Shabbat Shalom

Candace Long: Good morning, and welcome to Shabbat Shalom. I'm Candace Long, your host and producer. In just a few minutes, Pastor Matt McKeown will teach today's Torah portion called Tsav, as we continue our priestly training in Leviticus 6 through 8.

The word Tsav is wrongly translated as "command," and this has confused people. In Hebrew, the word for "command" is tzava, which means to set something up or establish a foundational action that helps govern God's universe.

Leviticus 6, verse 9 reads: "Tzava Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the burnt offering.'" The word for "law" is Torah. So what God is saying is, "This is the way this offering is done in the heavenly kingdom. This is the Torah about that procedure." The procedure is not haphazard. God's ways are exact and are found not only in the mitzvot, which tells us what He has set up to do, but how to do it is found in the oral law.

This oral law was not written by rabbis who lived a long time ago. Rather, it was communicated orally to Moses by God and passed down from generation to generation in the Jewish writings. These laws cause God-seekers to press in for deeper understanding, not only by doing the laws but by learning about the details of the act itself and let that act speak to them. This is what it means to listen to the voice of God.

As an example, the sages pressed in to learn why God had Moses use the word tzava in this verse on burnt offerings, because it is a strong, emphatic word. Now Rashi comments that priests are to be especially zealous in performing this service and pass it down to future generations, which is us. Since we are to be a nation of priests, there's something we need to pay attention to about performing a burnt offering called an Olah.

The priest receives absolutely nothing from this type of offering, and Rashi writes that priests must give up their regular means of earning a livelihood, and this financial sacrifice is particularly noticeable in the Olah offerings where all the meat is burned on the altar.

Just the other day, I was mentoring a gifted woman of God with a heart for deliverance ministry, which is desperately needed right now, by the way. I felt led to ask her if she is ready to step into the ministry in a deeper way to help those in need. And she said yes, she had been feeling led but was very unsure how to do this. I began coaching her to prepare for the financial sacrifice needed to build her ministry infrastructure and protocols, and she had very little understanding of how this is done.

Now you don't just print out a bunch of business cards and pass them out to people you think need you. No, there is a set protocol, a Torah, so to speak, about how these things are done according to Levitical disciplines. Having expanded my ministry platform many times over the last 55 years, there are things I need to pass on to her.

And it struck me that some of you may be at a similar stage where the Lord is leading you to consider expanding your present concept of ministry of how God is leading you. If you resonate with what I'm talking about, please reach out to me. I am considering offering an in-person teaching that I would like to pass on to you. Go to our main page at shabbatshalomradio.com and click the button that says "Email the Show," especially if you are feeling led to minister in deliverance. Time is short, and it is the Father's heart before the redemption to set His children free.

Let's recite the Shema together. Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad. Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one. Baruch shem kavod malchuto l'olam va'ed. Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity.

And the last section: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And these words which I set up for you this day shall be upon your heart, and you shall teach them diligently to your children. You shall speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the way, when you lie down, and when you rise. And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm and as frontlets between your eyes, and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and in your gates.

Pastor Matt McKeown: Good morning, dear friends, and welcome once again to Shabbat Shalom, the program where we explore the weekly Torah portion and discover the deep Jewish roots of our Christian faith. I'm Pastor Matt McKeown, and today we continue our journey through the book of Leviticus with the portion called Parashat Tsav. The word Tsav means "command." It comes from a Hebrew root that implies urgency and seriousness.

In Jewish tradition, the sages often explain that this word suggests something that must be taken especially seriously, something that requires attention not only now but for generations to come. So right away, the portion begins with an important instruction. God tells Moses, "Command Aaron and his sons." This section focuses primarily on the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who are responsible for serving in the Tabernacle.

In the previous portion last week in Parashat Vayikra, we learned about the different types of offerings that the people could bring to God. Now in Parashat Tsav, the focus shifts. Instead of instructions for the worshippers, we receive instructions for the priests themselves. How should they handle the sacrifices? How should they care for the altar? How should they maintain the sacred rhythms of worship?

And the very first command sets the tone for everything that follows. God instructs the priests that the fire on the altar must never go out. Listen to the words of the Torah: "The fire on the altar must be kept burning. It must not go out." This command is repeated several times in this section. The priests were responsible to check the fire every day. Every morning, they would add wood. They would remove the ashes. They would prepare the altar again. And the flame would continue to burn day after day, night after night, year after year.

