Chaim is presenting before the Jerusalem Prayer breakfast and he takes the stage in full battle gear in order to give the participants a feel for what’s going on in his life these days and what thousands of other IDF soldiers are experiencing.
The speaker asks him about how his family is coping with him being away at the war so much, in danger every day, and Chaim responds by talking about his children praying for him and that his wife deserves a presidential medal of freedom for taking care of the home front while he’s away at war.
They also talk briefly about the assistance that the Aliyah Return Center and other organizations represented in the room gave to buying equipment like bulletproof vests and tactical helmets for the soldiers. Chaim thanks those who gave such support, on behalf of all the soldiers.
Then Chaim begins his presentation by putting his slideshow up on the screen entitled “Shepherds of Israel” and containing the rhetorical question “What do shepherds do”?
Chaim begins his presentation by talking about some of his fallen comrades, saying that they died for the sanctification of the State of Israel and the God of Israel. He says it’s a priviledge to serve one’s country, especially when that country is Israel, which has a special place in God’s heart.
Chaim explains that the pictures show the war zone in Gaza and it almost looks like a moonscape. He says that anyone who goes into a war zone anywhere in the world knows that it’s like going into a different world. He tells the crowd about his unit, the “Ya’alom” elite combat engineers who are responsible for the destruction of enemy infrastructure, particularly terror tunnels and bunkers.
He also explains that when he was invited to speak on Fox News towards the beginning of the war, he wasn’t sure what to say, but what came to his mind was the phrase “shepherds of Israel” and that became the theme for the war that he has seen over and over again. He rhetorically asks the crowd if they know who “the shepherd of Israel” is and he says that there are many who are called to be a “shepherd” over Israel in times of danger like this one we’re going through right now.
He gives some examples from the Bible, including Abel, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Rachel, and also Moses. All of these people met God while they were engaged in the work of shepherding. Chaim also points out that there are many exhortations in Scripture to be “a good shepherd” over whatever God has appointed One to be in charge of and there’s also consequences for being a bad, or irresponsible shepherd.
He also compares Israel to the sheep fold where all the sheep are brought into by the shepherd so they can rest, and he introduces the crowd to the 64 Aliyah Scriptures in the Bible.
He also speaks about the desire of the “good shepherd” to both feed and protect the sheep.
He starts this part of the presentation by quoting 1 Samuel 17:34-35; But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.
He says that many people around the world have forgotten why the IDF is in Gaza and he says it’s pretty simple. Hamas, the wolves, took some sheep and the shepherds of the IDF want them back. He holds up his weapon and calls it a “shepherds stick” which is what a shepherd uses to protect the sheep from the wolves.
Next, on the screen there’s a short film about the Ya’alom unit that Chaim is part of. He also shows a brief clip from when he and his unit found the entrance to a terror tunnel inside a kindergarten, and he says when Hamas put that terror tunnel there, it ceased to be an innocent kindergarten and became something else entirely.
Next he begins speaking about the Apostle Paul (Shaul) who was a shepherd of Israel and a sage of Israel, who wrote in Ephesians 6:12; For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Chaim says the enemy of Israel, and the entire civilized world, is not just in the terror tunnels running underneath the Gaza Strip, it’s also in the “high places” such as university campuses, governments, etc.
Next he goes back a verse, quoting Ephesians 6:11; Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
In these days that the devil is on a rampage, we all need that armor of God this verse speaks of.
Chaim shifts into an explanation of this “armor of God” by talking about “the belt of truth” while he points to the belt holding up his own pants, saying that if someone doesn’t have the truth, they’re going to look “unprepared” and unable to effectively do battle against the Enemy and his wiles.
Pointing to his bulletproof vest, he speaks of “the breastplate of righteousness” which he says means doing what’s right and thus protecting our hearts from corruption and sin.
Next he points to his boots and says that this is a good metaphor for the verse about having one’s feet protected by the Gospel of peace. In this context he quotes Isaiah 52:7; How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Next he speaks about the “shield of faith” and tells a story about when he was much younger, fighting in the Second Lebanon War and he was wearing a one-eyed night vision device that made it appear that there was a “golden dome” over him. This stuck with him and he always felt that the prayers of the saints for his personal safety and protection were like a “golden dome” of protection, a shield over and around him, protecting him from harm.
