Our Ark Encounter :: Part 1

{I started writing this last Friday, 10/9}

This morning as we pulled into the parking lot and caught the first glimpses of the ark perched up on the hill and we all said “WOW!” We had seen the photos online and understood that the ark was enormous, but WOW, this was going to be a really cool day.

When we got off the bus and fully took in the magnitude of this enormous ship, with no sail or oars, we were completely blown away. It was beautiful and breathtaking. Skillfully crafted, we just couldn’t get over how unbelievable it was in person.

Just like the one Noah would have built. It all came to life in that very moment. Genesis in real life. I was recalling in my mind a Little People Noah’s Ark book I’d read a thousand times to the kids – “…and two by two God sent them to the boat” and could envision the animals walking the long ramp up to the door…

There’s SO much to tell you about it, I cannot fit it all in one blog post.

With that said, in this post, I’m going to stick to photos of the ark itself…and urge you to book a trip. You will not regret it.

God told Noah in Genesis chapter 6 how big the ark would be – 300 Cubits long, 50 Cubits wide and 30 Cubits tall. In our modern day measurements, the ark is 510 feet long, 85 feet wide and 51 feet tall. It.is.massive.

It took Noah somewhere between 55-75 years max to build the ark; the real life replica took a mere 18 months to complete.

Inside the ark, there were several areas that showed what cages for animals could have looked like. Complete with feeding and watering methods, they were even stacked in a particular way to show how waste could have been removed. It was completely fascinating.

The massive beams {above} were mostly from trees removed in Colorado and Utah.
The feed sacks {below} show how they could have stored food for the duration of their time on the ark.

The many children’s books that have portrayed the story of Noah and the Ark….

The Door {below} “reminds us that we need to go through a door to be saved. Jesus Christ is our one door to salvation.” There was only one door to the ark, per God’s instructions. One way in for Noah, his family and the animals to be saved. The same remains true for us, even today.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The workmanship, skill and craft that went into planning not only this magnificent ship, but also all of the life-like exhibits were so thoroughly created – there was no detail spared. I cannot imagine the time and attention that all the workers put into bringing this all to life.

It really was a spectacular sight. A blessing beyond measure to have this real life replica to point us back to Genesis – back thousands of years ago, when this ark would have been built to save Noah, his family and the animals from God’s just judgement.