Writing and Reading are Fundamental for our Health

I enjoy covering sports and how sports impact on our lives in regard to our health and fitness. But just as important as our physical health and fitness is, just as important is our mental health. This is where developing a habit of writing and reading can improve our cognitive health.

I enjoy reading and writing about history just as much as I do writing about the impact of sports on our daily lives that is significant. I have written over five books that are on Kindle presently about the sport of golf to diet and fitness. But recently I have been writing about history. I have two books on Amazon Kindle entitled The Sayeret Warriors of Rephaim and Joshua’s Gauntlet of Divine Providence; both covers are below. These are in eBook and paperback.

I am presently writing a NEW book entitled: The Lost Paradise at Kadesh-Barnea

This book, The Lost Paradise at Kadesh-Barnea, covers the historical events of Moses leading Israel out of Egypt where they have been slaves for 430- years. The focus of this book is the ill-fated decision at Kadesh-Barnes where two spies, Joshua and Caleb trusting in God’s Word, reported that the land of Canaan can be conquered while ten spies trusted their own abilities and reported to Moses that the land of Canaan inhabitants were giants and can’t be defeated in the attempts to conquer the land.

In chapter 20 of my new, I wrote how Moses provides the explanation of why he couldn’t enter the Promised Land

Moses primarily explanation why he was forbidden to enter The Promised Land was because of his disobedience at the Meribah (Numbers 20). This was where he struck a Rock with with his staff instead of speaking to it as God commanded him to do. Moses in his anger toward the his people struck the Rock where water was provided. BUT THIS WAS AFTER the ill-fated decision at Kadesh-Barnea and not before that occurred in Numbers Chapter 13.

What was interesting in Numbers 20:8, God told Moses to take his staff even though he was to speak to the Rock- Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink. In the Bible, the staff was a sign of authority, much like the sword is today in military ceremonies. The rod, like Aaron rod was used to record laws and major events that occurred.

This is why in The 23rd Psalms verse four stated- Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your *staff, they comfort me.

*Rod- Ezekiel 20:37- I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

The Only People to Enter The Promised Land

But if you read the Old Testament, the only two people that would be allowed of that generation into The Promised Land after 40- years wandering in the wilderness were those 19 years old or younger along with Joshua and Caleb, that was IT, Moses was not mentioned.

Numbers 14 and Deuteronomy 1 are references where God states that only Joshua and Caleb were the only two people of that generation that would entered The Promised Land despite Moses’s pleating with God to allow him to just step foot into the Promise Land from the peak of Pisgah on Mount Nebo range.

Even though Moses points to the second Rock at Meribah, at Kadesh-Barnea, where he split the Rock with his staff instead of speaking to Rock was the sole reason for him not going into The Promise Land. But was this the sole reason for Moses not being allowed to enter The Promised Land?

But if you read in Numbers 20 where Moses struck the Rock was after the events that occurred in Numbers 13 with the 12- spies. The soul reason stated by Moses was due to him striking the Rock. But that actually wasn’t the sole reason, it might been a reason, but not the main reason according to God specifying those that He would allowed to enter the Promised Land. I covered this account in both Numbers 13 and 20 in my book in chapter 20. Remember Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible know to Jews as the Torah.

If I was writing the first five books of the Bible, coming to the point of providing an explanation on why I wasn’t allowed to enter the Holy Land, I was focused more on my disobedience of being angry and aggressive as apposed to disobedience of doubting my faith and trusting God.

Overview of Chapter 23

The following is an overview of Chapter 23 from my new book that I just completed writing. This chapter deals with the two-and-a-half tribes that fought alongside the other nine-and-half tribes to secure The Promise Land. These two-and-a-half tribes wanted to settle the land east of the Jordan River, now called Transjordan.

After a long five years of conquering The Promised Land, Joshua just got through honoring the two-and-a-half tribes for their loyal support before they returned to their families east of Jordan in Gilead. Gilead was a fertile land that provided pasture for livestock, and also known for its forest. It was also known for the balm of Gilead.

