Tobit prays.
As befits a man in exile, he talks as much about suffering as about God’s mercy. But he puts his faith in Gog, hoping and believing that, since he has received small mercies from God, so he and his people will receive the largest mercy of all: return to their own land.
The day will come when God’s mercy will be complete and the people will be restored. Tobit has no doubt. It doesn’t sound like he believes that he himself will see that day, but God won’t be God if it doesn’t happen.
He envisions the new Jerusalem built with precious stones and gold - a far cry from the humble and difficult days of the real return, but this is a vision that never went away. John in his Revelation sees something similar, a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, beautifully adorned for her husband. The Jews were beginning to lift their eyes beyond the immediate, physical answer to their prayers, and believe in another world, a spiritual or heavenly fulfilment of their prayers.
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