Okay, so ready for another deep dive? Absolutely.
Always ready to jump in. Awesome. Well, today
we're looking at what it starts as this kind
of normal conversation about wages. Right. But
it takes a turn. You'll see, it gets really unexpected.
And we've got these excerpts from a pasted text
you shared. It's like a record of this conversation
between Tobit, his son Tobiah, and this guy who
went with Tobiah on this journey. Yep. That's
what we're diving into. We're going to try to
unpack it all. First, we got to understand the
whole money situation, like the initial agreement
they had, and then, well, there's this big surprise
reveal about just who this helper guy really
is. Yeah, it's a fascinating story. So we begin
with this practical part, you know, settling
up after a successful trip. Right, right. Tobit,
the father, he tells his son Tobiah to pay their
companion. He even suggests like giving him a
bonus. Yeah. Seems pretty standard, right? Like,
end of a job, pay the guy. Exactly. It's like
wrapping things up. But then Tobiah, whoa! He
goes above and beyond. He doesn't just offer
a payment. He offers half of everything they
brought back. Yeah, that's a huge offer. And
think about the reasons behind it. Safe trip
back. His wife is healed. They get their lost
money back. And his dad, Tobit, is healed too.
This is like gratitude on another level. It really
is. It makes you wonder, like... What was the
usual pay for something like this back then?
This is way beyond that. So, so much more. Like,
Tobiah really felt indebted to this guy. It wasn't
just about the money, it was about everything.
Yeah, it speaks volumes about how much he valued
the help he got. It wasn't just a business deal,
it was deeper than that. And for our listeners,
maybe this makes you think about how we see fair
pay today. How much do we value help? when we're
going through tough times. That's a great point.
Do we even think about it like that? It's worth
considering. And Tobit, the father, he agrees.
Half of everything seems fair to him, too. Don't
even argue, right? No, not at all. It's like
he understood how extraordinary this help was.
And Tobiah just lays it out there. Take half
of everything we brought back and farewell. Okay,
we're done here, right? You'd think so, but here's
where things change. This companion, the guy
who's been so crucial to their good fortune,
he asks to talk to Tobit and Tobaya privately.
Hmm, a little mysterious. What do you make of
that? Like why shift from a public thing to a
private meeting? It's definitely intriguing.
It's like he's signaling that there's more to
discuss, something beyond just the money. And
you're right. What he says in this private chat...
it goes way beyond any earthly payment. Right,
deeper. So this guy, we'll learn his name is
Raphael, he starts talking about their spiritual
obligations, his main message. They need to thank
God publicly for all the good things that happened.
It's not enough to just feel thankful in your
heart. You got to tell everyone. You got to give
God the credit openly and honestly. That's a
really interesting point. He's making a distinction,
right? It's like he's saying there are things
you keep secret and things you have to shout
from the rooftops. Yeah, I see what you mean.
Like, a king's secret should be kept secret.
But one must declare the works of God and give
thanks with due honor. That's how he puts it.
Exactly. And that contrast really makes you think,
why is it so important to him that they go public
with this? Well, maybe it's been inspiring others.
Like sharing how God worked in their lives could
give other people hope, strengthen their faith.
It's like a testimony. Right, like a living example.
Whereas a king's secret, well that probably has
to do with stuff where keeping quiet is important.
Like for political reasons or practical stuff,
you know. So different parts of life, different
roles, interesting. Definitely. Okay, but then
Raphael takes it a step further. He gives him
this advice, kind of like a guide for how to
live. Do good and evil will not overtake you.
Sounds simple, but there's a lot packed into
that, right? Oh, for sure. It's like, your actions
have consequences. Do good things, good things
will happen to you. For our listeners, maybe
this is a good time to think about your own lives,
what guides your choices. Yeah. What do you believe
about how actions and consequences are connected?
And he keeps going with this moral advice. He
says, prayer with fasting, and alms giving with
righteousness. Those are way more important than
wealth with wickedness. Like he's laying down
the law, you know, spiritual stuff, ethical stuff,
that comes first, way more important than getting
rich by doing bad things. And he really emphasizes
giving to those in need, alms giving. He says
it saves from death and purges all sin, and it
leads to a full life. Wow. He's not playing around.
