TobitChapter 6
Tobit Chapter 6: Meaning
Tobias catches a fish, and the angel Raphael tells him to use it to drive out a demon and heal his father.
Summary
As Tobias and Raphael traveled, they stopped at the Tigris River for the night. While Tobias was washing in the river, a large fish jumped out and tried to grab his foot. Raphael told him to catch it. Tobias pulled it to shore, and Raphael told him to cut it open and save the heart, liver, and gall. They cooked part of the fish and salted the rest for the journey.
Tobias asked what the fish parts were for. Raphael explained that burning the heart and liver as smoke would drive away any demon tormenting a person. The gall, rubbed on blind eyes, would remove the white films and restore sight.
As they got close to Ecbatana, Raphael told Tobias about a young woman named Sarah. She was their close relative and had the legal right to marry Tobias. She was beautiful and wise, but seven men had already died before their marriages began because of an evil demon named Asmodeus. Tobias was afraid, since he was his father's only son.
But Raphael encouraged him. He said that Tobias had the right to marry her and that the demon would be defeated. He told Tobias to burn the fish's heart and liver in the bridal room to drive the demon away, and then to pray together before anything else. Tobias fell in love with Sarah when he heard about her.
Historical Context
The journey from Nineveh to Ecbatana in Media covered hundreds of miles across what is now Iraq and Iran. The Tigris River was one of the great rivers of the ancient Near East and would have been a natural stop on the journey.
The idea of a demon causing harm in marriage was a real fear in the ancient world. Jewish law had specific rules about who could marry whom within the same family. The closest eligible relative had the first right, and also the first duty, to marry a woman who had no other options.
Chapter Outline
1
A big fish attacks at the Tigris RiverVerse 1-5
2
The fish parts have special usesVerse 6-8
3
Raphael tells Tobias about SarahVerse 9-12
4
Tobias is afraid of the demonVerse 13-14
5
Raphael gives Tobias a plan and hopeVerse 15-22
Key Verses
What This Means Today
God can use ordinary things, like a fish, to accomplish something amazing.
When you are afraid, listen for wise advice that points you toward trust in God.
Prayer should come first in any big moment in life, just as Raphael told Tobias to pray before anything else.
Sometimes doing the right thing means facing something scary. You do not have to face it alone.
God prepares people for each other. Sarah was meant for Tobias all along.
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