ANCIENT WISDOM FOR MODERN TIMES

Biblical Foundations for Life in a World That Has Lost Its Way

Sep 15, 2023

About two weeks ago, my book Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times: Biblical Foundations for Life in a World That Has Lost Its Way was published in paperback, hardback and, more recently, Kindle formats. This was the end of a long labour, and in past Sons of Issachar Newsletters, I have shared some of the ideas from the book and have been encouraged by readers to press on with the project.

I have realized an important point. It is one thing to write a book, but it is another challenge completely to promote it and get it into the hands of people who would read it and benefit. So – I hope that you Sons of Issachar readers will help to make the book known and draw it to the attention of your friends and families. The book now has a dedicated website - see this link where you can find more information.

Below, I have included links to the book for Amazon in the US, Australia, UK and Germany to help disseminate information on how to purchase the book.

Amazon US

Amazon Australia

Amazon UK

Amazon Germany

The book is written for readers interested in the Bible, but it has also been read and appreciated by many non-Christians. As the subtitle suggests, I believe that understanding and applying ancient biblical wisdom can be valuable for individuals and families who can feel a sense of being adrift in a woke world.

In this special edition of the Sons of Issachar Newsletter, I have provided some background to the book, the topics covered, and some initial reviews. There is also an interview about the book at the end that of his newsletter that I hope you will find interesting.

Figure 1. Cover for Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times

Background to the Book

Over the last 10-15 years, I have become increasingly concerned about the exponential increase in information available at our fingertips. I remember seeing a cartoon from the Washington Post around 2003 which showed a dog sitting at a desk with a computer and another dog looking up from the floor. The caption was, “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog.” The sentiment is even more relevant today when it is even harder to validate the sources of information.

More recently, we have heard a lot of talk about “fake news”, and increasingly, governments are trying to pass laws to prevent “misinformation” and “disinformation”, even though no one can define what these words mean.

During my lifetime, I also have seen a rejection of the Christian underpinnings of Western civilization, and so people are deciding their own morality and “truth”. Alarmingly, there also has been a commitment in company boardrooms to support and campaign for “social justice” issues, even though many of these issues conflict with the interests of shareholders and one of the bedrock foundations of our society – the Bible.

As I thought about these issues, I decided to start studying Biblical Hebrew in 2015 because I wanted to obtain a deeper understanding of some of the Hebrew words and concepts I had read about for many years in the Old Testament. I have continued these studies with The Israel Institute of Biblical Studies for eight years and now have completed Levels A to D of Biblical Hebrew plus a range of other courses about the Old Testament and Biblical history. Hebrew is a challenging language, but the institute has helped me understand the deeper meanings of crucial ideas in the Bible. As I gained more insight into the Old Testament and the meaning of the words and ideas of the Hebrew scriptures, I realized that the Bible contains fundamental concepts that are important for our society but have been forgotten because we have lost our spiritual roots. As I studied Hebrew and the ancient Bible stories, I understood there was much that these stories and language can teach us today if we have ears to hear.

One of the Hebrew words that struck me in my studies was wisdom (in Hebrew חָכְמָה, transliterated as ḥokmâ). The word is used hundreds of times in the Old Testament. It is notable in the Book of Exodus, where detailed instructions are given to Moses regarding God’s travelling worship center, the Tabernacle (see Exodus Chapters 28-36). In these early Bible chapters, it is clear that it is God who gives wisdom, and the Hebrew phrase used is חָכְמָ֑ה רוּחַ – transliterated as rûaḥ ḥokmâ – literally the breath or spirit of wisdom. As I continued in my research, I noticed how often the Hebrew word for wisdom appeared and that it is a characteristic associated with “the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 9:10). To have wisdom, you must have a “fear of the Lord”. As I outline in the second chapter of my book:

“Fear” is the translation of the Hebrew word יָרֵא (yârê’), which means to venerate, to honor, to esteem, to reverence, to stand in awe, to respect, and to be afraid. To fear God is to place Him at the center of life, worship Him, and love the things He loves. To fear Him, we must seek Him and come to know Him.”

So wisdom and the fear of the Lord go together. I could see that for myself as I looked over a society where the fear of the Lord had been lost. Everyone has decided to do what was “wise in their own eyes”, just as at the time of the ancient Hebrew Judges (Judges 21:25).

Over a few years, the idea formed in my mind to write a book about biblical wisdom that incorporated some of my stories and things I had learned along a challenging road. Mind you – the challenges often were self-inflicted. I started with a detailed study of all the occurrences of the word wisdom in the Bible and its context. Gradually, a book structure emerged, and I determined that there were experiences from my life that could usefully illustrate the importance of wisdom, as laid out in the Bible, to our modern times. This led to the book title Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times.