Soon after this, the other nine-and-a-half tribes wanted to go to war with these two-and-a-half tribes soon after their return for building an alter to God as a witness but not for sacrificing that would had been an issue. After an explanation, war was avoided.

The following excerpt below compares this event in Israel with the Jews in Transjordan with the total failures of leadership leading up to World War I. They are based on similar conditions, Pride that was misplaced.

In Proverbs 16:18 states one of the biggest failures in human interactions is Pride– Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall, I would add this a quote from Cool Hand Luke– What we have here is a failure to communicate to what led up to World War I:

Excerpt for Chapter 23 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was from the Austrian Empire (born in Graz, Austria) and was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, while his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, was from the Bohemian nobility (a Countess Chotek), and they were assassinated in Sarajevo, Serbia, that led to the start of World War I.

In retrospect, here is the reason why two people’s assassinations led to over 20 million being KIA during World War I. World War I was fought in some of the worst conditions consisting of stalemated trench warfare with the use of automatic weapons and chemical warfare being used to deadly efficiency.

World War I erupted on June 28, 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip associated with the Black Hands terrorist group. Austria-Hungary’s wanted to send their team of investigators to Serbia to assist in the investigation. Here is where the PRIDE comes into the equation. Serbia refuses the offer from Austria. This led to a coverup conspiracy theory where Austria hastily pinned blame on Serbia, ignoring involvement of Black Hand ties, group refers to several secret societies and criminal enterprises, most famously the Serbian nationalist group.

Just a personal note, I would had invited Austria to see if they would be interested in joining in the investigation of the assassination of their royalty members of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Sophie. That is the minimum that Serbia should had done if national pride didn’t get in the way of logic.

  

An ultimatum demanded humiliating concessions; Serbia complied partially, but pride fueled rejection of key points of sending a team of investigators. Austria declared war of Serbia on July 28, activating alliances kicked in: Russia backed Serbia, Germany Austria, invading France via Belgium, pulling Britain in to the war. National egos trumped diplomacy, leading to 20 million deaths in a war of attrition over two nobles’ murders. Pride led to the failure to communicate.

Israel East-West Conflict  

In the ancient narrative of the Book of Joshua, chapter 22 we see the prelude to a possible war with two-and-a-half tribes that fought side-by-side with the other nine-and-a-half tribes over their exercise of religion, another reason that initiates wars.

This was just after Joshua made his poignant testament to themes of loyalty, of the tribes consisting of Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. When Joshua led Israel to the east bank of the Jordan River the tribes of Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh wanted to Seattle east of the Jordan River in what is now Trans Jordan that was permitted on the conditions that they join the other tribes in taking The Promised Land.

Joshua in verses 2 through 6 stated-

You have done all that Moses, the servant of the LORD command, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelite but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you. Now that the LORD your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes.

Then in verse 8, Joshua concluded with- Telling Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh- Return to your homes with your great wealth—with large herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze and iron, and a great quantity of clothing—and divide the plunder from your enemies with your fellow Israelite.

Chapter 22 chronicles a pivotal moment when the tribes of Israel, having secured their promised inheritance, face an internal crisis that threatens to fracture their fragile unity. At its heart is the story of the three eastern tribes— the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—who, after faithfully fighting alongside their brethren west of the Jordan River, are honored by Joshua. Yet, their subsequent actions ignite a firestorm of suspicion firestorm, only to reveal a deeper truth: God judges the intentions of the heart, not the perceptions of others.

To fully appreciate the events of Joshua 22, one must understand the historical context. The Israelite, under Joshua’s leadership, had crossed the Jordan River decades after their exodus from Egypt. The land west of the Jordan was divided among nine-and-a-half tribes, but earlier, in Numbers 32, Moses had granted the Reubenites, Gadites, and half of Manasseh territory east of the Jordan— fertile lands in Gilead and Bashan— on the condition that their warriors assist in conquering the west.