Why was this so important? Because the fire symbolized something profound. It represented the ongoing presence of worship before God. Maintaining this fire required diligence. The priests had specific responsibilities. Every morning, they would put on their linen garments, remove the ashes from the previous day's offerings, place fresh wood on the altar, arrange the sacrifices, and ensure that the fire continued to burn.

Even removing ashes became sacred work. It reminds us of something important: in God's service, no task is insignificant. Even the quiet, unseen responsibilities matter. The priest moving ashes was just as much a part of worship as the offering itself. Another important detail appears earlier in the book of Leviticus. When the Tabernacle was first inaugurated, Scripture tells us that fire came down from heaven and consumed the offering. God himself lit the original flame.

From that moment forward, the priests were responsible to keep that divine fire burning. This teaches us a beautiful spiritual truth: God initiates the relationship, but we are called to steward it faithfully. The fire begins with God, but it continues through daily devotion. The altar stood at the center of Israel's worship. Every sacrifice passed through this place. It was the meeting point between God's holiness and human life.

The fire on the altar symbolized God's acceptance of the offering. When the flame consumed the sacrifice, it represented devotion rising toward heaven. This imagery would become deeply embedded in Israel's spiritual imagination. Even the Psalms later describe prayer as something that rises like incense before God. The altar fire taught the people that worship is not a one-time event. It's a continual offering of life toward God.

As Parashat Tsav continues, the Torah begins giving detailed instructions to the priests about the offerings that were introduced in the previous portion. One of the first sacrifices addressed in this section is called the guilt offering, or in Hebrew, the Asham. This offering dealt with situations where someone's actions had caused harm, either to another person or to something sacred.

What makes the guilt offering unique is that it emphasizes not only forgiveness but also responsibility. Because true restoration involves more than simply asking for forgiveness; it involves making things right. Leviticus describes situations where someone may have acted dishonestly or unfairly. Perhaps they had taken something that belonged to someone else. Perhaps they had deceived another person. Perhaps they had failed to return something entrusted to them.

The Torah doesn't ignore these actions. Instead, it provides a path toward restoration. The person responsible was required to do two things. First, they had to restore what had been taken. Second, they had to add an additional portion, essentially making restitution beyond the original loss. Only then would the guilt offering be brought to the altar. This process teaches us a powerful principle: repentance is not just emotional; it's practical.

One of the most beautiful aspects of the sacrificial system is that it demonstrates God's commitment to restoring relationships. When people fail—and everyone does—God does not simply abandon them. Instead, He provides a way back. The guilt offering reminds the community that mistakes don't have to define the future. Forgiveness and restoration are possible. Sin doesn't have the last say. This is a deeply hopeful message for us.

Parashat Tsav also clarifies the role of the priests in this process. The priests aren't merely ritual leaders; they're mediators. They stood between the people and God, guiding the process of restoration. When someone brought a guilt offering, the priest helped them walk through the steps of repentance and reconciliation. This role required wisdom, compassion, and spiritual maturity. These priests were responsible not only for maintaining the altar but also for nurturing the spiritual health of the community.

One of the remarkable aspects of the Torah's approach to justice is the balance between responsibility and grace. On one hand, wrongdoing is taken seriously. The person responsible must acknowledge the harm and repair it. On the other hand, God doesn't demand endless punishment. Instead, He provides a clear path to restoration. This balance reflects the heart of God. Justice matters, but mercy also matters. The goal is always restoration, not destruction.

The guilt offering also protected the health of the entire community. When harm was acknowledged and repaired, trust could be restored. Relationships could heal. Communities thrive when honesty and accountability are practiced. By providing a clear process for addressing wrongdoing, the Torah helped create a culture where restoration was possible. Without such a process, unresolved conflict could quietly destroy relationships. God's instructions were not only spiritual; they were deeply practical.

As we continue in Parashat Tsav, the Torah gives further instructions concerning the peace offering, which we first encountered in the previous Torah portion. In Hebrew, this offering is called the Zevach Shelamim, the sacrifice of peace or wholeness. The word Shalom lies at the heart of this offering. Shalom means much more than just the absence of conflict. Shalom speaks of harmony, restoration, well-being, and completeness.

