.JPG)
The Bible Breakdown
Bible reading plan and SOAP guide: www.experiencerlc.com/the-bible
Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: www.brandoncannon.com
The Bible Breakdown
Ezekiel 42: Behind the Veil
Have you ever wondered what it truly means to dwell in God's presence? In this enlightening episode of Bible Breakdown, Pastor Brandon takes us deep into Ezekiel 42, revealing the profound meaning behind the temple rooms God designed for His priests.
The chapter title "Behind the Veil" isn't just about architecture—it's about relationship. As we explore the meticulously measured rooms and walkways of the temple complex, a beautiful truth emerges: God doesn't just want to establish His presence among us; He creates specific spaces for fellowship with those who serve Him. The detailed measurements—175 feet long, 87.5 feet wide, three levels high—reveal God's intentional craftsmanship and purpose.
Most powerfully, this passage shows us the delicate balance between God's invitation and His standards. The priests were welcomed into these holy spaces but required to change their garments when moving between sacred and common areas. This powerful metaphor speaks directly to our spiritual lives today: God eagerly invites us into His presence, but we must approach Him according to His word, not our preferences or comfort. As Pastor Brandon explains, "You don't get to come to God and dictate the rules of engagement."
The good news? Every instruction God gives is ultimately for our benefit. His ways aren't restrictive but restorative. When we align our lives with His standards—through prayer, Scripture, community, and holiness—we begin experiencing the transformation and joy that comes from truly living "behind the veil." Where might you need to course-correct to experience more of God's presence? What spiritual garments need changing? Join us in this life-changing exploration of dwelling with God on His terms, and discover why His presence truly offers "fullness of joy."
Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and join our Facebook discussion group to continue growing together as we dig deeper into God's Word each day!
Ask a Question
Send Encouragement
|||| Take a Next Step ||||
SOAP Bible Study Method.
Bible Reading Plan.
Free Weekly Newsletter.
|||| Social ||||
Facebook.
Instagram.
X.
YouTube.
The More We Dig. The More We Find.
Well, everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today. Ezekiel, chapter 42, and today's title is Behind the Veil. Behind the Veil, it's the idea that once God prepares the place, what is our part of the process? We'll get into that in just a second, but if you have your Bibles wanna open up with me to Ezekiel, chapter 42. While you are doing that, make sure you take a moment to like, share and subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast. Make sure you're taking a moment to also leave us a five-star review on the podcast and make sure you're going to the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook.
Speaker 1:There's an amazing group of people doing a wonderful job every day and we want to engage with you. We want you to ask questions so that we can learn. If we don't know, we can respond back. Or what are some insights that you have gained, especially on some of this having to do with the temple of God? What is that? What have you studied about in the past and how can we grow together? Because, as always, we say, the more we dig, the more we find. Well, once again, as we are continuing this journey, we are seeing how God's promise of renewal is coming to pass More and more every day. As we are reading through this, we are seeing how God is moving back in among his people and he is saying I'm gonna renew you, I'm gonna bring you back to my presence. And that is such a big deal because, at the time, the nation of Israel is scattered they're scattered everywhere. The city of Jerusalem has been destroyed, the earthly temple has been destroyed, the earthly temple has been destroyed. But God is saying I am building my presence, I'm building a place for my presence again, and what we've been doing over the past couple of weeks is we have been looking at, excuse me, past couple of weeks, past couple of days. He has been going through and he has been building the temple and or been measuring the temple, and the measurements are just saying God is specifically, purposely putting a place where his presence can be, and now he's going to finish this and he's going to talk about rooms for those who are going to attend to God, rooms for them to dwell in. So let's read this together and let's see if God's word will speak to us today. And, of course, he always does you ready. Ezekiel 42, verse 1, says this he always does you ready. Ezekiel 42, verse one, says this.
Speaker 1:Then the man led me out of the temple courtyard by the way of the north gateway. We entered the outer courtyard and came to a group of rooms against the north wall of the inner courtyard. This structure, whose entrance opened toward the north, was 175 feet long and 87 and one half feet wide. One block of rooms overlooked the 35 foot width of the inner courtyard. Another block of rooms looked out onto the pavement of the outer courtyard. The two blocks were built three levels high and stood across each other. Between the two blocks of rooms ran a walkway of 17 and a half feet wide. It extended the entire 175 feet of the complex and all the doors faced north. Each of the two upper level rooms were narrower than the one beneath it because the upper levels had to allow space for the walkways in front of them.
Speaker 1:So once again, pause. See the intentionality, the focus and the craftsmanship behind this. God is leaving nothing out. All things are done with excellence in the presence of God Verse 6,. Since there were three levels, they did not have upper supporting columns, as in the courtyard. Each of the upper levels was set back from the level beneath it.