This arrangement was pragmatic, allowing these tribes to settle their families and livestock in safer, already subdued regions while contributing to the collective effort. For years, these eastern warriors left their homes, crossing the river to battle Canaanite kings and strongholds, embodying the principle of communal responsibility enshrined in the Mosaic covenant.

As Joshua 22 opens, the conquest is complete. Joshua, now an elderly leader, gathers the eastern tribes at Shiloh, the central sanctuary where the Tabernacle resides. In verses 1-5, he commands them effusively: “You have kept all that Moses, the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

You have not left your brethren these many days, up to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.” This honor is not mere formality; it underscores their royalty— or rather, their esteemed status— within the Israelite confederation. Joshua blesses them, urging them to “love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” He then dismisses them to return home, laden with spoils of war: livestock, silver, gold, bronze, iron, and clothing, as a share of the conquest’s bounty.

This moment of recognition highlights the eastern tribes’ sacrifices. They had fought valiantly in battles like those at Jericho, Ai, and against the southern and northern coalitions, as detailed in earlier chapters of Joshua. Their loyalty prevented any perception of favoritism or division; they were integral to Israel’s success. Joshua’s words elevate them as exemplars of faithfulness, reinforcing the idea that true royalty in Israel stems not from bloodlines but from obedience to God. In a sense, they are “royalty” among the tribes, honored for their unwavering commitment despite geographical separation.

However, the chapter swiftly pivots to tension and Idolatry that went back to the Golden Cafe. As the eastern tribes journey homeward, they halt at the Jordan’s banks and construct a massive altar— described as “great in appearance” (verse 10). News of these spreads like wildfire to the western tribes, who interpret it as a grievous sin. Why?

The Mosaic Law strictly centralized worship at the Tabernacle (Deuteronomy 12:5-14), prohibiting altars elsewhere to prevent idolatry or schism. The western tribes, fearing this altar signals rebellion, recall bitter precedents: the golden calf at Sinai (Exodus 32) and the apostasy at Peor (Numbers 25), were unauthorized worship provoked God’s wrath. In their eyes, this act is sacrilege, a betrayal that could “anger the Lord God” and invite divine judgment on all Israel, as collective sin often brought collective punishment (e.g., Achan’s sin in Joshua 7).

The reaction is swift and severe. The entire congregation assembles at Shiloh, (what would become a Civil War in reference in Tennessee) ready for war (verses 11-12). This escalation reflects the high stakes: disunity could unravel the nascent nation. Yet, in a display of wisdom, they first send a delegation led by Phinehas, the zealous priest son of Eleazar, accompanied by ten tribal princes. Phinehas, known for his decisive action against idolatry at Peor (Numbers 25:7-8), embodies priestly authority. Their mission: to confront the eastern tribes and urge repentance, lest the sin corrupt the land.

If you fast forward to the book of John where Jesus had an encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well, Jesus engages with her despite her social status of being a Samaritan woman that were considered outcast. The showed radical change from the issue in Gilead, as noted in John 4:20-26:

The following is the conversation with the Samaritan woman

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am He.

The delegation’s speech in verses 16-20 is a masterpiece of rhetorical urgency. They accuse: “What treachery is this which you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the Lord, in that you have built for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel this day against the Lord?” They invoke historical sins, warning that such betrayal could provoke God’s anger, endangering everyone. Generously, they offer alternatives: if the eastern lands are deemed unclean, the western tribes invite them to relocate and share inheritance, prioritizing unity over territory.

Herein lies the friction’s core: a profound misunderstanding rooted in its appearances. The eastern tribes, isolated by the Jordan, feared future generations might question their legitimacy. As verse 24 explains, they worried that western descendants might say, “What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel?

