In order to convey his divine message of salvation, God inspired many different authors to compose the various books of the Bible. Not only that, God also permitted a variety of literary forms, such as poetry and highly symbolic language to convey deep spiritual truths.
This means that on occasion, the human author of a particular book would use mythical language, even going so far to include a legendary beast to help explain a spiritual message. Frequently that message was connected to a representation of evil, such as the many appearances of the “dragon.”
It may be difficult for a modern reader to understand why these fantastic creatures are found within the pages of such a holy book, but for an ancient listener, it was simply part of the fabric of the culture and was an expected part of any good story. It spoke to them and helped explain something deeper that bland historical prose could never do.
Below is a list of five such mythical creatures that can be found within the Bible and where one can encounter them.
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Dragons, unicorns, cynocephali: the favorite monsters of the Middle Ages
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How gargoyles save souls … and ceilings
And today we celebrate...