Thanksgiving Unto the LORD

We remember the LORD’s guidance and goodness in the beginning of Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church (BHBPC) on 28 January 2014. 

Today, we thank God for His grace in sustaining the church as we commemorate the 11^th Anniversary.  

In December 2024, the church published the Westminster Annotations Volume 1 (Genesis – Esther), a companion volume with the King James Bible without chapters and verses published in 2023. 

The church has embarked on the spiritual endeavour to read the Old Testament Scriptures twice last year and this year to read the New Testament Scriptures twice from January to April. It has been challenging but most fulfilling as we spend time to read through the Bible.

Today, we distribute copies of the Westminster Annotations (Genesis – Esther) and the King James Bible without chapters and verses to loved one and friends who have yet to have a copy. 

Do pray as we endeavour to publish the Westminster Annotations Volume 2 (Job – Malachi) and Volume 3 (Matthew – Revelation) to complement our reading with explanations on difficult passages with useful Bible cross-references.

Before the publication of the King James Bible in 1611, the church was reading the Geneva Bible which has footnotes. But when the King James Bible was produced, there were no footnotes. The Dutch did their Annotations to complement the Dutch Bible. The English church soon followed. In 1645, the Westminster Annotations were published by the Westminster divines. It was meant to be a companion volume to the King James Bible.

However, the Westminster Annotations has not been printed since it was first published in 1645. With the Lord’s help, this has been made possible. It is our prayer that the Westminster Annotations can be made available to the Christian church at large.

Personally, I have been using the Westminster Annotations and it has been most rewarding. Clear explanations were given on difficult phrases in the Bible verses.

For example, in Deuteronomy 32:15 I looked up the meaning of the word “Jeshurun”. The Annotations gave this explanation:

“The word is derived of Jesher, signifying righteousness, or uprightness; by which is meant Israel, God’s peculiar people, Isaiah 44. 2. who should have been upright, righteous, just in obedience to the will and law of God, but was lawless and unruly, and like a fatted bullock, kicked against his feeder. The Original word Jeshurun is very rarely used, and it seems to be made by Moses by way of allusion to an ox, as in the manner of the figure called Paranomasia, as if he had said, Israel should be Jeshurun, but is, Scher. That is, an ox; or a bullock.”

Thank God for this helpful explanation. We encourage you to join us in Bible reading this New Year with the use of the Westminster Annotations as our guide. Amen.