For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between you and us.” To counter this, they built the altar not for sacrifices— which would indeed be sacrilegious— but as a “witness” (verses 26-27). It was a replica, a symbolic monument to affirm their shared faith: “that we may perform the service of the Lord before Him with our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings.” This intent was pure: to demonstrate unwavering allegiance to Yahweh, ensuring their children would not be viewed as devotees of “another God.”

The Benefits of Inquiry and Understanding was Reached

The resolution is swift and reconciliation. Upon hearing this, Phinehas and the delegation rejoice, declaring, “This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the Lord” (verse 31). They return to Shiloh, averting war, and the altar is named “Witness,” signifying that “the Lord is God” (verse 34). Peace prevails, and Israel’s unity is preserved.

Theologically, Joshua 22 imparts timeless lessons. Foremost is the principle that “God weighs the intent of man’s heart, not how it is viewed by others.” This echoes Proverbs 16:2—All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits— and 1 Samuel 16:7, where God looks at the heart, not outward appearance. This was God’s instructions to Samuel when he anointed David King of Israel. David became the apple of God’s eye.

The eastern tribes’ actions, though misinterpreted, stemmed from devotion, not defiance. Their altar, while provocative in form, was righteous in purpose. This narrative cautions against hasty judgments, urging dialogue over division, as seen in the delegation’s approach.

Moreover, it underscores the fragility of unity in a divided world. The Jordan River symbolizes barriers— geographical, cultural, perceptual— that can foster suspicion. In Israel’s case, it nearly sparked civil war, mirroring modern schisms in families, communities, or nations where assumptions escalate conflicts. The story advocates empathy: the western tribes’ initial zeal was protective, not malicious, while the eastern response was explanatory, not defensive.

Expanding on this, consider parallels in broader biblical theology. The altar as a “witness” prefigures New Testament concepts like the Eucharist or baptism— symbols of shared faith amid dispersion. It also critiques legalism: rigid adherence to law without considering intent can lead to injustice, as nearly happened here. God’s silence throughout the chapter implies approval of the resolution, affirming that true worship transcends location, focusing on the heart’s posture.

In historical terms, this event likely occurred around 1400-1375 BCE, based on traditional dating of the conquest. Archaeological evidence for early Israelite settlements east of Jordan, such as at Tell Deir Alla or Khirbet el-Medeiyineh, supports the narrative’s plausibility, though direct altar remnants are elusive. Theologically, it bridges Joshua’s era to the Judges period, where tribal disunity indeed emerges, hinting at foreshadowing.

For contemporary readers, Joshua 22 offers practical wisdom. In an age of social media echo chambers, where actions are often misconstrued, it calls for Phinehas-like mediation: confronting issues with truth-seeking intent. Leaders can learn from Joshua’s honor-giving, fostering loyalty through recognition. Families divided by distance or ideology might build “witness altars” symbols like shared traditions— to affirm bonds.

Ultimately, the chapter celebrates redemption through understanding. What began as honor devolved into near catastrophe but resolved in deeper solidarity. The eastern tribes’ “royalty” is vindicated not by battle prowess alone but by their heart’s fidelity. As the narrative closes, Israel dwells in peace, a reminder that God’s kingdom thrives when intentions align with His will, transcending human misconceptions.

In reflecting on Joshua 22, we see a microcosm of the human condition: prone to division yet capable of unity through grace and understanding. It challenges us to examine our own “altars” the symbols we erect— and ensure they witness to truth. For in the end, as the story illustrates, it is the heart’s intent that God honors, weaving even misunderstandings into tapestries of faith.

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This diet and fitness book will allow you to drop pounds, inches, and years off your appearance. Muscles are you ally in burning calories and producing collagen to replace your body’s cells at a faster rate that slows down my our mid-30’s and stops by our early 60’s. On the cover of this book shows me at age 68 taken in my gym in September of 2025.

This book in available in eBook, paperback, and hardback from Amazon Kindle