Speaker 1:There was an outer wall that separated the rooms from the outer courtyard and it was 87 and a half feet long. This wall added beneath the outer block rooms which extended for only 87 and a half feet. They were an inner block and the room toward the temple extended 175 feet. There was an eastern entrance from the outer courtyard to these rooms. On the south side of the temple there were two blocks of rooms just south of the inner courtyard, between the temple to the outer courtyard. These rooms were arranged just like the rooms on the north. There were walkways between the two blocks of rooms, just like the complex on the north side of the temple. The complex of the rooms were the same length as the other one and it had the same entrances and doors. The dimensions of each were identical. So there was an entrance to the wall facing the doors of the inner block of rooms and another on the east at the end of the interior walkway.
Speaker 1:Then the man told me these rooms overlook the temple from the north and the south are holy. Here the priests who offer the sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings and because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings, the grain offerings, sin offerings and the guilt offerings. Then the priests leave the sanctuary. They must not go directly to the outer courtyard. They must first take off their clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy. They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building complex open to the public.
Speaker 1:When the man had finished measuring the inside of the temple area, he led me out through the east gateway to measure the entire perimeter. He measured the east side with his measuring rod and it was 875 feet long. He measured the north side it was also 875 feet long. The south side was also 875 feet and the west side was 875 feet, on each side of the wall around it. To the separate and to separate what was holy from what was common.
Speaker 1:Now, what in the world does that mean? Well, here's the exciting thing is, when God first started talking about building the temple, he built the temple and if you're not careful, you're like okay, well, that's great. Well, that still means God has separated from us. How can we be part of this temple? Because he's building it? But where is a place for us to be? But what's amazing is is inside his temple. He built a place for the holy people to be behind the veil with him, to be there ministering as well. And what I love about this is God doesn't just come into our world just to be. He comes to fellowship with us, he comes to be with us, and so in his temple he has also built a place for his holy people to be with him.
Speaker 1:Now what I love about this, too, is he says now, when you are with me and you are doing the holy things with me, be separated, like don't try to worship me the way you would worship or the way you would interact with the world. Interact with me according to my standards. And then, if you leave my presence, okay, fine, but give me what's mine, do what I say in my way, and we'll have fellowship together. And you know, that's a wonderful thing, because if we're not careful, we forget that God has a plan and a path for us, and it's called his word. And he says do you want to honor me? Well, you got to do it my way. You got to do it the way I want you to do it. You got to read my word, understand it and follow it.
Speaker 1:And here's the great thing about following his word. His word is here for our sake. So, like he is God all by himself you know what I mean Like he's fine all by himself. He doesn't need anything for him to be more God. Everything in his word is for our good, and so when we live our lives behind the veil, like in his presence, then everything we do, even though we're doing it to serve him, it is also for our good. And so what God is calling us to do is he's saying you want to be in my presence, you want to live in my glory and in my blessing. You want to be behind the veil? Me too, I want that for you.
Speaker 1:God would say to us but you got to do it my way. You have to literally change your clothes, and what that means would be, god would say to us but you got to do it my way. You have to literally change your clothes. What that means would be then you have to then change the way you go about doing things. Do it my way. And if you don't want to be part of me, you don't want to be part of what I'm doing, okay, then you go, do you. But if you want to be with me, you got to do it my way.
Speaker 1:So here's my question for you today Do you want to be in the favor of God? Do you want to be in the blessing of God? God wants you to. He's made a place for you in his presence. God's word says that in his presence is fullness of joy, at his right hand are pleasures forevermore. That's in Psalm 16. But here's the thing you got to do it his way. You don't get to come to God and dictate the rules of engagement. You come to God and you say God, how can I engage with you? And we know that by his word.
Speaker 1:And so my question for you is is if you want to be part of what God is doing, you want to be in his presence. Are you willing to do it his way? Because God wants you to? You just got to do it his way. Where do you need to course correct and say God, I'll admit that I want you in my life, but I've been trying to do it my way. I'm not praying to you, I'm not reading your word, I'm not being part of your community, I'm not walking in holiness. No wonder I'm not experiencing your goodness. But I want to and then pick one of those areas and start walking toward God and then pick another, and then pick another, and what you're going to start to find is, as you dwell in the house of God spiritually you know metaphorically you're going to start to see your whole life transform into his goodness, because God wants you to be part of his kingdom.
Speaker 1:Let's pray together right now, god. Thank you so much for today. Thank you, God, that you are with us and you're for us and you want good things for us. You want us to dwell in your house, but we got to do it your way. The wonderful thing is is that your way is actually what's best for us. I'm thankful, god, that you love us the way you do. I pray you will encourage us and help us and show us what our next step is, so that we can live behind the veil, we can live in your presence every day. We're thankful for that. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen, amen. What God's word says in Ezekiel 37, verse 14,. It says I will put my spirit in you and you will live again. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow. For Ezekiel, chapter 43.
