Today, let’s zoom in on Sarah.
Imagine being a young woman, full of hope and dreams, ready to build a life with someone you love. Now imagine that dream turning into a nightmare, not once, but seven times. Sarah, the daughter of Reuel, living in Agbatanis (Ecbatana) in Media, faced a horrifying reality: each of her seven husbands died on their wedding night, before their marriage could ever be consummated.
Can you imagine the whispers, the stares, the judgments? It’s no wonder her own father’s maidservants mocked her relentlessly. They cruelly renamed her "Zarah" meaning "trouble." "It is not meet to call thee Sarah, but Zarah," they taunted, a constant reminder of her perceived curse. The Book of Tobit 3:8 says, "It would be good for thy parents that thou shouldest die for them, and that they see not of thee either son or daughter for ever." Harsh words indeed.
But what was causing this horrific string of deaths? It wasn’t just bad luck. According to the text, a demon named Asmodeus, the king of demons, was responsible. He was killing each husband before they could consummate the marriage. But why? The Book of Tobit doesn't tell us in this chapter, but we know that there's something supernatural at play here.
Think about the weight of that accusation. Sarah wasn't just grieving the loss of seven husbands; she was also being blamed for their deaths. "Why dost thou kill thine husbands, and beat us because of this evil matter?" one of the maids asks. Accusations of being cursed, of bringing misfortune upon everyone around her, would be crushing.
Sarah's story is a stark reminder of the power of societal pressure and the cruelty that can arise from fear and misunderstanding. It’s easy to judge and condemn when we don’t understand the full picture.
And while Sarah’s situation seems extreme, doesn't it resonate with the everyday challenges we all face? How often do we jump to conclusions about others based on limited information? How often do we blame the victim instead of seeking to understand the root cause of their suffering?
Sarah's story isn't just a tale from an ancient text. It's a mirror reflecting our own capacity for both compassion and cruelty. And as we'll see, it's also a story of resilience, faith, and the hope for redemption, even in the darkest of times.