The boards were ten cubits in length and one and a half cubits in width. These measurements are also very meaningful. In many instances, the basic numbers of God’s building were the numbers three and five or multiples of these numbers. One example is the altar, which was square—five cubits wide by five cubits long and three cubits high. Another example is the ark, which was two and a half cubits in length and one and a half cubits in width and in height. These measurements are one-half of the numbers five and three respectively. The width of each board was one and a half cubits, which is also one-half of the number three. This implies that only when two boards are put together to form three cubits can there be the number of building. What this means is that every brother or sister is only one and a half cubits and that each one needs another one to match him to become a whole unit. This corresponds with the principle in the New Testament. Recall that when the Lord Jesus sent out the disciples, He sent them two by two. Therefore, Peter was one and a half cubits, and John was also one and a half cubits. They served God together and could not be separated or divided. This is called coordination, and this is the building. The problem is that some brothers and sisters think that they are three cubits by themselves and do not need others to match them. Such brothers and sisters think that they can be Christians alone and do not need others at all.
Please remember that you will always be only one and a half cubits, half of a unit. You are only a member, not the whole body. Therefore, you need others to coordinate with you. Even if you are as great as the apostle Paul, you are still just a member and not the whole Body. Therefore, not one Christian can be independent. If it were possible to be independent Christians, then there would be no need for the church. Let me tell you before God that if I were to be separated from my brothers and sisters, I would have no way to be a Christian, and even more, I would have no way to serve God. Maybe some of you would say, “Have you not been ministering the word to us all this time? You must be very strong.” However, I would like to tell you that no matter how strong I am, I am only one and a half cubits. Therefore, I cannot be independent. Rather, I need to coordinate with others.
When I was first saved, I could read the Bible by myself, I could pray alone, and I could pursue the Lord with great vigor on my own. Today, however, I feel more and more as if I cannot pray by myself anymore and that I have to find another brother to pray with me. When I was young, my strength to push ahead was very great. I was not afraid of anything, and I went everywhere to preach the gospel. Now wherever I go to preach the gospel, I always need a brother to go with me. This is because I know that since I am only one and a half cubits, I need a brother to coordinate with me so that I can stand firmly and be a whole unit.
On the day of Pentecost when Peter stood up to speak, the Bible says, “Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke forth” (Acts 2:14a). This is the principle of coordination. We need to learn a serious lesson—that no matter how great our gift is and no matter how weighty we are spiritually, we are still only one and a half cubits.
There is a certain matter recorded in the Bible which I feel is very sweet. When Paul wrote his first Epistle to the Corinthians, he began by saying, “Paul, a called apostle of Christ Jesus...and Sosthenes the brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth” (1:1-2). Paul did not write to the church in Corinth by himself alone as one and a half cubits. Rather, he sought another brother who was also one and a half cubits to coordinate with him. Paul realized the preciousness of the brothers. In those days the apostles did not act individualistically but in coordination. How I wish that we all knew how much we need the supply and coordination of the members. When we have this kind of feeling, then we can be built with others and can also build others.