Rages

February 1, 2016

The poor (Prov 19:1-19:7)

“Better the poor walking in integrity

Than one perverse in speech

Who is a fool!

Desire without knowledge is not good.

Whoever moves too hurriedly misses the way.

One’s own folly leads to ruin.

Yet the heart rages against Yahweh.

Wealth brings many new friends.

But the poor are left friendless.

A false witness will not go unpunished.

A liar will not escape.

Many seek the favor of the generous.

Everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.

If the poor are hated by their relatives,

How much more are they shunned by their friends.

When they call after them,

They are not there.”

This is a mixed bag for the poor. It is better to be poor if you are honest and have integrity. However later on, you are without friends and relatives if you are poor. The poor never catch a break. Of course, it is better to be poor than be a perverse fool in your speech. Desire is not good enough. You need knowledge. Don’t go too fast or you will get lost. Foolishness will lead to ruin. The foolish heart rages against Yahweh. Wealth, as noted, brings friends, while the poor are stuck without friends. Liars will not escape from punishment. They will die. The reason the rich have so many friends is that many seek their favor, hoping to get a gift or two from the wealthy. The poor have a problem with relatives and friends who do not stand up for them when they call. It is not good to be poor, even if you are honest.

February 22, 2015

Tobit and Anna are worried about their son (Tob 10:1-10:7)

“Now, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobias would need for going and returning. When the days had expired and his son did not appear, he said.

‘Is it possible that he has been detained?

Or is it possible that Gabael has died?

Perhaps there is no one to give him the money?’

He began to worry. His wife Anna said.

‘My child has perished.

He is no longer among the living.’

She began to weep and mourn for her son.

‘Woe to me!

My child,

The light of my eyes,

That I let you make the journey!’

But Tobit kept saying to her.

‘Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear.

He is all right.

Probably something unexpected has happened to him.

The man who went with him is trustworthy.

He is one of our own kin.

Do not grieve for him, my dear, he will soon be here.’

She answered him.

‘Be quiet yourself!

Stop trying to deceive me.

My child has perished.’

She would rush out every day. She would watch the road her son had taken. She would heed no one. When the sun had set, she would go in and mourn and weep all night long, getting no sleep at all.”

Tobit and his wife Anna were getting anxious about their son Tobias. Tobit was counting the days and how long it would take to go to Rages and return. Now by his calculations, the time for his return had passed. He thought that it was possible that he had been detained. Maybe Gabael had died and there was no one who knew about the money. He was worried, but Anna his wife was grief stricken. She kept weeping and mourning. She believed that Tobias was dead. She was mad that he even let him go on this journey. Tobit, although worried, tried to calm her down. He said that maybe something unexpected had happened. He certainly was with a trustworthy person, who was related to them. He turned optimistic and said that Tobias would soon be home. She got upset at Tobit and told him to be quiet. She felt that he was deceiving her and that Tobias was already dead. She would sit outside every day and look at the road that Tobias had taken. Then at night, she would go inside, weep, and mourn all night long. She was not getting any sleep.

 

February 21, 2015

Raphael makes a plan for Tobias and Sarah (Tob 6:10-6:13)

“When they entered Media, they were already approaching Ecbatana. Raphael said to the young man. ‘Brother Tobias!’ He answered. ‘Here I am!’ Raphael said to him.

‘We must stay this night in the home of Raguel.

He is your relative.

He has a daughter named Sarah.

He has no male heir.

He has no daughter except Sarah only.

You are as next of kin to her.

You have before all other men a hereditary claim on her.

Also it is right for you to inherit her father’s possessions.

Moreover, the girl is sensible, brave, and very beautiful.

Her father is a good man.

You have every right to take her in marriage.

So listen to me, brother.

Tonight, I will speak to her father about the girl,

Thus you may take her to be your bride.

When we return from Rages,

We will celebrate her marriage.

For I know that Raguel can by no means keep her from you

Or promise her to another man

Without incurring the penalty of death,

According to the decree of the Book of Moses.

Indeed, he knows that you, rather than any other man,

Are entitled to marry his daughter.

So now listen to me, brother!

Tonight we shall speak concerning the girl.

We will arrange her engagement to you.

