(6) THE GATE OF THE FOUNTAIN. "Fountain", or "spring", suggests refreshment, as the
number of the gate suggests victory, mastery.

This gate is distinguished from the rest by being the only gate said to have been "covered".

In Num. 19:15 every uncovered vessel which was in a tent where death was, was unclean. In I
Cor 11:10 the covering upon the woman’s head is the sign of power, because the sign of
subjection.

Samson with the sign of his Nazariteship removed was as weak as any other man. Why? "Jehovah
had departed from him" (Judges 16:20). Man, when he reaches the extreme limit of his
development as man, has for his number 666, one short in every dimension_worthless
therefore_and all because he did not own subjection to Him who alone has strength.

The fountain gate then is covered. This secures it from contamination by outside influences, and,
since it is the source of supply for God’s sheep, insures their healthy condition, insures victory.

What an immensely important lesson is here for Christians today as to what we hear and what we
read! Our Lord said_and He said it because He needed to say it_"Take heed what ye hear". And
He also said, "Take heed how ye hear". Oh that in all our reading and in all our hearing the
covering may be upon the spring, in token of subjection to our Lord, testing everything by His
holy Word; for how much teaching is abroad today beguiling the unwary and leading astray the
simple, which would have no power whatever were the "fountain gate" but "covered".

Shallun_"they spoiled them"_is the repairer of this gate; and the meaning of his name is
sufficient suggestion for the covering of the gate; and he is the son of Colhozeh_"all-seer". We
shall find our wisdom in owning subjection to the One who sees the end from the beginning, and
who will be eyes for us if we will. He is also "the ruler of part of Mizpah"_"watch-tower". When
He is allowed to be eyes for us, we are at once upon an eminence whence every danger can be
rightly seen and guarded against.

We must not forget that if this covered gate keeps out certain things, it also brings us into very
desirable company, such as "the pool of Siloah by the king’s garden, and unto the stairs that go
down from the city of David"_things which it is out of our province to enlarge upon here; but
if, as some authorities think, Shallun should be Shallum, "recompense", or "requital", then we
see how amply recompensed we are for whatever the "covering" may exclude. Compare as to this
Mark 10:29,30.

(7) THE WATER GATE. This, with the three following gates, is not said here to have been
repaired; they are mentioned in other connections.

Water is commonly a symbol of the word of God, as, e.g., "that He might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26); "Except a man be born of water and of the

Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5), comparing this with I Peter 1:23, we
see that this also refers to the word of God.

This water gate, then, would not need repairing, since ,it "liveth and abideth forever". Many
prominent theological tinkers appear to think it needs repairing, adapting to twentieth-century
advancement, etc.; but what it needs is dwelling beside_"over against".

"Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi", after he was bereft of his father, and God blessed him (Gen.
25). Lahai-roi means, "to the living One, seeing me".

Here the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, "over against the water gate". The Nethinims are "the given
ones", reminding us of the "given ones" named in Eph. 4:7-16. Thei ascended One has sent down
"given ones", "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry".

Not for the perfecting of a certain class of His people, but "for the perfecting of the SAINTS, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come", etc.; hence the
need of these "given ones" dwelling in Ophel, i.e., "the elevated place" over "against the water
gate", since it is the truth they are to hold in love (and "Thy word is truth," John 17:17), in order
to grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, the Christ. Only in this way can the people
of God be kept from being "infants, tossed and carried about by every wind of doctrine in the
sleight of men, in craftiness with a view to the systematizing of error" (lit.). These "given ones"
also "confronted the sunrising, and the tower that lieth out", or, literally, "and the watchtower of
the going forth". How beautiful and consistent is this!

The "sunrising" suggests the coming of the Lord, while Ophel is "the heavenlies" where Christians
are raised up and seated together in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6); and "the watch-tower of the going
forth" is just the hope of being caught up to meet Him in the air. (I Thess. 4:17).

Truly this "water gate" fills its numerical place of perfection and rest; and this is further
exemplified as we note the other references to it after the completion of the wall. (chap. 8:1,3,16,
and 12:37).

(8) THE HORSE GATE. References to the horse in Scripture are not often to his credit, but more
frequently are in connection with pride and departure from God. The wicked Athaliah was slain
at the horse gate. (2 Kings 11:16; 2 Chron. 23:15). Here it is not said to have been repaired, but
is mentioned merely as a limit from above which the priests repaired, "every one over against his
house". In Jer. 31:40 it is also spoken of as a boundary, "unto the corner of the horse gate toward
the east, shall be holy unto the Lord".

But that is to be in the day when on the bells of the horses will be inscribed, "Holiness unto the
Lord" (Zech. 14:20); the day when He will reign whose right it is; and that is doubtless what is
suggested by the number of the gate_a new order of things.

(9) THE EAST GATE. We are not told exactly that this gate was repaired, and we must not go
beyond what is written. Perhaps it did not need repairing. It is literally "the gate of the sunrising";
so that the thought of hope is stamped upon it. "But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of
righteousness arise with healing in His wings." (Mal. 4:2).

The number 9 appears to have the same thought in it. When Abram was ninety years old and nine,
the Lord appeared to him, changed his name, and "gave him the covenant of circumcision",
having promised the "Seed". (Gen. 17; Acts 7:8).

So here we have a covenant which is distinctly a promise ("for this word is of promise" Rom. 9:9,
lit.); and on the strength of it circumcision, which is condemnation of the flesh.

The east gate, then, would seem to stand for "the patience of hope", in the certainty of what is
coming. Shemaiah is the keeper, and his name means, "heard of Jehovah"; and he is the son of
Shechaniah_"the dwelling of Jah". One need not enlarge upon the beautiful fitness of these names
with the number of the gate, and its name. Abraham "looked for a city which had foundations,
whose builder and maker is God". "If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait
for it." (Rom. 8:25).

(10) THE GATE MIPHKAD. Miphkad means "mustering", or "appointment", and looks on to
the day of accounts.

This gate is not said to have been repaired:it could not well be so said, but Malchiah_"my King
is Jah" repairs "over against" it; and this is as it should be. Those who are recognizing Jesus as
Lord will be "goldbeaters", beating out the "things concerning Himself" and this will necessarily
put them, in spirit, in the "place of the Nethinim", which, as we have seen, is the heavenlies, and
in the company of "the merchants", i.e., those who trade in the precious things named in Eph. 4
and Phil. 4:8.

The gate Miphkad is number ten, and the number ten is the number of man’s responsibility_the
full measure of it.

The very idea of the wall is responsibility, as we have seen; and now we have reached the last
gate, the gate which emphasizes it, and in view of "that day", with its "well done" to those who
have earned it, and with all its incentives to diligence, having in place each of these ten gates, a
day which cannot be far off.

That Malchiah repaired "to the going up of the corner" may very likely refer to that sudden and
secret rapture which, like the sudden upward dart and rapid flight of the migratory bird, takes him
to his home.