Tobit's End Time Prophecy

The story of Tobit fills in the gaps between the invasion of Israel by the Assyrians, whose capital is Nineveh, and the times when the Assyrians themselves is defeated by the Babylonians - whose king Nebuchadnez′zar is mentioned here.

Tobit lived to 158 years old and he warned his descendents to leave Nineveh because he believed Jonah's prophecy from God about the destruction of Nineveh is true. Tobias, son of Tobit, lived to 127 years old and heard of the destruction of Nineveh. So Tobias had obeyed his father and left Nineveh with is family, and settled in his father-in-laws place.

There was mention of alms giving and how effective of alms giving is, though this would be challenged by the Protestants. There was a story between the father and adopted son Nadab and Ahikar, where one led another into darkness, but in the end one was saved while the other fell.

Tobit also prophesied about the diaspora and the return of the Israelites. He also mentioned the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple in glory and the future era when all gentiles in the world would abandon their idols and come to worship at Jerusalem. These prophecies perhaps span across different time periods, including the rebuilding of the Temple, and later on the reign of our Lord Jesus on earth where every nation will gather in worship.





14 Tobit’s Final Counsel
 Here Tobit ended his words of praise. 2 He was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight, and after eight years he regained it. He gave alms, and he continued to fear the Lord God and to praise him. 3 When he had grown very old he called his son and grandsons, and said to him, “My son, take your sons; behold, I have grown old and am about to depart this life. 4 Go to Media, my son, for I fully believe what Jonah the prophet said about Nin′eveh, that it will be overthrown. But in Media there will be peace for a time. Our brethren will be scattered over the earth from the good land, and Jerusalem will be desolate. The house of God in it will be burned down and will be in ruins for a time. 5 But God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into their land; and they will rebuild the house of God,[a] though it will not be like the former one until the times of the age are completed. After this they will return from the places of their captivity, and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor. And the house of God will be rebuilt there with a glorious building for all generations for ever, just as the prophets said of it. 6 Then all the Gentiles will turn to fear the Lord God in truth, and will bury their idols. 7 All the Gentiles will praise the Lord, and his people will give thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt his people. And all who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice, showing mercy to our brethren.

8 “So now, my son, leave Nin′eveh, because what the prophet Jonah said will surely happen. 9 But keep the law and the commandments, and be merciful and just, so that it may be well with you. 10 Bury me properly, and your mother with me. And do not live in Nin′eveh any longer. See, my son, what Nadab[b] did to Ahi′kar who had reared him, how he brought him from light into darkness, and with what he repaid him. But Ahi′kar was saved, and the other received repayment as he himself went down into the darkness. Ahi′kar[c] gave alms and escaped the deathtrap which Nadab[d] had set for him; but Nadab[e] fell into the trap and perished. 11 So now, my children, consider what almsgiving accomplishes and how righteousness delivers.” As he said this he died in his bed. He was a hundred and fifty-eight years old; and Tobi′as[f] gave him a magnificent funeral. 12 And when Anna died he buried her with his father.

Death of Tobit and Anna
Then Tobi′as returned with his wife and his sons to Ecbat′ana, to Rag′uel his father-in-law. 13 He grew old with honor, and he gave his father-in-law and mother-in-law magnificent funerals. He inherited their property and that of his father Tobit. 14 He died in Ecbat′ana of Media at the age of a hundred and twenty-seven years. 15 But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nin′eveh, which Nebuchadnez′zar and Ahasu-e′rus had captured. Before his death he rejoiced over Nin′eveh.

Money recovered and Gabael blesses Tobias at his wedding

Tobias' unexpected wedding also meant that he could not fulfill his original mission of recovering his family's trust money from Gabael in Media. So Tobias made arrangements for Raphael to go instead and also invite Gabael to the wedding feast. Things went smoothly and Gabael released the trust money and also came to the wedding and blessed Tobias.


9 The Money Recovered
Then Tobi′as called Raph′ael and said to him, 2 “Brother Azari′as, take a servant and two camels with you and go to Gab′ael at Rages in Media and get the money for me; and bring him to the wedding feast. 3 For Rag′uel has sworn that I should not leave; 4 but my father is counting the days, and if I delay long he will be greatly distressed.” 5 So Raph′ael made the journey and stayed over night with Gab′ael. He gave him the receipt, and Gab′ael[a] brought out the money bags with their seals intact and gave them to him. 6 In the morning they both got up early and came to the wedding feast. And Gab′ael blessed Tobi′as and his wife.[b][c]

The angel Raph'ael accompanies Tobias

In the previous chapter we learned that Tobit is a God fearing man and wanted to instill the same on his son Tobias. In this chapter, preparation is made to send Tobias to reclaim his trust money from a man in Media. A few interesting things can be seen here. The trust is being held by a man living in Media. God send his angel Raph'ael to take this journey with Tobias. Tobit is concerned and wanted to ensure the travelling companion, comes from a good family. The currency of the land where Tobit lived is the drachma. Tobit gives the blessing "heaven will prosper your way" - so prosper is used more interchangeably with the word "blessing" in today's terms, rather than "prosperity". Tobit refers to his wife as sister.