The peace offering celebrated a restored relationship between God and His people. And one of the most unique aspects of this offering was that it involved sharing a meal. Part of the sacrifice was burned on the altar, part was given to the priests, and part was eaten by the person who brought the offering. In other words, the peace offering created a moment where worshippers could sit down and enjoy a sacred meal in the presence of God.

When many people think about sacrifice, they think of something solemn or imagine something sorrowful. But the peace offering reveals another dimension of worship: joy. This offering often accompanied moments of thanksgiving or celebration. Perhaps someone had experienced a great blessing. Perhaps God had answered a prayer. Perhaps a vow had been fulfilled. The peace offering allowed the worshipper to celebrate that moment before the Lord. In a sense, it was a spiritual feast.

The Torah identifies several situations where a peace offering might be brought. One was the thanksgiving offering. This was brought when someone wanted to express gratitude for God's help or deliverance. Another was the vow offering, which was presented after someone fulfilled a promise made to God. The third type was a freewill offering, brought simply because a person desired to express love and devotion.

All three of these reflect an important truth: relationship with God includes moments of gratitude and celebration. Faith is not only about repentance or obligation; it's also about joyful fellowship. I think in these modern times, we need to remember this. The instructions surrounding the peace offering emphasize something interesting. The meat of the offering had to be eaten within a specific amount of time.

For the thanksgiving offering, it was eaten the same day. For other peace offerings, it could be eaten within two days. Why is there a time limit? Jewish commentators often explain that this ensured the meal would be shared with others. A single family might struggle to eat an entire sacrificial animal in one day, so the worshipper would invite neighbors, friends, and relatives. The peace offering became a community celebration. In this way, God's blessings were shared. Gratitude overflowed into fellowship.

Parashat Tsav also includes instructions about treating the offering with respect, because the sacrifice was holy and the meal was not casual. Those who participated had to approach with reverence. This reminded the people that even moments of celebration were still connected to God's holiness. Joy and reverence were meant to exist together. This balance is a beautiful aspect of biblical worship. God invites His people into joyful fellowship, but always within an awareness of His holiness.

At its heart, the peace offering celebrates something simple yet profound: peace between God and humanity. Throughout the Bible, the story of redemption is the story of God restoring what was broken. Humanity was separated from God by sin, but God continually works to bring people back into relationship with Him. The peace offering becomes a picture of that restoration, a table where reconciliation is celebrated.

Parashat Tsav invites us to consider what it means to live lives shaped by Shalom. Shalom begins with peace between God and humanity, but it also extends outward: peace in our families, peace in our communities, peace in all our relationships. When people live in right relationship with God, the ripple effects of that peace spread into every area of life. The peace offering reminds us that God's vision for humanity is not merely survival; it's flourishing.

As Parashat Tsav continues, we come to one of the most important moments of the early spiritual life of Israel: the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. Up to this point, the Tabernacle had been built, the altar prepared, and the sacrificial system established. But now the question becomes, who will lead the people in worship? Who will stand between God and the community? Who will care for the sacred space where God's presence dwells?

And the answer is the priesthood, the descendants of Aaron. And in Leviticus chapter 8, we witness their formal consecration. God instructs Moses to gather the entire community of Israel at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. This ceremony was not private; it was very public. Everyone could witness the moment where the priesthood was established. This was important because the priests would serve not only God but also the people.

Their role was to guide the spiritual life of the entire nation. By witnessing this ceremony, the community understood that the sacred responsibility had been entrusted to Aaron and his sons. The ceremony began with a simple but powerful act: Moses washes Aaron and his sons with water. This washing symbolizes purification. Before the priests could serve in the Tabernacle, they needed to be cleansed. Water throughout the Scripture often represents renewal and preparation.

It reminds us that approaching God begins with a recognition of our need for cleansing. This act of washing was a visible reminder that priests were entering into a new kind of life, a life dedicated to service before the Lord. After the washing, Moses clothes Aaron with special garments designed for the High Priest. These garments aren't just ordinary clothing. They are richly detailed and full of symbolic meaning.

The breastplate with the twelve stones representing the tribes of Israel; the ephod woven with golden threads; the robe with bells and pomegranates along the hem; the turban bearing the inscription "Holy to the Lord." Each piece of clothing reminded the High Priest that his role was sacred. He carried the names of the people before God. He represented the community in the presence of the Lord, and he was called to live a life marked by holiness.