Over about 18 months, I completed the book, but I must credit the self-publishing school (see this link), which is a group that helps budding authors navigate their way through the publishing process. The self-publishing school provides assistance and coaching (of course, all of this for a fee), from how to outline your book to getting it published on Amazon. Chandler Bolt, who started the self-publishing school, has published a helpful book called Published: The Proven Path From Blank Page To 10,000 Copies Sold - about each stage of the publication process. I highly recommend Chandler’s book to any readers interested in obtaining assistance in writing and publishing a book.

However, I don’t think that I would have commenced the book if not for my decision to start a weekly newsletter in 2022.

The Sons of Issachar Newsletter

I first conceived the idea of The Sons of Issachar Newsletter in early 2022, which was a natural extension of the studies I had been doing regarding Hebrew and the Old Testament. At a pivotal time in the nation of Israel, as their second king, David, was being established in the “promised land”, one of the 12 tribes of Israel – Issachar – is described this way:

“…the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.. (1 Chronicles 12:32). The phrase “understanding of the times” caught my attention, and as I thought about it further, it seemed that this is what we need as a society. In the face of various challenges and the wide road to destruction where we are headed, often, one can feel that one is powerless to take action. However, one day after reading about what was clearly “fake news” in the mainstream news, I decided that I could take a small step. I would write a newsletter that sought to bring truth from a biblical perspective and at least this could make a difference to a small group of friends and family to “understand the times”. This may help in knowing what we should do, just as at the time of King David and the Sons of Issachar.

The newsletter has now been published weekly for around 18 months and I must give credit to Steven Wilkinson who writes The Pitchfork Papers – see this link – who suggested after early editions in pdf format that I move to substack. This was a great suggestion and while the readership of Sons of Issachar News is still small, I feel satisfied that my original aim – to bring important information from a biblical perspective to friends and family so that they could understand the times – is something that has been worthwhile, and hopefully, helpful.

Last year, I started writing some thoughts about wisdom in my weekly newsletter and with encouragement from two subscribers, Steven Wilkinson and Tanja Bones (see Change and Evolve Letter -

I set to work on a book about wisdom for modern times. The Sons of Issachar Newsletter was a great weekly training ground for discipline in writing, and by June 2023, the writing and editing process was completed. I then had a near-fatal health crisis from blood clots forming in the vessels in my lungs (perhaps from long periods of writing at my desk). However, as the great St Paul tells us – “...all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28), and so I was able to finalize the book from my hospital bed, where I had to spend a week on my back, having blood tests every few hours.

Now the book has been released and I am very thankful to a number of Sons of Issachar readers who have purchased the book (including copies for family members and friends) and provided reviews on Amazon.

Outline of Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times

Here is part of what I wrote in the introduction to Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times and may be helpful in understanding the purpose of the book.

“Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times comes out of a growing sense that instruction in wisdom is something we should seek and that the ancient paths to wisdom, often overlooked, are highly relevant today. Although times have changed, the condition of the human heart is mainly unchanged.

I have had experience as a son, husband, father, farmer, veterinarian, academic, mentor to business leaders, pastor, and seeker of God’s truth. Looking back on my life, it is clear to me that at critical junctures on the road of life, I needed wisdom because all of us are often guided by our uninstructed hearts, which, according to God, are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). This book is an attempt to understand and teach some of the critical principles of God’s wisdom from the Bible and apply it to situations that we all face in our daily lives.

I have set out the book starting with my journey, which demonstrates many of the challenges of making wise decisions on the road of life with all its snares, trials, and delights. I have sought to understand ancient biblical wisdom and provide practical solutions for our modern times. Succeeding chapters cover particular areas of life where wisdom can be applied from ancient understandings and made relevant to our day. Each chapter stands on its own and can be read if you are seeking wisdom in a particular area: for example, communication, leadership, money, work, love, marriage, etc. In this book, you will find practical ideas and help to live wisely in a modern world that has lost its way because it has rejected these ancient biblical foundations of wisdom, and more so, the Author of this wisdom. “

There are 16 book chapters, together with a foreword by Corey Stark of Ignite the Nations - and a conclusion. Here are the chapter titles:

Chapter 1 – My Journey Towards Wisdom
Chapter 2 - What is Wisdom?
Chapter 3 – Barriers to Wisdom
Chapter 4 – Wisdom in Faith
Chapter 5 – Wisdom in Friendship
Chapter 6 – Wisdom in Communication
Chapter 7 – Wisdom in Conflict
Chapter 8 – Wisdom in Planning
Chapter 9 – Wisdom in Education
Chapter 10 – Wisdom in Work
Chapter 11 – Wisdom and Money
Chapter 12 – Wisdom in Leadership
Chapter 13 – Wisdom in Love
Chapter 14 – Wisdom in Marriage
Chapter 15 – Wisdom in Parenting
Chapter 16 – Wisdom in Understanding the Seasons of Life