Tobit 5 - The Angel Raph′ael
5 Then Tobi′as answered him, “Father, I will do everything that you have commanded me; 2 but how can I obtain the money when I do not know the man?” 3 Then Tobit gave him the receipt, and said to him, “Find a man to go with you and I will pay him wages as long as I live; and go and get the money.” 4 So he went to look for a man; and he found Raph′ael, who was an angel, 5 but Tobi′as[a] did not know it. Tobi′as[b] said to him, “Can you go with me to Rages in Media? Are you acquainted with that region?” 6 The angel replied, “I will go with you; I am familiar with the way, and I have stayed with our brother Gab′ael.” 7 Then Tobi′as said to him, “Wait for me, and I shall tell my father.” 8 And he said to him, “Go, and do not delay.” So he went in and said to his father, “I have found some one to go with me.” He said, “Call him to me, so that I may learn to what tribe he belongs, and whether he is a reliable man to go with you.”

9 So Tobi′as[c] invited him in; he entered and they greeted each other. 10 Then Tobit said to him, “My brother, to what tribe and family do you belong? Tell me.” 11 But he answered, “Are you looking for a tribe and a family or for a man whom you will pay to go with your son?” And Tobit said to him, “I should like to know, my brother, your people and your name.” 12 He replied, “I am Azari′as the son of the great Anani′as, one of your relatives.” 13 Then Tobit said to him, “You are welcome, my brother. Do not be angry with me because I tried to learn your tribe and family. You are a relative of mine, of a good and noble lineage. For I used to know Anani′as and Jathan, the sons of the great Shema′iah, when we went together to Jerusalem to worship and offered the first-born of our flocks and the tithes of our produce. They did not go astray in the error of our brethren. My brother, you come of good stock. 14 But tell me, what wages am I to pay you—a drachma a day, and expenses for yourself as for my son? 15 And besides, I will add to your wages if you both return safe and sound.” So they agreed to these terms.

16 Then he said to Tobi′as, “Get ready for the journey, and good success to you both.” So his son made the preparations for the journey. And his father said to him, “Go with this man; God who dwells in heaven will prosper your way, and may his angel attend you.” So they both went out and departed, and the young man’s dog was with them.

17 But Anna,[d] his mother, began to weep, and said to Tobit, “Why have you sent our child away? Is he not the staff of our hands as he goes in and out before us? 18 Do not add money to money, but consider it as rubbish as compared to our child. 19 For the life that is given to us by the Lord is enough for us.” 20 And Tobit said to her, “Do not worry, my sister; he will return safe and sound, and your eyes will see him. 21 For a good angel will go with him; his journey will be successful, and he will come back safe and sound.” 22 So she stopped weeping.

The Two Horns - they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the Male Goat is the kingdom of Greece

Daniel had a second vision, this time it was a vision of a ram and goat. The ram had two horns one larger than the other. It seemed that the ram represented a kingdom or empire and subdued other nations. Then a goat destroyed the ram and took over more land and became very powerful. The goat had one horn initially but that was broken and replaced with four horns. Out of the horns, a little one became more powerful than the rest.

The little horn also conquered Jerusalem, the Glorious Land. He is full of pride, exalting himself. He also causes great abomination by trampling on the holy place and removing the daily sacrifices. Then there seems to be an angel asking another angel how long the abomination will last and the answer was 2300 days.

One of the angel seemed to be Gabriel, who then spoke directly to Daniel to tell him that the vision concerns End Times. Whatever numerical calculations are done, the events of this vision have not been fully completed because the End Times is yet to come, hence the Historicist view is wrong. The 2300 days is equivalent to 6.3 years, which is too short, hence it must mean 2300 years - where a day is a year as stated in other parts of Scripture.

The visions are true prophecies since Daniel lived between 600-500 BC. Gabriel revealed the ram as the Media - Persian empire and the goat as the Greek empire which is clearly after Daniel's time. The Greek empire broke into four historically after Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC, well after Daniel's time and also after the time of the exiles in Babylon (some historians claim the prophecies are written by exiles in Babylon are not real prophecies).

The little horn cause abomination and trampled on the holy sanctuary - the Temple in Jerusalem. Many believe this to be Antiochus Epiphanes 215-164BC. However, Rome also ransacked Jerusalem about 70AD and in a sense, the Roman empire is the inheritor of the Greek empire which means Rome could well be the little horn. Hence the 2300 years could still be well into our future generations.



Daniel 8
Vision of a Ram and a Goat

1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.

5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.

8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”

14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days;[a] then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male goat is the kingdom[b] of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 “Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;[c]
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.[d]
26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.”
27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.

Mordecai in Position of Power in Persian Empire

Mordecai wielded his power for the good of his people. His position cannot be understated as he was effectively governing the whole Persian Empire for the King Ahasuerus. This is an example of the favour of God for His people - after years of captivity in Babylon, they were returned to Judah, and then they received favour from the empire which they lived in.



Esther 10

Mordecai’s Advancement

 1 And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea. 2 Now all the acts of his power and his might, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.[a]