The book of Tobit and the story of this character along with his son Tobiah, are not in all versions of the Bible, this spiritual text is only accepted as a canonical book for Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
This book marks a great narrative similarity with the Book of Job, because these books show us that being good is not a guarantee that bad things will not happen.
Men have to be prepared for everything in this life, and these sacred texts are a clear demonstration of this, so when evil looms like a wall over God-fearing people, these characters left us a spiritual message, because what remains in front of this problem, is the humility of spirit and the final perseverance of the saints.
The book begins by telling us how Tobit lived in the land of Israel with his family, but then he was deported by the Assyrians to the city of Nineveh, where he served the tyrants Sennacherib and Asardon. And there, despite his deeds of piety he suffered persecution and was afraid for his life, the ancient Assyrian empire was famous for its cruelty.
The book continues with his story and tells us that Tobit suffered an accident that left him blind, so he had to live off his wife's work. And it was at this point that Tobit, faced with his affliction, made a terrible prayer, because as the sapiential books teach us: "Surely oppression drives the wise into madness" Ecclesiastes 7:7.
Tobit could not bear the oppression and misfortune anymore and asked God to take him from this life in his mercy. This prayer of Tobit shows that when the oppression is intense, it has extremely destructive effects on the human being; oppression and fury are surely the greatest enemies for a righteous man.
With these words Tobit addressed God:
"So now, deal with me as you please;
command my life breath to be taken from me,
that I may depart from the face of the earth and become dust.
It is better for me to die than to live,
because I have listened to undeserved reproaches,
and great is the grief within me.
Lord, command that I be released from such anguish;
let me go to my everlasting abode;
do not turn your face away from me, Lord.
For it is better for me to die
than to endure so much misery in life,
and to listen to such reproaches!" Tobit 3:6.
The book tells us that God heard Tobit's prayer, and he was cured of his sight and that he later lived a long life thanking God, but not before having demonstrated a great perseverance.
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