Today, as part of our ancient history studies in our homeschool, we went outside to measure how big Noah's ark really was.  Per the picture, it is from the nearest tree in the picture to the tree on the far end of the field and half as wide as the field.  It measured 450 ft long by 75 ft wide by 45 ft high.

I was talking to the kids how it took Noah close to 100 years to build this ark.  It is truly massive.  It's larger than a football field by 150 ft..  When you see it measured out in a field, you can really understand how huge this thing really was.  It was a constant reminder to people that there was a judgement coming on the earth and that they had the opportunity to escape it.  God sent them a constant reminder of this judgement in the form of an ark for around 100 years.  When the ark was finished and the animals boarded, God kept the door open another seven days.  Why?  My reasoning is that if the ark itself was not enough, the animals would give the people another chance to believe.  Yet, they still didn't choose to be saved from the calamity they didn't believe in.

God had that door open as if to say, "There is salvation in this ark.  All you have to do is let go of your pride and enter.  As a result, you will be saved."  As the story continues, only Noah and his family were saved.  Everyone else perished - even those who did not believe there was a worldwide flood coming.

As I was telling the kids all this, a thought came to my mind.  "There is an open door with Jesus to save us from eternal judgement, but what is the constant reminder (like the ark) for people to look at in order to know how to be saved".  An immediate answer, "You are.  My people are that ark."  Wow.