When we return from Rages,

We will take her and bring her back with us to your house.’”

They do not mention the time frame, but it would have taken a few days to get to Media. Raphael told Tobias that they were going to spend the night at the house of Raguel, since he was a relative of Tobias. Raphael explained that Raguel had a beautiful only daughter. Since Tobias was the next of kin, he was entitled to marry her. No one else had such a good claim on her as he did. This is based on the Book of Moses, without indicating which book, perhaps Numbers, chapter 36, about the family with no sons. However, there was nothing about a death penalty in the biblical books. Somehow there was the levirate law that the next of kin had first rights on a woman as was laid out in Deuteronomy, chapter 25, with the brother’s right to marry the widow of his brother. This was prevalent in the book of Ruth. They would be engaged now. Then they would get married after they came back from Rages. Raphael was going to make all the arrangements with her father.

 

February 19, 2015

Tobias finds trustworthy Raphael (Tob 5:4-5:8)

“So Tobias went out to look for a man to go with him to Media, someone that was acquainted with the way. He went out and found the angel Raphael standing in front of him. Tobias did not perceive that he was an angel of God. Tobias said to him.

‘Where do you come from, young man?’

‘From your kindred, the Israelites.’

He replied.

‘I have come here to work.’

Then Tobias said to him.

‘Do you know the way to go to Media?’

‘Yes.’

He replied.

‘I have been there many times.

I am acquainted with that region.

I know all the roads.

I have often traveled to Media.

I would stay with our kinsman Gabael who lives in Rages of Media.

It is a journey of two days from Ecbatana to Rages.

It lies in a mountainous area.

Ecbatana, however, is in the middle of the plain.’

Then Tobias said to him.

‘Wait for me, young man, until I go and tell my father.

I need you to travel with me.

I will pay you your wages.’

He replied.

‘I will wait, but do not take too long.’”

Tobias went out to find someone trustworthy to lead him to Media to get the money from Gabael, who lived in Rages. Then suddenly the angel Raphael was standing in front of him. However, Tobias did not realize that Raphael was an angel. This happened in Genesis, chapter 18, where angels appeared to be human men. Tobias asked him where he was from. Raphael replied that he was an Israelite looking for work. When Tobias asked him about Media, he seemed to know a lot about the place, since he even knew Gabael in Rages. He said it would take 2 days to travel from Ecbatana to Rages, but in fact it is about 185 miles, more like a 15 to 20 day journey. Tobias said that he would pay him to go with him to Media, but he had to tell his father first. He asked Raphael to wait. Raphael said that he would wait, but not too long.

February 19, 2015

Tobit explains about the money in Media (Tob 4:20-4:21)

“Now, my son,

Let me explain to you

That I have left ten talents of silver

In trust with Gabael son of Gabrias

At Rages in Media.

Do not be afraid, my son,

Because we have become poor.

You have great wealth,

If you fear God

And refrain from every sin

And do what is pleasing in his sight.”

Finally, Tobit explains to his son the money that he left in Media with Gabael as in chapter 1 of this book. He told him that it was 10 talents of silver, about $60,000.USA dollars. He told Tobias to not be afraid, even though they seem poor. His wealth is with fearing God, staying away from sin, and being pleasing in the sight of God. Wealth is not just material things.

February 18, 2015

Tobit prepares for death (Tob 4:1-4:4)

“That same day, Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media. He said to himself. ‘Now I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias? I can explain to him about the money before I die.’ Then he called his son Tobias. When he came to him, he said.

‘My son,

When I die,

Give me a proper burial.

Honor your mother.  

Do not abandon her all the days of your life.

Do whatever pleases her.

Do not grieve her in anything.

Remember her, my son,

Because she faced many dangers for you

While you were in her womb.

When she dies,

Bury her beside me in the same grave.’”

Tobit continued his obsession with his death. He remembered the money he had left with Gabael in Media. He wanted to tell his son about this money before he died. When his son, Tobias, came to him, he told him that he wanted a proper burial. At the same time, he wanted his son to honor his mother. He wanted him not to give her much grief. There is no indication of his age so far, but you know how teenagers can be. On top of that, there is an indication that the pregnancy with him was difficult. Tobit wanted his wife to be buried in the same grave as himself.