Next, Moses anoints the Tabernacle and Aaron with holy oil. Oil in the Bible often symbolizes God's spirit and blessing. By anointing the priests, God was setting them apart for a special purpose. They weren't simply religious leaders; they were servants of God's presence. This act of anointing declared that their authority came not from personal ambition but from divine calling. Jewish tradition later associates this anointing with the concept of being set apart.

The priest's life was no longer his own. It was dedicated to God's service. The ordination ceremony also included several sacrifices: a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a special ordination offering. These sacrifices symbolized the priest's commitment to God and the seriousness of their calling. One particularly meaningful moment occurs when Moses takes some of the sacrificial blood and touches Aaron's ear, thumb, and toe.

This gesture represents something powerful: the ear symbolized listening to God, the thumb symbolized the work of the hands, and the toe symbolized the direction of one's life. In other words, the priest's entire life—hearing, doing, and walking—was dedicated to God. This ordination ceremony lasted seven days. During this time, Aaron and his sons remained at the entrance of the temple, completing the rituals that prepared them for their ministry.

The number seven in the Bible often symbolizes completeness or fullness. This period of preparation emphasized that serving God required time, dedication, and careful preparation. Sacred service was not something to be entered into lightly; it required commitment. As Tsav begins to draw to a close, we see the altar fire continues to burn and the offerings continue to teach the people about devotion and restoration. And the priesthood has been established to guide the community.

In the final section, we'll reflect on what all of this means for us today and how the message of this Torah portion still speaks to the life of faith. As we reach the conclusion of Parashat Tsav, we can step back and see the beautiful picture that this portion paints. We have seen the fire on the altar that must never go out. We have seen the offerings that teach responsibility, gratitude, and fellowship.

We've witnessed the ordination of the priests who would guide Israel's worship. And together, these elements reveal something powerful about the heart of God. God desires an ongoing relationship with His people—not a distant relationship, not an occasional one, but a continual life lived in His presence. One of the most striking themes in Parashat Tsav is the idea of rhythm. The fire burns continually, offerings are brought regularly, and the priests serve daily.

Worship is woven into the fabric of everyday life. This rhythm was meant to shape the identity of Israel. From sunrise to sunset, the people were reminded that their lives revolved around their relationship with God. Faith was not limited to special moments; it was the center of daily living. This is a lesson that should still speak to us today. Spiritual life grows not only through dramatic experiences but through consistent habits: prayer, Scripture, acts of kindness, moments of gratitude.

These daily practices become the wood that keeps the spiritual fire burning. Another important truth emerges as we consider the sacrificial system. All of these offerings took place because God's presence was dwelling among the people. The Tabernacle stood at the center of the camp. It was the place where heaven and earth met. The sacrifices were not attempts to persuade God to come near; God had already come near.

The offerings were the response of the people to that divine presence. This reminds us of something beautiful: God's initiative always comes first. He's the one who reaches out. He's the one who calls. Our worship is simply a response to His invitation. The ordination of Aaron and his sons also reminds us of the importance of spiritual leadership within a community. The priests served as guides. They taught the people.

They maintained the rhythms of worship. They helped individuals walk through moments of repentance and restoration. Healthy spiritual communities require leaders who are committed to integrity, humility, and service. But the ultimate goal of leadership is not control; it's guidance—helping others learn to walk in a relationship with God. As we look at the instructions in Parashat Tsav, we see the sacrificial system and how it shaped the entire community.

It reminded people of God's holiness. It taught them about responsibility. It encouraged gratitude and celebration. And it created a shared spiritual rhythm. The goal wasn't simply religious activity; the goal was to cultivate a community whose lives reflected the character of God—a community marked by justice, compassion, faithfulness, and reverence. At its heart, Parashat Tsav is about faithfulness—faithfulness in worship, faithfulness in leadership, faithfulness in devotion.

God's instructions to the priests ensured that the fire would continue burning, the sacrifices would continue teaching, and the community would continue drawing near. And that same invitation still echoes today. God calls people to lives shaped by devotion, lives that reflect His presence, lives that keep the flame of faith alive. As we reflect on this Torah portion, we can ask ourselves a simple question: What keeps the fire of faith alive in our lives?

