Ezekiel 41:13-15 gives us the size of the temple and the separate area in front of it and behind it: “So he measured the house, a hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, a hundred cubits long; also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, a hundred cubits. And he measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, a hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porches of the court.” The temple is one hundred cubits long, and the width of the front of the temple and of the separate area along the east side totals one hundred cubits. The width of the nave is twenty cubits (vv. 2, 4). The thickness of the two sides of the wall is twelve cubits altogether, with each side six cubits (v. 5). The width of the side chambers is four cubits on each side, altogether eight cubits (v. 5). The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers is five cubits on each side, altogether ten cubits (v. 9). The width of the space left along the side chambers is five cubits on both sides, altogether ten cubits (v. 9). When we add all these, we have sixty cubits. The separate area between the side chambers belonging to the temple and the outer chambers is twenty cubits in width on both sides of the temple. If we add all these together, we have one hundred cubits. This makes a square with one hundred cubits on each side, signifying that Christ is absolutely perfect, upright, complete, and plentiful as the dwelling place of God.
The width of the inner court, the front of the temple, and the area along the east side, is one hundred cubits and its length is also one hundred cubits. Thus, this area, which has the altar as its center, is also a square with one hundred cubits on each side. This is a further indication that Christ is perfect, upright, and complete and that He is fully qualified to be used by God to accomplish His work of redemption.
The separate area with the building at the back and its wall is one hundred cubits long (v. 13). The width of the building along the front of the separate area behind it, with a gallery on each side, is also one hundred cubits (v. 15). Here at the back of the temple we have another square with one hundred cubits on each side. This is yet another indication that Christ is perfect, upright, and complete. He is more than sufficient to meet all the needs of both God and man with an abundant surplus remaining. The surplus of Christ is surely plentiful.
This marvelous arrangement reveals the wisdom of our God. Altogether we have three pieces of land, all of which are one hundred cubits square. This indicates that in the Triune God there is one hundred times of complete squares and one hundred times of plentiful surplus.
I would ask you to use the diagram of the plot plan on page 215 to consider the whole area of the temple and of the inner and outer courts. Added together, the length of the east gate leading to the outer court (40:6-16) and the length of the east gate leading to the inner court (vv. 32-34) equal one hundred cubits. The outer court is also a hundred cubits long from the outer gate to the inner gate. The inner court is one hundred cubits long; the temple itself is one hundred cubits long; and the length of the separate area and the building at the back is also one hundred cubits. By adding these five parts, we have a total of five hundred cubits. This refers to the situation of Christ before God. As the gate He is one hundred percent perfect; as the outer court He is one hundred percent perfect; as the inner court He is one hundred percent perfect; as the temple itself He is one hundred percent perfect; and as the plentiful surplus He is also one hundred percent perfect. Christ, who is absolutely perfect in every way, is one hundred times five. We need to remember that five is the number of responsibility. Thus, for us Christ bears complete responsibility before God a hundredfold. This is a picture of the completeness, uprightness, and surplus of Christ. His completeness, uprightness, and surplus are perfect, being derived from God and being in resurrection. In bearing responsibility for us before God, Christ is a whole, perfect, and flawless testimony for God.