Reflections on Pastor Malcolm Hedding’s Address to Black Country Church Leaders:

On 12 November, Christian leaders from across the Black Country in the West Midlands gathered for a significant conference under the theme: “The Truth Will Set You Free!” The keynote message, “The Mystery of Israel,” was delivered by Pastor Malcolm Hedding, former President and Executive Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.

A recognised Christian Zionist theologian, prolific writer, and international speaker, Pastor Hedding has spent decades teaching and church-planting around the world. His deep understanding of Scripture and of Israel’s role in God’s purposes brought clarity and challenge to the leaders assembled. His message, drawn from Romans 11:1–12 and Zechariah 2:8, directly confronted the long-standing issue of replacement theology and called the Church to renewed humility and biblical faithfulness.

God Speaks to the Nations Through Time

Pastor Hedding began by reminding leaders that God is not silent concerning the nations or concerning Israel. Scripture reveals a God who speaks with authority, purpose, and consistency throughout history. Zechariah 2:8 contains one of the most remarkable declarations in the entire Bible:

“He who touches you touches the apple of My eye.”

Here, God is speaking directly of Israel. In saying they are the “apple of His eye,” God affirms a unique covenant relationship—a commitment to protect, preserve, and shepherd the Jewish people throughout history. Pastor Hedding stressed that God’s covenant love for Israel is not situational or temporary; it is eternal. This truth must be the foundation of how Christians understand Israel, especially in a time of rising misunderstanding and hostility.

Revealing the Mystery—Hidden but Now Unfolding

Moving to Romans 11, Pastor Hedding explained Paul’s use of the word mystery. A biblical mystery is not something mystical or impossible to understand. Rather, it is a truth once hidden in Scripture but now revealed by the Holy Spirit. The mystery Paul reveals is God’s plan for both Israel and the nations—a plan unfolding across history and culminating in redemption.

Romans 11:25 becomes central to this understanding. Paul writes:

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery… Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”

Pastor Hedding emphasised that this is not just a passing comment; it is a direct pastoral warning. Paul urges the Church not to misunderstand Israel’s current spiritual condition. Their “hardening” is partial and temporary—not total, and certainly not final. It has a purpose: during this season, the gospel is carried to the nations. But God’s covenant with Israel remains intact and active.

Approaching Israel With Humility and Reverence

Pastor Hedding spoke passionately about the responsibility Christians have in how they speak about and treat the Jewish people. Romans 11:18 says: “Do not consider yourself to be superior to those branches.”

This statement, he noted, should humble every believer. The Church has been grafted into Israel’s olive tree—not the other way around. The spiritual heritage of Christians comes through Israel, and God’s purposes for Israel remain.

For this reason, how the Church approaches Israel must be done with reverence, caution, and humility. Pastor Hedding warned that careless theology or prideful assumptions can lead believers into direct contradiction with Scripture.

The Mystery of Israel: A Call to Unity, Truth, and Kingdom Partnership

A Direct Challenge to Replacement Theology

Replacement theology—the idea that the Church has replaced Israel in God’s purposes—has existed in various forms throughout church history. Pastor Hedding highlighted that Paul himself had to address early versions of this misunderstanding. Even in the first century, some believers assumed that Israel’s stumbling meant God had abandoned them. Paul responds emphatically in Romans 11:1:

“I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means!”

Pastor Hedding elaborated that Paul uses the strongest Greek expression available—“Absolutely not!”—to refute any notion that God’s covenant with Israel has ended. In verse 2 Paul continues, “God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew.”

Paul, himself a Jew, understood the danger of Gentile arrogance. He fought against the belief that Israel had become irrelevant. If this error existed then, how much more must modern believers guard their hearts today?

Pastor Hedding explained that replacement theology not only distorts Scripture—it damages relationships, fuels antisemitism, and undermines God’s character. If God could abandon Israel, what confidence could the Church have in His promises to us? But Scripture shows He is faithful. His covenant stands.

A Mystery That Should Humble the Church

Reflecting on Paul’s teaching, Pastor Hedding expressed how deeply this truth humbles him—and how it should humble us all. God’s dealings with Israel are not simply theological ideas; they reveal His character, mercy, and sovereignty.

Romans 11 calls believers to humility, unity, and awe as we consider God’s unfolding plan. The Church must reject pride, repent where needed, and stand upon the truth of Scripture, not human ideas.

Conclusion: The Truth That Sets Us Free

Pastor Malcolm Hedding’s message to Black Country church leaders was a timely and necessary call to return to biblical clarity.

The Mystery of Israel is not a minor doctrine but a central theme in God’s redemptive plan. Understanding it protects the Church from error, fosters humility, and strengthens unity. As Jesus said, “The truth will set you free.” And in recognising God’s enduring covenant with Israel, the Church steps into a deeper experience of that freedom—rooted in truth, love, and faithfulness to His Word.

Why Christians Support the Jewish People — A Bridge of Understanding…

In light of Pastor Malcolm Hedding’s powerful message on “The Mystery of Israel,” I want to address something that often lies beneath the surface—especially for those who do not attend church or who feel distant from organised faith. His teaching from Romans and Zechariah speaks not only to Christians, but to anyone seeking clarity about why this relationship between Christians and the Jewish people matters.

At its heart, Christian support for the Jewish people is not political, sentimental, or based on blind allegiance. It flows from history, Scripture, and an understanding of God’s purposes that calls us into humility and unity.

As Malcolm reminded us, God Himself declares in Zechariah 2:8 that Israel is: “the apple of His eye.” This is not a metaphor of preference but of identity. God binds Himself to this people through a covenant—a promise that He has never withdrawn.

For those outside the Church, it is important to see that Christianity is inseparable from the Jewish story. Jesus was Jewish. The Scriptures He taught from were Jewish. The values and ethics that underpin Western society—from justice to compassion to human dignity—are rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures entrusted to the Jewish people. Christians honour this heritage not out of obligation but gratitude.

Pastor Malcolm highlighted another essential truth from Romans 11: God has not finished with Israel. Their calling is ongoing. Their story is still unfolding. And the Church’s role is not to replace Israel but to walk alongside them in humility, recognising that we have been grafted into a story much older and greater than ourselves.

For those unfamiliar with Christianity, this calling is about relationship, not religion. It is about standing against antisemitism in all its forms. It is about acknowledging the historical suffering of the Jewish people and choosing a better path—one of solidarity, respect, and reconciliation.

My prayer, echoing Malcolm’s heart, is that this understanding becomes a bridge. A bridge that brings Christians, Jewish communities, and even those outside faith into a shared commitment to justice, truth, and human dignity.

A bridge that leads us to work together for the good of our communities and ultimately for the advancement of God’s Kingdom—a Kingdom built not on division, but on unity and truth.