Just as the priests added wood to the altar each day, we also nourish our spiritual lives daily through practices: moments of prayer, reading Scripture, serving others, showing kindness, practicing gratitude. These acts may seem small to us, but over time, they sustain the flame of faith. They remind us that our lives are connected to something greater than ourselves. For Christians, the message of Parashat Tsav connects beautifully with the teachings of the New Testament.

Instead of bringing sacrifices to an altar, believers are invited to become living sacrifices. This means offering our lives, our choices, our actions, our priorities as an act of devotion to God. The sacrificial system of the Torah taught the seriousness of sin and the beauty of reconciliation. It prepared the way for a deeper understanding of grace. Through the work of Messiah, believers understand that forgiveness and reconciliation have been accomplished through Him.

But the call to live lives of devotion continues. Faith itself becomes a daily offering. When we picture the Tabernacle in the wilderness, we see a powerful image. In the center of the camp stands an altar. On the altar burns a flame: day and night, morning and evening, the fire never goes out. And that flame reminds the people that their relationship with God is meant to be ongoing—a living connection, a continual response to the God who calls them.

My final blessing to you is: May the God who called Israel to keep the fire burning ignite within you a devotion that never fades. May our lives be offerings of gratitude, service, and faithfulness. And may the peace, the Shalom, of the Lord guide our steps as we walk in His presence. May the fire of faith continue to burn brightly in your life this week and always. Thank you for joining with me once again, dear friends. Shabbat Shalom.

Candace Long: You can hear Pastor Matt teach the Torah every Saturday morning from 6 to 6:30. Coming up next is Part 6 of "Families Under Attack" with mental health counselor Rejean Morrison. I want to continue what I shared earlier about the need for deliverance ministers. Rejean has been in ministry with her husband Steve counseling others all over the world for over 50 years.

I remember in her introductory segment, Part 1, she explained how she originally thought the Lord was leading her into deliverance ministry. But Steve felt strongly that was not to become their sole specialty. Now, though she is certainly capable and trained to cast out unclean spirits, she wisely listened to her husband's leading on the matter, and they began to outline the protocols that would become the curriculum for their ministry, "Healing for the Nations."

I bring this up because curriculum building is very much part of the sacrificial work every minister must do. You can't just take from other ministers you like and put up your own website. No, that is not the Torah or law on establishing your ministry protocols. I have set protocols for the way that I minister, and so has Rejean. She also told us that because of the unique partnership that she felt with Holy Spirit as she ministers day in and day out with people, she did not feel led to become licensed in the traditional way.

You see, part of her protocols as a minister is to earnestly seek the leading of Holy Spirit on behalf of that person. What I want you to see here as we're studying Leviticus is that today's priests have sacrificed greatly to set up tsava their spirit-led protocols. Today she and I continue our discussion on the disruptor known as entitlement, where children often control the parents, who end up jumping through hoops to calm things down in the child's life.

I'm Candace Long. Welcome to "Families Under Attack" with Rejean Morrison, giving you perspective on how to minister to the disruption that your family may be experiencing. And the disruptor we're discussing today is Part 2 of entitlement. Rejean, it's nice to be with you again.

Rejean Morrison: It's great to be here.

Candace Long: Let me open our discussion here with a real-life example of tragic consequences when parents give in to a child's demands, because that's what entitlement is: I want what I want. And I'm thinking about the father who was just convicted and is now going to jail because he gave his son an assault rifle, and the teen opened fire in his high school and killed four people. I mean, this is happening so much. Were you surprised by that story and how the parents are now being brought in because of giving in to the child?

Rejean Morrison: Words can't express how we all feel when something like that is happened. And when it's close to home—this is right here in Georgia—and we're like, "Wow, what happened?" And so I'm grieved for the parents of this kiddo, and I'm horribly grieved for the ones who were affected—not just that died, the parents losing their children, but the trauma of everyone that they've been going through.

And when I hear stories like this, I think of two kinds of children, teens. I think of children who are on the spectrum; they have autism, neurobehavioral issues, where their brains are wired in such a way that it is all about now. There's no ability to regulate, or very, very poor. So we talked in an earlier session about different, very real physiological diseases, neurobehavioral issues, and we're seeing a rise, a substantial rise in this happening.

