Tobias defeats the Demon and claims Sarah

The night of the wedding came and Tobias had followed Raphael's instructions carefully by burning the heart and liver of the animal to produce the incense. So the evil spirit did come to try to take the life of Tobias on the wedding night, as he did 7 times before. This time, because of the incense, he fled to Egypt and another interesting fact is that an angel caught the demon in Egypt.

We see two wonderful prayers of thanksgiving  in this chapter. The first prayer was by Tobias in the company of his wife. He praised and glorified God, and it was also a very appropriate wedding prayer by a man to God for giving him a wife. The second prayer was by Raguel, the father in law of Tobias, who was very thankful that Tobias survived. It seems that both Tobias and Sarah were the only children in their families. Raguel pledged to eventually give all his possessions to this new couple.





Tobit 8 - Tobias Routs the Demon
When they had finished eating, they escorted Tobi′as in to her. 2 As he went he remembered the words of Raph′ael, and he took the live ashes of incense and put the heart and liver of the fish upon them and made a smoke. 3 And when the demon smelled the odor he fled to the remotest parts of Egypt, and the angel bound him. 4 When the door was shut and the two were alone, Tobi′as got up from the bed and said, “Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy upon us.”[a] 5 And Tobi′as began to pray,

“Blessed art thou, O God of our fathers,
    and blessed be thy holy and glorious name for ever.
    Let the heavens and all thy creatures bless thee.
6 Thou madest Adam and gavest him Eve his wife
    as a helper and support.
    From them the race of mankind has sprung.
Thou didst say, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone;
    let us make a helper for him like himself.’
7 And now, O Lord, I am not taking this sister of mine because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that I may find mercy and may grow old together with her.” 8 And she said with him, “Amen.” 9 Then they both went to sleep for the night.

But Rag′uel arose and went and dug a grave, 10 with the thought, “Perhaps he too will die.” 11 Then Rag′uel went into his house 12 and said to his wife Edna, “Send one of the maids to see whether he is alive; and if he is not, let us bury him without any one knowing about it.” 13 So the maid opened the door and went in, and found them both asleep. 14 And she came out and told them that he was alive. 15 Then Rag′uel blessed God and said,

“Blessed art thou, O God, with every pure and holy blessing.
    Let thy saints and all thy creatures bless thee;
    let all thy angels and thy chosen people bless thee for ever.
16 Blessed art thou, because thou hast made me glad.
    It has not happened to me as I expected;
    but thou hast treated us according to thy great mercy.
17 Blessed art thou, because thou hast had compassion on two only children.
    Show them mercy, O Lord;
    and bring their lives to fulfilment in health and happiness and mercy.”
18 Then he ordered his servants to fill in the grave.

Wedding Feast
19 After this he gave a wedding feast for them which lasted fourteen days. 20 And before the days of the feast were over, Rag′uel declared by oath to Tobi′as[b] that he should not leave until the fourteen days of the wedding feast were ended, 21 that then he should take half of Rag′uel’s[c] property and return in safety to his father, and that the rest would be his “when my wife and I die.”

But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack

Paul commended the believers in Macedonia for their willingness to give for the ministry work. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to keep on doing the ministry work and it would also be advantageous to them. Paul explains the principle of sharing such that those who have a lot should contribute more and that those who have little will not be in lack. He is not advocating the same group of people supporting another same group of people. Instead people who can afford to support now may be in need of support in the future and vice versa. Paul also speaks very favourably of Titus and urges the Corinthians to give him full support.

 


2 Corinthians 8
Excel in Giving

1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive[a] the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6 So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

Christ Our Pattern

8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”[b]

Collection for the Judean Saints

16 But thanks be to God who puts[c] the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, 19 and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind, 20 avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— 21 providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence which we have in you. 23 If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore show to them, and[d] before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ

Paul seems to be in a sorrowful part of life when he wrote this letter to the Corinthians. He does not want his sorrow to be transferred to them and urged them to be joyful. He also reminds them the need for forgiving others who have offended them. The offenders would have faced punishment from others already, so we should not be increasing their sorrows but rather comfort them by first forgiving them and then reaffirming them. Otherwise unforgiveness is also a weapon which the enemy can use.




2 Corinthians 2

1 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?

Forgive the Offender

3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.

5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one[a] for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Triumph in Christ

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, as so many,[b] peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.