This isn't just charity. It's like a spiritual
lifeline. It really makes you think about how
important these acts of giving were seen back
then. Like, they had real power, spiritual power.
And then there's that flip side. He warns them
that people who sin and do evil are their own
worst enemies. It's a reminder that we're responsible
for our actions. Definitely. We can't blame anyone
else. So we started with this talk about earthly
wages, right? And now we're in this deep discussion
about spiritual stuff. It's been quite a journey.
Yeah. And then Raphael drops this bombshell.
I shall now tell you the whole truth and conceal
nothing at all from you. Like, oh boy, here we
go. Talk about a turning point. What's going
through your mind when you hear that? Well, it's
clear that everything we've heard so far is about
to be flipped on its head. We're about to get
the real story. And then he connects it all back.
He talks about their prayers, about how Tobit
buried the dead, even when it was dangerous.
He says, It was I who presented the record of
your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and
likewise, whenever you used to bury the dead.
It's like, whoa, this guy's been watching. He's
been involved the whole time. And not just watching,
but actively presenting their prayers to God.
It's like this direct line between humans and
the divine. It's pretty powerful. Do you think,
you know, for our listeners, do you think our
acts of faith, our good deeds are noticed like
that? It's a question worth asking. Definitely.
And then the big reveal. Raphael was sent by
God to test Tobit and also to heal you and your
daughter in law, Sarah. This guy, he wasn't just
a travel buddy. He was like a divine agent. Right.
Like he had a mission from God. And then the
biggest reveal of all, I am Raphael, one of the
seven angels who stand and serve before the glory
of the Lord. It changes everything, doesn't it?
Seriously, one of the seven angels, that's a
huge deal. You're talking top tier immense power.
right there with God. Absolutely. And Tobit and
Tobiah, they're greatly shaken, the text says.
They fell prostrate in fear. Yeah, I can imagine.
Like, face to face with an angel. How would you
react? It's hard to even fathom. But Raphael
tells them, do not fear, peace be with you, bless
God now and forever. Even after that reveal,
he's still directing them back to God. Right.
It's not about worshiping him. It's about worshiping
God. And then he clarifies, I did this not of
my own will. but by God's will. He's making it
clear that he's an instrument of God's plan.
And then this detail, it gets me every time.
Even though you saw me eat and drink, I did not
eat or drink anything, what you were seeing was
a vision. So all that time, he was putting on
a show in a way that was all part of the plan.
Yeah, just amazing. Underscores his otherworldly
nature. He wasn't really one of them, not in
the earthly sense. It makes you question what
we think we know about reality, you know? What
we see isn't always the whole story. For sure.
And then his last instructions, bless the Lord
on earth and give thanks to God. Look, I am ascending
to the one who sent me, write down all that has
happened to you. He's going back and he wants
them to document everything. So why is that so
important, do you think? What's the purpose of
recording this whole experience? Well, it's like
a testament, right? Proof of God's actions, proof
that an angel was among them. And it's something
to share, to encourage others to help them keep
the faith. And for us, for our listeners, maybe
it's a reminder to think about our own lives.
Are we paying attention to the important moment,
maybe even writing them down? There's power in
remembering. And then just like that, he's gone,
ascends right before their eyes, and the impact
is lasting. Tobit and Tobiah, they keep praising
God, thanking him for everything that happened.
It makes a whole conversation about money at
the beginning seem so trivial. Right. Like, it
was just the setup for something much bigger.
Exactly. It's about faith, about divine intervention
and recognizing God's blessings even when we
don't see them coming. It makes you wonder, what's
happening in our lives that we might be misinterpreting?
What deeper meanings are we missing? So we went
from a simple money talk to a full -on encounter
with the divine. We saw human generosity, spiritual
guidance, and then bam! It was an angel all along.
Totally changes the perspective. This story reminds
us that sometimes the people who seem like ordinary
helpers might be something much more. It makes
you want to look beyond the surface to be open
to the possibility that there's more going on
than we realize. And on that note, here's a question
to ponder. If there are unseen forces at work
in our lives, how does that change how we act?
How does it affect our faith, our kindness? What
if we don't have all the answers? If the full
picture is hidden, can we still trust? Can we
still believe in something? beyond what we can
see. It's something to think about. Thanks for
joining us on this deep dive, everyone. Absolutely.
Until next time.