And there are a number of theories, but the reality is it's happening. And the pressure of that child throwing a fit is so great that we give phones to our children. This dad gave a gun. I would think, because this is the classic story, that he was on the internet a lot, playing games a lot, and had something happen at school. And he doesn't have the empathy and doesn't see people in a way of that reality of a "we" and how one impacts another. And in a moment, something terrible happened. So where did that start? Probably a long time ago. And it's just, it's incredibly tragic.

Candace Long: I know that I've heard parents have admitted when something like this happens, "Gosh, my child could very well be that shooter." What should parents watch out for as the red flags? To hear that man break down in the court that he had no clue—he said he had no clue because I guess hunting was the way that he bonded with his son and because guns were a part of his growing up.

Rejean Morrison: That's right. Yeah, and those of us who—I hunted with my dad; it was a very special time for us. But there's so many signs. The biggest one is isolation. And kids are able—there's so many stories of parents with not kids on the spectrum, but children who become teenagers who are very successful, very performance-oriented, but don't learn how to fail.

Maybe going to church every Sunday, but even with that, it's performance with God. Not understanding who He is as the Redeemer. These stronghold beliefs of "I'm a failure" can cause kids, especially in social environments where so much bullying is going on—I'm hearing of suicides, think of that, and also acting out in this way, just "I'm going to take you out because I'm angry at you." So more and more this is happening. So isolation. What are they doing with their phone? What do they do at bedtime? Because you don't know; they may be up all night playing video games that a parent is unaware of.

Candace Long: So what does a parent do? Because we try to teach our children to respect our boundaries and we respect their boundaries. Does a parent go in and start snooping on their phones and find out what they're doing? I mean, things have gotten so bad that I don't know that parents know what to do.

Rejean Morrison: Yeah, there are all kinds of protective means with the phones, including being able to track your kids. So when you see patterns—and the Holy Spirit will tell us as parents, "Hey, there'll be that little, this is not okay." Now, there's a phrase called "helicopter parenting," which is unhealthy. It's like, "I'm going to control your life to keep you safe." And that sends a child the message, "Well, I'm powerless," and they're going to find power in an unhealthy way, right? Or become so unhealthily dependent upon their parent.

So watch for the signs and pay attention and act. There are so many resources. All you have to do—this is the good part of the internet—go to just Google, I'll throw out Google, how do I put safety precautions around my child's phone? What are Christian ways that I can address this with my child? And here's the thing: act. Don't let your fear shut you down—"I'm being a bad parent because I'm trying to control." No, talk through. We have to help our children because these other influences are so powerful.

Candace Long: Talk to us about the spiritual discipline of praying for troubled children. You have a very rich prayer life. Talk us through how you would pray as a parent. Because what parents today are so performance-oriented, if we don't see immediate results in our prayers, then we can either give up or we can become tyrants.

Rejean Morrison: Well, I have to confess, I don't have a great prayer life. So for all the listeners out there, I've told some powerful intercessory prayers, which is God's faithfulness. What the reality of being a parent is: we get tired. We see things that we don't like and we try what we think is a good idea; it doesn't work. We give up, we quit praying. That happened to me.

But God didn't give up on me. He kept poking at me about it. So the first thing I want to say is to the parents or grandparents out there that feel like it just doesn't make a difference—to not quit praying, to stand in the gap. Because we have that authority in Christ to pray into generational sin, do our work, cut it off, release that child to the Lord for His protection, and pray that He would reveal—this is really important—the things that we need to see and give us the courage to deal with it.

So don't give up. I've told stories about people who had the impression, "My son, my grandson is suicidal," and that intercessory prayer put angels around that child, that son. And so many times I hear those stories. So that is a power that never runs out.

Candace Long: One of the things that of course you know this about me, I've been a seer since 2002 with prophetic dreams and learning how God speaks in dreams. And I remember when my son was growing up, every now and then I would have a dream and God would show me something about my son. And I'd never know whether to share that with him because I didn't want to freak him out like I was the helicopter pilot, that I had a pipeline and God was going to tell on him.

So one day I said, "Lord, how would you want me to share this?" So I said, "Son, I had a dream last night and I think it might have something to do with you, but I'm not sure. Can you help me?" And so I shared with him the dream and he knew immediately the warning that was going on and he said, "Oh my word, I know exactly what you're talking about!" And it opened up a wonderful dialogue that I was able to share that.

