The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible: (Beeke, Barrett, Bilkes, Smalley)

Ever wondered how some of the more popular Study Bibles handle interpretive issues in their notes?  You'd probably be surprised that it is not a novelty to acknowledge both divine sovereignty and human responsibility are both truth.  Even more important, even the editors of these Study Bibles are willing to put into published form as not having to be dogmatic (well at least not all the time).

I would like to recommend a new study Bible published in 2014 by Reformation Heritage Books.
As you would've guessed its the Reformation Heritage Study Bible (KJV translation).  It is currently my study Bible of choice.  I will hold off to my favorite feature of this study Bible till the end section.

Allow me to recommend some of its features:

From almost the first page the reader is challenged to read the scriptures "experientially."
A list of ten considerations is provided as tests for seeing whether we read our Bibles this way or not (xii).

This is followed by a lengthy introduction to the King James Version text (xiii-xix).  Quite frankly I still enjoy memorizing and studying from my KJV.  I fully understand the liberty of conscience, translation theory and a whole list of other variables for using other English translations.  I have made a choice based on where we live in farm country USA to continue using a translation that is being used in the local churches around us, is least likely to cause offense and division, and this is for me personally actually more loving to put translational liberties aside.

Well after that little digression.

Each book introduction has the standard topics of discussion: authorship, date, theme, purpose, and outline.  The introductory notes are noticeably different than other "evangelical" study Bibles in that they are remarkably conservative.  They have no qualms identifying people and their positions as "liberal."  This is a refreshing contrast to the often repeated refrain "some scholars believe..."in other more popular Study Bibles in evangelical circles.

The following is a sample of some of the study Bible notes:

Gen 1:25, "All the land creatures are made on the sixth day--this includes dinosaurs which we know from fossils existed in the past."

Jud 11:26, "A crucial number for Jephthah's argument.  This would date the exodus to the fifteenth century BC."

1 Kin 6:1, "If we assume that the 480 years to be taken literally (and there is no contextual warrant to assume otherwise), adding 480 years gives the date 1446 BC for the exodus."

1 Tim 3:1, "However, this desire must be based upon biblical grounds and not one's own subjective will."

In addition to the thousands of conservative evangelical study notes, the best feature in my opinion is the "Thoughts for Personal/Family Worship" accompanying every chapter.  As far as a daily reading and challenge is concerned these thoughts are excellent in exposing sin and focusing on repentance of sin.

Consider Exodus 10:

(p. 104) "The Bible reveals both God's total sovereignty over all things, and man's real resonsibility for his willful choices....Even if we do not understand how these fit together, we must believe them both."

(p. 1632) "We should believe the doctrine of God's sovereign predestination on the testimony of Holy Scripture.  It is not incompatible with evangelistic concern, however difficult it may seem to reconcile the two."

This study Bible also includes articles on every major doctrine of systematic theology (Trinity, Justification, Repentance, etc...).  It also includes the major creeds and confession of church history (in full, yes even all from the Larger Catechism).  There is a rather lengthy section of Christian living (which won't be to friendly to the antinomian stripe, "Worship, Fellowship, Affliction, Criticism, Serving, Leisure time, etc...".  It also includes a nicely written survey of the first twenty centuries of church history (about one page per century).

I wish all was perfect but I must warn of some concerns:

1. There are no middle column cross references.  Prophecies are marked in the notes and similar concepts.  But I do find it strange that they left out a middle column full of cross references.

2. KJV English (good or bad, you decide).  It is as of today, only available in the KJV.  For those who use other English translations, this may be a road block.  For me personally, no big deal, I memorize from it anyway.

3. KJV clarity appears in the notes.  Whenever there is an archaic (think 1600s English) the notes tend (in my opinion, haven't checked them all yet), tend to modernize the KJV gloss not necessarily the underlying Greek or Hebrew term.

Overall, I highly recommend this study Bible.
Especially to those of a Reformed Covenant persuasion. 

Then again, having your soul and mind challenged with the applications for every chapter from Genesis to Revelation in my thought is worth the price.