Johan’s Ark in the Netherlands. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – A Dutch man who spent four years and $1.6 million to build an exact replica of Noah’s Ark says he will sail the 2,500-ton seafaring vessel to Israel.

Johan Huibers, 60, a devout Christian from the Netherlands, began constructing the ark in 2008 with the help of seven other assistants.

He says he utilized the dimensions set forth in the Bible, in the book of Genesis, Chapter 6, verse 15: “Three hundred cubits the length of the Ark, fifty cubits its width, and thirty cubits its height.”

That measurement translated into approximately 410 feet long, 95 feet wide and 75.5 feet tall, and took 12,000 trees to build.

Currently floating in the harbor of Dordecht in the Netherlands, Huibers even outfitted the ship with life-size models of animals and opened his doors to the public. “We want to tell people about God,” Huibers told AFP. “We wanted to build something that can help explain the Bible in real terms.”

When asked about what future plans are for the ark, Huibers said the natural next step was to sail the ark to Israel.

“My preferred destination for the ark is Israel … this is a copy of God’s ship. It only makes sense to take it to God’s land,” he said, noting that because his ark has no engine, it will likely be towed.

“I love the county, I love the people. They don’t obey, they do what they want, and they drive like mad, shove while waiting in line and don’t listen to anyone,” Huibers said about Israelis. “Just like me.”