Rejean Morrison: And the way you did that was perfect because you didn't say, "Thus saith the Lord," right? Which we really—that's that control and honestly that can become spiritual abuse, right? We get so afraid that we want to tell them, "This is what you should do." I've found especially with strong-willed children who fit everything that we're talking about—and since I have six of them and I'm not so sure where they all came from, haha, right?—you know, I've found that I appreciate when people say, "Hey, just like you did, I want to share something, help me with it, maybe it's about you." I throw in, "Just consider this; it could be the Lord," and then I throw in, "or it could be indigestion." I might be missing this totally, but consider it, would you consider it? And I've found because you're inviting them in and you're not telling them, they're more apt to consider it. And then the Holy Spirit comes in, right? And many times they will go, "Oh, yeah."

Candace Long: Let me get your take on something, if you'll allow me. I want to read a short section from my series "The Days of Noah," because it relates to this topic and I want to get your feedback on it. You know Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah," and Noah had very clear prophetic warnings about the flood from his great-grandfather Enoch and his grandfather Methuselah. And according to Jesus in Matthew 24 and Luke 17, the flood foreshadows the Day of the Lord. I mean, this is the time period that we're in.

So in my series, I highlighted three respected prophets in our day whose visions and near-death experiences speak to our generation, and all of them have gone to be with the Lord. And I want to just mention a prophetic warning that one of them, Bob Jones, wrote over 50 years ago, and I want to get your take on it. And for those who may be unfamiliar with him, Bob Jones was well known in charismatic circles as both a prophet and a seer.

And the year was about 1975, and he was driving his pickup truck one evening and suddenly a white light about the size of a basketball came into where he was behind the wheel. And this light began speaking to him about the three major sins that would overtake America. Number one was homosexuality. Number two was abortion. Number three is the one I want to talk about, and it is meth labs.

And this relates to our episode. Here's what Bob Jones wrote: "There would be two cheap chemicals, and that by mixing them together would become a narcotic that would destroy people's consciences. They would not be conscious of sin. And this condition would be passed down into their children, damaging the chromosomes to where children could be born without a natural conviction, rendering them heartless." End quote. And he explained that our sin in the United States is greater because we have exported these chemicals all over the world. I want to ask your take on this because do you see this potentially playing out with young people who have no conscience?

Rejean Morrison: Yes, I do. I was praying about this this morning about addiction. A lot of adopted babies—we saw a third of our clients at the residential treatment program were adopted children who had attachment issues, but they were born with drug problems and withdrawal. And I think the thing about addiction, any addiction, especially substances, work to affect us spiritually in a very negative way. It kills the conscience because—now I used to be an addiction counselor, I'm not anymore, so this is just what I feel like the Lord is showing me, okay? People can consider it.

You know that when we let something else become our idol—and with an addictive substance, the physiology of what happens, both just in the urge, the desire for that substance as our peace, that place of settling things temporarily—what that also does to us spiritually kills off that joy center. It's replacing—that's a—we have in our brain a literal joy center that helps us regulate emotions and its function, part of its function is about empathy.

If we don't have empathy, we don't understand how to relate. We don't have that within us. We are not going to be as easily convicted because we don't have that kind of mechanism. Well, this is part of the sins of the fathers that are passed down.

Candace Long: And I think that identificational repentance and repenting for the sins of our fathers is very big in Judaism. If you go to synagogues, I mean, that's part of the prayers that we pray every week is confessing the sins of our fathers. Talk to us about how to do that. How do you advise that?

Rejean Morrison: Well, first of all, I think this is fascinating. I remember reading a Time magazine—this is so weird that I remember the date—April 2011, about epigenetics. Epigenetics. Bob Jones was talking about genetics, our DNA, right?

Candace Long: Chromosome, yeah.

Rejean Morrison: What we know about epigenetics is really interesting when we think about the sins of the father down to the third and fourth generation, that we see that kind of DNA activity scientifically. We're seeing that now, okay? And the implications of that to me, kingdom implications, are science caught up with the Word of God.

Now we can change that, I believe, as parents, grandparents, doing our work. We need to do our heart work with God, okay, in that identification repentance prayer with the blood of the Lamb. And there's some wonderful generational sin prayers out there. And what we do, everything is about the blood and claiming who we are in Christ and what He did for us.