Next he speaks about the “helmet of salvation” which protects the head. This, like the tactical helmet he wears into battle, is like an attitude of optimism that protects the mind of the Believer from feelings of despondency and hopelessness.
Next he speaks about the “sword of the Spirit which is the word of God”.
He says that Israel exists because the Word of God says it does. Chaim says that sadly, some Christians and obviously most secular people, not to mention those who have a different holy book that contains a different narrative about who God is, what He’s like, and what His plans and purposes are, will not take these passages of Scripture seriously. He also says that many Christians who might be very serious and very sincere nonetheless are not familiar with the Scriptural references to Aliyah. He urges those who are listening to the sound of his voice to become familiar with those Scriptures and offers to send a list of them to anyone who wants one.
He says that Israel can’t fight this battle against evil and barbarism alone. It’s a fight for the whole world and everyone who stands with the truth of the Bible must stand with Israel in this fight.
He then shows a clip from a video he made of an operation he was part of in the Gazan city of Beit Hunan, where he and his comrades entered a hospital and found that it was rigged with explosives, filled with weapons and concealing the entrance to a tunnel.
He says this is the kind of thing that his unit deals with often, and he’s grateful for all the prayers and practical support that his unit gets from Believers all over the world, including those in the room he’s speaking to.
He then segways into speaking about the Aliyah Return Center’s emergency aid initiative which provided helmets and bulletproof vests and such, some of which have actually saved the lives of people Chaim knew personally.
But he said that as grateful as he was for these “micro-miracles” he was praying for a LARGE miracle that would show the whole world that there is a God in Israel who watches over His people. That macro-miracle came early in the morning of April 14th when the large salvo of drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles that were fired by Iran at Israel were all intercepted, doing minimal damage to Israel.
Next, Chaim shows a clip from a video he posted earlier in the war, in which he discussed some of the mysteries in the Bible including the fact that the word “Hamas” means “violence” and there are places in the Bible which speak about the time just before the Flood when “the earth was filled with violence” and that ties into what Jesus said about the time just before His Second Advent which would be “like in the days of Noah”.
He also speaks about Psalms 27, which warns the Beleiver against succumbing to fear when the wicked are coming against them. The verse also speaks of “false witnesses” which rise up against the Believers, and this can be seen today with the tsunami of lies, deciet and gaslighting that is being directed against Israel.
That chapter of the Psalms commands the Believers to be strong and stand firm in the faith so that we will not faint or grow weary in the face of all this opposition and warfare. God WILL fight for His people and sorrow might last for the night but joy will come in the morning.
Someone asks him a question at this point about whether he was ever in personal, imminent danger during all these months in Gaza and Chaim answers that there were many times, but he managed to escape harm. Sometimes, fire was directed at the spot he had left just seconds before or just shortly before he was supposed to arrive there.
He says that God is definitely in control of his life and more generally the life of the nation of Israel. He also says that there’s two kinds of friends, those who give you discouraging advise and those who give you encouraging advice and support, and he wishes Israel had more of the second kind of friends.
He then shifts to talking about the growing problem of anti-Semitism, which he says will bring a wave of around 1.5 million Jewish people to Israel in the next few years, according to an estimate by the Jewish Agency. That’s why the Aliyah Return Center exists, to give shelter, food, clothing, education and much else to these new immigrants when they arrive.
He then leads the crowd in a recitation of Isaiah 60;1-12; Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.
The multitude of camels shall cover your land, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, and I will glorify the house of My glory.
“Who are these who fly like a cloud, and like doves to their roosts? Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the Lord your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you.
“The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession. For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined.
He concludes his presentation by showing a video of himself and some of his comrades going down into a Hamas terror tunnel to prepare it for demolition, and he makes an appeal to the crowd to help him and the Aliyah Return Center with the coming challenges.
He also answers a question about the rules of engagement that the IDF is required to follow in combat with Hamas and he urges his audience to be in prayer about the northern front with Hezbollah because it is a very challenging situation.