Saturday, June 30, 2012

The Henry Morris Study Bible

I really had no idea what to expect when I received this beautiful Henry Morris Study Bible in the mail from Master Books.

I was pleasantly surprised to say the least.

And it came at the perfect time as it is a great supplement to my current journey of reading through the Bible cover-to-cover in 90 days. (As I write this I am 1/3 of the way through the entire Bible...it is Day 30 for me! Yes, I am a tiny bit behind, but will catch up this weekend. No pressure in this effort, but blessings are abounding as I continue to read God's Word so thoroughly.)

Oh, and no, I did NOT read through the entire Henry Morris Study Bible in 30 days, nor could I in 90 days. That is in no way the intention of it. It is a study tool and a wonderful reference at any time.

Now, what makes this 
so unique and special?
Yes, it is special because it is so FULL of helpful annotations that it is VERY thick...BUT there is much more about it that makes it so special and unique as well.

Who is this "Henry Morris" anyway?

Well, in the words of John MacArthur, Dr. Henry Morris (founder of the Institute for Creation Research) was "our generation's foremost spokesman for biblical creationism."

And I will share a bit more with you about the late Dr. Morris and why as his life's work he compiled this study Bible, in his own words as stated in the amazing Introduction to The Henry Morris Study Bible.
Neither ignorance nor arrogance is appropriate armor for the Christian soldier.
It is with such admonitions in mind that I have undertaken the challenging task of preparing the annotations for The Henry Morris Study Bible. As an engineering scientist who has spent many years among the skeptical intellectuals of the academic world, I have felt very keenly the need for this kind of Bible study tool "in the defence and confirmation of the gospel" (Ph 1:7), and have therefore spent many, many hours in the study of Christian evidences and the scientific integrity of Scripture.
More importantly, every day for over 60 years has been partially devoted to the study of the Bible itself. The result has been a deep and settled conviction, stronger every year, that the Bible is indeed the very Word of the living God. Its histories are authentic, its science is accurate and far in advance of its times, its practical wisdom for daily living is unexcelled, and its insights into the human heart are profoundly perfect for every need. Furthermore, its own internal structures, as well as the claims of its authors, provide endless evidences of its divine inspiration to all who study it with open mind and heart. "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name," the psalmist testified (Ps 138:2).
As you may see by Dr. Morris' quotes, he preferred the King James Version of the Bible and therefore  The Henry Morris Study Bible is in the King James Version.

The Annotations, or explanatory notes and commentary are so vast (due to the 60+ years of Dr. Morris' research and study) that some pages are almost all commentary, as you can see in the following pictures.

Genesis 1:1&2 plus explanatory notes on the word "God."

Genesis 1:3-8 plus explanatory notes

John 15:2-16:2 with red letters indicating Jesus speaking plus explanatory notes
I must add that as a student of the Bible, I firmly believe in relying on the Holy Spirit of God as your primary teacher and guide to understanding God and His Word. However, commentaries and explanations from trusted and wise Bible scholars offer an immense depth and multi-faceted understanding of often difficult topics. Again, though, we should test everything and not just take it at face value (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

Another rich benefit of this study Bible is the twenty-two Appendices he added to the end of it. They include such topics as:

- Authenticity of Biblical Text
- The Logic of Biblical Creation
- Outline of Earth History as Revealed in the Book of Genesis
- Bible-Believing Scientists of the Past
- Science and the Scriptures
- Quotations from or Allusions to Genesis in the New Testament
- Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecies
- "I AM"---The Eternal Self-Existent God
- Prophecies Fulfilled at the First Coming of Christ
- Creation and Consummation---The Book of Revelation
- The Creationist Faith of our Founding Fathers
- Addressing Alternate Explanations for the Age of the Earth

Without quoting the entire Introduction, Annotations, and Appendices to you, I can safely say that this  Henry Morris Study Bible is an invaluable resource for all Christians---those who firmly believe as well as those who doubt. 

But, I won't stop there. 

I challenge those who do not believe in God and/or do not believe in His Word---The Bible---to peruse this study Bible and some of the annotations and appendices that address some of the reasons you do not believe. If you do this, I invite you to come back here and share with me how those explanations have affected your thinking.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from New Leaf Publishing Group. No other compensation was received. The fact that I received a complimentary product does not guarantee a favorable review. 

3 comments:

Robin Prater said...

Hey there Halie!! This sounds really amazing. How could I get a copy for review? I'd love to take a peek at this!

Thanks so much,
Blessings,
Robin

Jubilee Reviews said...

I love your use of photos in this review! I also love how you link into different places to learn more about Henry Morris and where to find the book. I need to glean wisdom from this review and start incorporating some of these elements into my reviews. New follower from the MB apologetics team!

Jennifer said...

My daughter has been digging deeper into the Old Testament with this resource. Your picture of just how thick it is does give a good perspective.