But not only do we—for instance, the sin of addiction, substances, is rooted in a stronghold, I believe, of "I'm powerless. I have no worth and value." And so we don't just look at the behavior, that like adultery could be "I'm not wanted, I'm not special," and therefore I'm going to—somebody makes me feel that way, I'm gone, I'm with them, right?

So we don't just do the behavior. We do the, "Lord, show me, Holy Spirit, the root, the stronghold beliefs that could have been there that have been behind this." And then because of the blood, we bring in the blood of Christ, the authority we have to pray for our children to see every knee bow in our family and the legacy as believers. And then we want to claim the blessing. So what's the opposite of adultery? Faithfulness, commitment in marriage. And that we want to bless our children. We want to bless them.

So when we deal with something that takes away life, we want to bless with life. It's sort of like the idea of don't do deliverance unless you know somebody has some foundations because seven more will come in, right? We want to take out and put in ancestral sin prayer. And we've seen—we had a fellow on a retreat that we felt like we wanted to share with him, we sensed there was some generational addiction issues. He was addicted to pornography, tobacco, chewing tobacco—very black and white, rigid kind of guy which you see with a lot of addiction issues.

Brilliant guy. I'm telling you, he prayed. Here's the thing about the Lord: you suddenly find yourself in a new place doing things differently. And that happened in 2017 and he's really maturing as a man of the Lord. You know, we've got to—Matthew 5:48 says, "Be perfect." Jesus says, "Be perfect as my Father in heaven is perfect." That doesn't mean I'm going to pick up perfectionism. He's actually saying, "Grow up, become more mature, more complete as my Father in heaven is perfect." It's a stretching thing. So even with that prayer, we've got to do our work and say, "Lord, continue to transform me so I model something different now for my family."

Candace Long: I had a lot of ancestral sins that I had to deal with. So that's a big part of what I teach and do. So I'm in total agreement with you. And the good news, I think for our listeners, is that a perfect model of identificational prayer is found in Daniel 9 and in Nehemiah 9, where they are confessing the sins of our families and what the sins were.

We can't deny them. We had a lot of premature deaths in my family and financial insufficiency, which was what I lost everything. So I was motivated to go back and say, "Wait a minute here, what's going on here? Why all of a sudden everything falls apart financially?" So I had to go back and trace, and I found some ancestral sins that that is one of the results is financial insufficiency and premature deaths. So I began to confess the sins of my fathers. And those types of confessions, they do have life-changing—they can change chromosomes. And that's where I think what Bob Jones was coming through: that we are coming to an age where we have to recognize we're in dire problems and demonic strongholds involving ancestral sins that we have to own. Our country is guilty of this. We're exporting these chemicals or whatever.

Rejean Morrison: Yeah, absolutely. Let me tell a quick, quick story because I want to end on generational blessing. My great-grandfather was a Wesleyan circuit rider, and we went to a family reunion—and you know, I didn't really know that much about him—but at the reunion, we were in the church that he built back in the 1800s. And there were two pictures—scary old pictures, you know the scary old pictures, right?—of my grandfather, my great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother.

And we were singing "Amazing Grace" as the Wilson family—that's my maiden name. And it was like he was looking at me. I think of Hebrews 12 about the great witnesses, and I knew that he had prayed that his children's children would love the Lord. And it hit me so powerfully in that moment. So I want to encourage people: as we do the hard work, somebody was back there praying for us.

Candace Long: Absolutely. That's a wonderful way to end. If you have a situation in your family that you'd like Rejean to discuss, go to shabbatshalomradio.com and look for the button at the top that says "Email the Show." I'm Candace Long, and you've been listening to "Families Under Attack" with Rejean Morrison. Join us next Saturday morning from 6:30 to 7. Shabbat Shalom.

If you'd like to listen to this program again, it's available in our archives at the bottom of our main Shabbat Shalom page. They're arranged by date, teacher, and topic. You can also listen anytime on oneplace.com. Just make sure to put "Shabbat Shalom" in the search bar. Coming up in the next hour is "Ask the Rabbi" with Rabbi Michael Washer. We are so glad to have you studying the Torah with us today. Stay tuned for the second hour on WEZE AM 590, our media partner for shabbatshalomradio.com.