Tobit is one of the seven books which Protestants omit from the Bible, and which they consider Apocrypha. But if you pay close attention, you’ll see that the New Testament proves Tobit to be prophetic. If you’re not familiar with the book, the short version is that the Archangel Raphael appears to Tobit disguised as a man. Eventually, he reveals himself in Tobit 12:15, saying,
“I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.”
Three verses prior, he explained that, “I can now tell you that when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented and read the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord.” This is prophetic in at least two ways:
- Look to how Gabriel introduces himself in Luke 1:19. He begins:
It’s a remarkably similar structure: the angel’s identity is defined by his standing before the Presence and Glory of the Lord. So Raphael is talking like an angel. But if this is uninspired Apocrypha, how would the writer know how angels described themselves? Tobit is the first example we have of this. It isn’t like the author of Tobit was just mimicking the Old Testament. Heck of a good guess!“I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God.”
- Raphael describes himself as one of seven angels ministering before the Lord. Nothing in Scripture up to this point says anything of the sort: Raphael is the first to reveal this. Yet the Book of Revelation affirms this: yes, there are seven angels who serve before the Throne of God (Revelation 8:2). Again, if Tobit is Apocrypha, how the heck did the author know the most intimate details about the Throne of God in Heaven, when they hadn’t been revealed previously?
So at two different points in the New Testament, we see confirmation of truths first revealed in the Book of Tobit. If that’s not prophetic, it’d be hard to point to anything which was. Given this, on what grounds can anyone deny the inspiration of the Book of Tobit?
EDIT: Just couldn’t help myself. Here’s Willie Nelson and Ray Charles, claiming the seven angels are Spanish, and can turn dead people into angels. Theologically sound? Not quite. Great song? You bet.
This was already one of my favorite books – for obvious reasons – and I appreciate having arguments to defend it. Thanks Joe!
P.S. The song’s not half-bad, either.
Glad found myself down this rabbit hole.thanks.
The word seven appears 36 times in Revelation so first we need to be confident that the number is to be taken literally and isn’t just a literary device because of the symbolic meaning of seven (e.g. is the seven spirits in Revelation 1:4 the Holy Spirit?)
but lets say there are seven angels who stand before the throne of God (Revelation 8:2), then who can say this concept did not come from 1 Enoch 20 instead:
Uriel (Suru’el), who is in charge of the world and over Tartarus
Raphael, who is over the spirits of men.
Reuel (Raguel), who takes vengeance on the world for the luminaries.
Michael, who is obedient in his benevolence over the people.
Sariel (Saraqa’el), who is set over the spirits of mankind who sin in the spirit.
Gabriel, who is over the paradise, the serpents and the cherubim.
Remiel, whom God set over those who rise
This is why we need quotations and not just allusions to narrow down the actual source.
We need to be able conclusively say the apostles were reading the apocrypha rather than a theoretical possibility, God bless.
Well, we can know for a fact the book of Enoch which is actually 5 different books can’t be inspired, because it claims to be written by Enoch, but was written around 300-100 BC. So other factors do have a play, but those (ones mentioned in this post) are important, and help it’s authenticity. The book of Tobit was written roughly around the same time, I should add that.
7 angels is a jewish tradition als found in the book of Enoch, if this is enough proof for canon, add Enoch in.
Well, we can know for a fact the book of Enoch which is actually 5 different books can’t be inspired, because it claims to be written by Enoch, but was written around 300-100 BC. So other factors do have a play, but those (ones mentioned in this post) are important, and help it’s authenticity. The book of Tobit was written roughly around the same time, I should add that.
I keep seeing comments about how because Enoch was written by a person then it can’t be inspired. Well that’s not true a lot of the Bible was written by people including the letters from Paul and all those are considered inspired. If Enoch isn’t considered inspired it can only be because of its content and weather or not it’s in line with the rest of the Bible accurately or not and weather it portrays the authentic character of god or not. It’s been a while since I’ve read Enoch so I can’t comment on specifics. But just because it’s written by a person or even the fact it didn’t make it into the Bible doesn’t mean it’s not inspired. There are many reasons some of the older books didn’t make it in but that reason I’m sure can be search. Or by simply reading it and seeing if it truly sounds inspired or not.