From the guardrooms we go to the borders which the King James Version translates as the "space" and which some other versions translate as the "platform." Outside each of the guardrooms is a border, a space, which is one cubit wide. These are in two groups of three signifying the Triune God in resurrection. Six means man, and two means a testimony. Remember that the passage is ten cubits wide, meaning that the Ten Commandments are wholly fulfilled by the Lord Jesus. If, however, we deduct one cubit for the border around the guardroom on each side, this leaves the passage only eight cubits wide. Eight is the number of resurrection. The first day of the week is also the eighth day, the day of resurrection, and signifies a new beginning. When we pass through Christ, we pass through resurrection and have a new beginning. Thus, you may say that the passage is ten cubits wide, or you may also say that the passage is eight cubits wide.
After the borders come the posts. It is difficult to find the posts. Ezekiel 40:14 says that the posts are a total of sixty cubits and that every post has two sides. The post here means the columns. Each column has two sides, and each side is of two cubits. On the sides of the passage are fifteen sides of two cubits each. Thus, there are thirty cubits on both sides of the passage, altogether equaling sixty cubits. Fifteen is composed of three times five, signifying the Triune God in resurrection bearing all the responsibility. The number two is also present, indicating a testimony. The number thirty corresponds with the chambers of all the pavements for enjoying Christ. The columns, which support the roof of the structure, indicate that we must be upheld by the supporting strength of Christ in order to enter into the enjoyment of Christ. The supporting strength is of the number thirty, and the enjoyment of Christ is also of the number thirty. This means that we can enjoy only as much as Christ can support. We cannot enjoy more than Christ supports. The expression of Christ, as seen in the side chambers of the temple, is also thirty. Thus, the expression of Christ, the enjoyment of Christ, and the supporting of Christ are signified by thirty. We can only express what we enjoy, and we can only enjoy what Christ can support.
From the posts we go to the porch where the number eight is used. In the foregoing portion, mainly the numbers five, six, and ten are used, but with the porch the number eight is used. This means that we are now in resurrection, in a new beginning.
The windows are for letting in the light and the air. If a building has no windows, it has no air and no light. Covering the windows is a lattice, a screen, which keeps out all the negative things. These are not narrow windows, but latticed windows. They have strips of material over them to protect the whole building from the negative things. Yet the windows are kept open for air and light. The latticed windows signify the life-giving Spirit. There are altogether thirty windows, fifteen windows on one side and fifteen on the other side. The gate is full of windows. This indicates that Christ is full of the life-giving Spirit. The life-giving Spirit brings in the air and light and keeps out all the negative things. Furthermore, the Hebrew word for lattice implies the thought of being beveled, meaning that the outer side of the window is narrow, but the inner side is wider (40:16). The life-giving Spirit is always toward the inside. Outwardly speaking, He is not wide, but inwardly speaking, He is very wide.
While Ezekiel mentions the height of the wall, he does not give the height of the gate. Man's concept is that he should climb higher until he reaches the heavens. That was the concept in building the tower of Babel. But God's intention and desire is with man on earth. God wants to come to the earth and to spread His testimony upon the earth. The entire compound of the temple does not give the impression of height, but of spreading in a spacious way. Even the height of the wall is only six cubits. God came to the earth to be a man and to spread His testimony over the whole earth.
These are the details relating to the gate. We all have passed through the gate, but we never realized the details of the gate. Even as we take in many vitamins unknowingly in the good things that we eat, so we have passed through such a rich gate and did not know the details.
The gates signify Christ as the Triune God. As the Triune God He became a man who was square, upright, and complete. It also signifies that Christ bore the responsibility and fulfilled all the requirements of the Ten Commandments to open the gates for us to get into God and into God's interest. Furthermore, Christ, as the number two, is the testimony of God. He is the resurrected one who is a living witness of victory forever. Finally, on the two sides of each column is a palm tree. Palm trees in the Bible signify victory and something evergreen. This means everlasting victory. Christ is the guard of God's holiness and glory. Christ is the victorious one standing, bearing, sustaining, prevailing, and everlasting. Christ is the life-giving Spirit, quickening and enlivening.