I was reading the news and came across this coming opening of the life size Noah's Ark scheduled to open next week 7/7/2016. The date chosen from Gen 7:7 above.
I was excited of course. As this project which was birthed way back in 2010 is finally coming to pass. Not that smooth sailing but here it is. Watch the project video in the link below.
"The Cross is the greatest reminder for us of the salvation we can have in Jesus Christ. The Creation Museum was built as a reminder that we can trust the authority of God’s Word in every area. Other than the Cross, the Ark of Noah is one of the greatest reminders we have of salvation. The Ark Encounter project was born out of a desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to millions of people across America and the world. This project has been years in the making. See how the Lord has worked mightily over the years to make this project a reality" Arkencounter
https://arkencounter.com/blog/archive/
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/us/noahs-ark-creationism-ken-ham.html?_r=0
My Reflections
1. ARK-spiration of HIS Story - History : Past
Noah's Ark continues to capture the interest, inspiration & inquisitions of many people from all over the world. The Creation theory vs Evolutionist. The dating of the earth be it in billions years or just in thousands. The Ark and the Flood is one of the few historical events that even the Chinese characters breathed the words alive. And Chinese history dates back 5000 years ago. The calligraphic Chinese characters in fact had this part of history imprinted as a reminder of what had happened to mankind.
Ark 船: Depicting the meaning of the 8 mouths （八 口）/ persons in the boat or ark.
Flood : 洪 : Water & All (共） - the total destruction by flood
2. ARK-encounters 21 years ago : Then
Back 21 years ago in 1995/6, one of my brothers decided to start a Karaoke resting place for Christians to gather in the most unlikely place in Bugis!(previously well known for the transvestites ) And he decided to call the place Noah's Ark - birthed due to a vision he captured while walking down Orchard Road. It was kind of a non-profit set up and with another brother roped in to helm the place on full time basis, the rest of us were strictly volunteers. We came after work and help to man the place and be the disc jockeys, waitress and cleaners - all in one! Tiring but we had great memories.
One interesting encounter recorded then was the a man who was invited to the Ark by some friends before the official opening. He was a non-believer in the Christian faith but a Buddhist? And he claimed he saw clouds in the room! Wow! Perhaps that gave the added assurance to my brother that the Lord was in charge.
(Photo: Noah's Ark at Bugis Street, 1995/6- Frontage, surrounding, top view and the lounge)
Well, some years later, owning to rental expiry of the place, the "ark" was relocated to World Trade Centre in Harbourfront but subsequently sank and disappeared.
Where is the original Noah's Ark today? Found on Mt Ararat? Many people are chasing to find it. Till now, some satellite photos claimed the sighting. Some explorers too.3. Ark-existing : Today, Present
Come 7/7/2016, fast forward 20 years on, a new life size Noah's Ark is scheduled to open in USA! This has been 3 cycles of 7 since the red dot "Noah's Ark" was established in Bugis.
Would this replica be a sign of a second chance from the Lord in our generation (post war baby boomers) that has seen so many pervasions and declining morality on our land just as in Noah's time?
The essence of TIME. Ages
Before the Flood, Adam lived 930 years . During Noah's time, God already declared in Gen 6:3 that man's days shall be 120 years. "And the LORD said' My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years" Now, our life span is best 70 years, else 80 as penned by Moses in Psalm 90. Beautiful psalm.
A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.
90 Lord, you have been our dwelling place[a]
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”[b]
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
and say, “Return, O children of man!”[b]
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
we bring our years to an end like a sigh.
10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;
yet their span[c] is but toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger,
and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
So if the average person dies at 70 years old
If you are You have
20 years old 2,500 weekends left
30 years old 2,000 weekends left
40 years old 1,500 weekends left
50 years old 1,000 weekends left
60 years old 500 weekends left
OOPs! How many weekends have you got now? LOL
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- How much did it cost Noah to build his ark back then before the world was destroyed? Today, the cost of this life size one in Kentucky is about S$137mio!
- How did Noah manage to build the ark in around 70 years when this USA one took about 3 years?
I am thankful for the Noahic Covenant of the continued existence of where I am today, life existence under the promise by the Lord he would never send another flood. The rainbow was His sign of such a covenant. When Noah was 500 years old, he beget Shem, Ham and Japaheth who were among the 8 who entered into the ark with their wives. People scorned and mocked at them during that time of merry making. But because they heed the Lord's call to build the ark. They were saved when the flood came. The ark was the salvation boat. And Noah died 350 years later after the flood at the age of 950.
But our life span today has diminished to only 120 years of Moses. In reality , most of us - 70, 80. God willing , perhaps to a 100.
When the Lord appears again a second time on earth, will He find us faithful, obedient with unwavering allegiance to Him and Him alone if we still find the breath on earth? Yes, apart from the cross, may this rebuilding of the physical Noah's Ark be the reminder of salvation. Let those who have the ears, let them hear. Let those with eyes , let them perceived.
Come - Let us enter the Ark of rest. Come , to the one and only greatest Creator - the giver of Life. Where do we come from? The answer herein lies in the first verse of the greatest book on earth , the bible which says "In the beginning...." Amen!
