The Ark in Dordrecht

The replica of Noah's Ark

As many of you know, I team teach the adult Sunday School class in my congregation, known as the Gospel Doctrine class.  This year we are studying the Old Testament.  I really love the scriptures and the Old Testament is a favorite of mine.  I love the wonderful stories found there.

For a recent lesson on Noah, the great prophet sent to prepare the world before the flood, I came across an article about a crazy Dutch business man named Johan Huibers.  He has built an exact replica of Noah's ark that sits on the Merwede canal in the Dutch town of Dordrecht.

The ship was built with Swedish pine instead of the cypress wood specified in the scriptures, but otherwise was constructed just like the one described in the Bible.  It's 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high.

I just heard Bill Cosby in my head saying, "What's a cubit?"

Johan Huibers and his ark

Huibers and his team started their magnificent creation by welding together the metal hulls of 25 barges.  The vessel has sleeping quarters, a theatre with 50 seats, a restaurant, and several conference rooms that will hold up to 1,500 people.

They've also added some plastic animals here and there for fun and, you know, ambiance.

The Ark replica opened its doors as a museum in 2012 and is available for conferences.  The whole thing is pretty darn amazing.  It also gives you an idea of the size of the original.

I think Noah was a remarkable man.  He preached the gospel for 127 years, and, as far as we know succeeded only in saving himself and his wife, plus merely three of their many sons and their wives.  If you read the scriptures closely you will note he also had daughters who, uh, missed the boat.

 I don't know how Noah kept up his spirits and his enthusiasm for 127 years in the face of constant rejection by a very wicked world.  But he did, and ended up becoming a "second Adam" to our race.  We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his righteousness.

I am reminded of the thousands of young men and women (and a few of us oldsters) out preaching the gospel today to any and all who will listen. The Lord is again giving his children plenty of warning before the coming of his great and terrible day.

It makes you think, doesn't it?

Please Note: The original article and photos of the ark and John Huiber come from aBoatTime magazine.  The article was first published on August 3, 2012.