In each chapter, I have tried to illustrate an ancient biblical principle with some of my own experiences and stories. To date, readers have found the book enjoyable to read and reported that the book contains some helpful wisdom. It is designed so that you can start anywhere in the book, and each chapter has a summary at the end with the key points from that chapter. On the website, you can also download a free companion workbook – see this link

At the moment I am recording an audiobook version of Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times. This is not an easy process. Whereas I thought I would go into the recording studio and complete the recording in one day, so far I have been five days and have recorded 50% of the book. I hope to complete the recording by early October and anticipate that the audiobook may be available sometime in November.

Reviews of Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times

Here are some reviews that have been posted about the book on Amazon – see this link

The reviews provide different insights into the book and may be helpful to scan to see if you will find the book of interest.

US Reviews

“A Testimony of Wisdom to Glean From!

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times is definitely worth a read. It is not just a systematic and exegetical approach to the topic of Biblical wisdom as a whole but is filled with stories of real-life experiences, successes, failures, victories, hardships, and pearls of wisdom gleaned from a wide variety of people.

Practical topics including friendship, communication, conflict, love, and education are covered. You can tell this book is the result of the author’s life and the different decisions he has made to choose wisdom (mostly after failures), rather than a mere study of the Biblical text. As he states in his introduction, “If I have any wisdom to share, it is because I have made so many mistakes, but I am on a journey of learning to make better decisions.” (Pg. 15)

There are two sections of this book that especially stuck out to me. First, in chapter 3 the author emphasizes the crucial role that humble self-knowledge plays in our journey of wisdom. He hammers the point home that the greatest barrier to a life of wisdom is ourselves, not the lack of books or information! “

Refreshingly practical, insightful and enjoyable mentorship experience
Knowledge is everywhere, what we really need is wisdom, Reuben says. While this is probably true in every generation, this particularly rings true today.
This book is of a different kind to any I have read. Enjoyable, refreshingly practical, insightful and all highlighting Biblical wisdom given to us by God Himself. After sharing his own thought provoking story Reuben goes on to mentor his readers through sharing biblical wisdom on 15 key life topics exemplified with stories and quotes on key topics. Reuben's chapter on friendship was was one of my favorites. His insights on the importance of asking questions were profound!
This is a book to read and to keep to reference in life's different seasons. A book to remind us the wise are those who realize they need God’s wisdom. An excellent resource to further your journey of building your life on God’s wisdom “

An easy read that is applicable to anyone’s life
“Wisdom is something that is not only more and more rare, but it even seems to be less and less desirable. In a culture where it's become acceptable to bend facts in order to accommodate feelings, wisdom seems almost non-existent. Godly wisdom is something that every Christian should desire and seek. This book makes that search a little easier. The author has outlined practical ways to seek and apply Godly wisdom in one's life no matter how mature the believer. If you're wanting to grow in christian maturity, I'd recommend Ancient Wisdom For Modern Times: Biblical Foundation for Life in a World That Has Lost Its Way.”

From other countries

“A Guide Book for Wisdom Seekers!

This book carries within its pages myriads of wisdom in many different dimensions of life. Reuben has a successful academic, business and pastoral career that spans many decades. Coupled with his passion for Jesus Christ he is certainly well qualified to write on such a topic, “Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times”. This book is timely in this post modern world period where we have lost our moral compass for absolute truth, God’s truth. Everything today embraces instead the ideology of “my truth and your truth”.

Reuben shared his testimony spanning 4 generations and how his young life growing up in the country influenced his adult life. However his greatest influence came when he started to follow Jesus in His footsteps. Reuben draws many stories from both the Old and New Testament to illustrate how various people apply Godly wisdom to their lives. Hence we too can learn from these examples. In his honesty and humility he also shares stories of how he applies wisdom in his life.

Reuben’s understanding of Hebrew has given him a much greater insight into the meanings of many of the Scriptural verses pertaining to wisdom. His ability to dissect out the essential root words has allowed a richer meaning to surface which usually requires many more English words to describe it. This laborious tasks has made it easier for those who love to meditate on the Word of God to ruminate over it. This meditative process enables these essential words to be inscribed in our hearts. This will invariably result in behavioural changes as opposed to just plain study which increases knowledge but may not cause any behavioural shift.

