus emphasizes that God knows and provides for even the smallest sparrows, shows that His concern extends to every part of creation. By preserving the animals in the ark, God is not only safeguarding humanity’s stewardship but also honoring the intrinsic value of all living things, reminding us that His love encompasses the entirety of the world He has made.
Now, the question of dinosaurs inevitably comes up when we consider Genesis and attempt to reconcile Scripture with what we observe in the natural world. While we cannot know with absolute certainty, we can weigh possible explanations in light of both God’s Word and His character.
Some propose that the “days” in Genesis 1 were not literal 24-hour days but long ages of time, during which dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures lived. The difficulty with this view is that Scripture teaches death entered the world through Adam’s sin, which is stated in Romans 5:12. If dinosaurs lived and died before Adam, that would seem to contradict the plain reading of Scripture.
Others suggest that perhaps God placed fossils in the ground as a kind of test or mystery, but this does not fit with His character. Numbers 23:19 reminds us, “God [is] not a man, that he should lie.” Deception is contrary to His nature, so this explanation does not align with what we know of Him.
Another theory is that God simply chose not to preserve dinosaurs on the ark. But in this verse is specifically says, “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every [sort] shalt thou bring into the ark.” This broad wording seems to include all animals, making it unlikely that dinosaurs were deliberately left out of God’s preservation plan.
A final possibility is that the “mighty men of old,” the violent, corrupted humanity described in Genesis 6, may have hunted or destroyed them during the centuries leading up to the Flood. This would fit with the description of the Earth being “filled with violence” as stated in Genesis 6:11. If humanity in its rebellion could corrupt creation to such an extent, it is not unreasonable to think they could have driven certain species to extinction.
In the end, while Scripture does not give us a clear, direct answer, what we can affirm is that God’s Word is true, His creation is intentional, and His purposes are never thwarted. The mystery of the dinosaurs reminds us of our own limitations and calls us to humility in seeking to understand God’s ways.
Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us that, “The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but [those things which] are revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.” Ultimately, questions like these invite us to the same place Noah found himself, trusting God even when we cannot see every detail or understand every mystery. Just as Noah obeyed God’s command to build the ark without knowing the full scope of what was coming, so we too are called to walk by faith, confident that the One who created all things holds every answer in His hands.
If you would like to explore Genesis in a sustained, verse-by-verse way with space to reflect, journal, and trace how these foundational truths unfold through Scripture the Verse by Verse book expands these reflections into a unified reading experience. The book gathers these meditations into a structured journey through Genesis, designed to help readers linger in the text and engage God’s Word more deeply over time.
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