The book is easy to read and comprehend with a good consistent layout in each chapter. I particularly like the key points at the end of each chapter. There are so much nuggets that one can glean from this book that I recommend reading it slowly and to meditate on those areas that matter in our lives. “

Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times
My husband and I very much enjoyed reading this wonderful book together. It is a book about living a life based upon the timeless wisdom of the Bible. The author interweaves his own personal story with anecdotal recollections as he unfolds his own discovery of the ancient wisdom found in the Bible. He takes us from his early years on the family sheep station to his life and career as a vet, an academic, a CEO in the corporate world and eventually in later years returning to run the family farm with his wife. He provides insight into his own journey of growing in wisdom with vulnerability and great humour.

The book is practical and insightful and the journey into wisdom is described by the author as one which brings peace, joy and contentment to life - and who doesn’t want that in this crazy modern world. The writing style is easy to read and compelling and the author’s knowledge and love of the Bible is evident and he cites passages from the Old and New Testament throughout the book. This book is a practical companion for anyone looking for wisdom to navigate the complexities of this modern world. A wonderful book. We highly recommend it.”

Amazon Kunde

“Reuben Rose has created something truly beautiful.
Reviewed in Germany on September 1, 2023
I am devouring the book and it is something I will keep turning to in times of need. Especially in our day and age we often forget the wisdom and the values of the Bible.
For someone like me, that has never read the Bible, the author Reuben Rose, brought those wisdoms closer to me, especially with his wonderful insights that relate to todays world and life. This has a greater impact on me than I thought possible. Definitely a MUST READ! “

Reuben Rose's words of wisdom are simple but profound!
“Catholic theology teaches there are three transcendentals: goodness, truth and beauty. These cosmic values are objective and knowable and point back to God. Reuben Rose’s book contains all three. It provides practical suggestions about how to apply ancient wisdom to everyday life. His book speaks to the human condition and offers advice that is simple yet profound. A gifted storyteller, he weaves in stories from his own life growing up in rural Australia and other anecdotes that are relevant, engaging and humorous. His book was a joy to read and relevant to the modern times in which we live! In a world where the distinctions between good and evil, virtue and vice, and right and wrong are becoming increasingly blurred, wisdom comes into its own and so too does this book.“

Reviews from Goodreads

“I am really appreciating this book. As a new Christian it is sometimes hard to glean the wisdom I need from the pages of the Bible when I need it. This book has already done it and then points me to where I can read it in the Bible! The tone of the book is also written with a beautiful balance of Gravitas and humour, and expounded with honest, personal life stories. Very easy to read. Highly recommend, especially if you are a new Christian like me.”

“I have read this mind blowing book Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times: Biblical Foundations for Life in a World That Has Lost Its Way and every Chapter will want you continue reading more and more. I'm particularly excited reading Chapter 9 Wisdom in Education especially on postmodernism education and how it has transformed the world we live today and what the future will hold. Great Book Full of Wisdom. Can't stop reading!”

“Compelling, challenging and at times deliberatively provocative, this account of a very personal journey through life carries at its heart a self – evident truth, i.e. that there is little that is new under the sun and that there is a vast bank of accumulated human wisdom that is as relevant today as it always has been. Reuben Rose takes the reader on a journey that begins in rural Australia in the 1950’s and progresses through a very distinguished academic career, where he received numerous accolades as a gifted educator in the realm of equine clinical medicine and thereafter as a senior administrator in the livestock industry. The skills he acquired in both sectors brought him into the ranks of Australia’s leading CEO’s, who recognised his outstanding talents by making him their own CEO. His life then turned the full circle as he forsook what many would consider a glittering career to return to his rural roots to run the family farm that he had left as a young man. The course of this journey was far from smooth and he provides deep insights into his life, his loves and his tragedies and their impacts on him. The most defining moment of his life came in his thirties, as he was travelling on his own “Road to Damascus”, when he was confronted by the need to find a real meaning and purpose to his life. This he found in Christianity and in the Church.
In this book he draws for us on the lessons learnt from the educational and leadership skills that he acquired and places and substantially reinforces them in the context of the undoubted wisdom that is documented in the Old and New Testaments. He addresses many contemporary issues in the 16 Chapter format including the importance and value of friendship, education, communication and conflict resolution, strategic planning and family life. He does so in a manner that is often lightly laced with his own inimitable humour that makes for easy reading.
This book provides interesting, thought provoking reading for a very wide and diverse audience who will be reminded of what is important to them in their own lives. It will be of great value to those who are entrusted with religious instruction and particularly in the preparation and delivery of sermons and seminars.”

“This book is ideal for those searching for the truth, and an abundant life.
The big questions of life remain the same through the ages, where did I come from, who am I, why am I here, how should I live, where am I going?
Especially beneficial for younger readers yet to experience the full onslaught of the world along with all its confusion.
A distillation of a full and amazing life - with wisdom and advice that will be applicable through the ages.”