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A Biblical Expose' of The Movies and Novel Trilogy,

The Lord of the Rings! 


 

copyright 2004 by Greg Nichols

 

Is God Found In The Lord Of The Rings?  Part 1

 What Hollywood Is not Saying!

copyright 2004 by Greg Nichols   

I am a real fan of the Lord of the Rings, and I have been since 1973.   I have been a Christian since 1982. For a while, after I was saved, I steered clear of the novels, as I felt that maybe they were not scriptural. About 1999, before any hint in my mind of a movie coming out, I ran across them and began to think on them again. One of the greatest experiences of my youth at 19 years old was reading The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. (4 novels) I also remember vividly what they taught me and how they made me feel.  I remember, at 19, as a young man not walking with God, that those novels made me want more character. The author, J.R.R. Tolkien, impacted me as an author very powerfully, and actually stirred some real creativity in me. I have always thought that I saw amazing genius in The Lord Of The Rings.  (LOTR) But are they anointed? Is God in them, or is Satan? Is the genius beyond Tolkien’s abilities?

 

Christians often bash things verbally before they know much about them. This modern society we live in has different kinds of culture, and we must really understand that culture, if we wish to reach society for Christ, without sinning. People love entertainment, through books and movies. Movies today are truly a cultural phenomenon. They have also become the national pastime.

 

The Bible says, “he that wins souls is wise.” The believer must ever so wisely approach our generation where they are at.  What do they love?  What do they understand?  What moves them?  God gave people emotions to enjoy things, and He gave them memory to keep those enjoyable moments.  God gave us eyes that behold beauty. He gave us ears to enjoy music. Many Christians might shudder to hear that I keep several CDs of Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison in my car. I love those CDs, and listen to them often. I like using my ears on things that sound good to me personally.  I believe God is in that.  God does not want us to be stuffy, or so narrow as a result of our salvations, that we miss much beauty of this natural world. We also offend unbelievers with these attitudes, and give them no reason to want the gospel of Jesus. The Lord of the Rings is a beautiful tale. It is a mystical and supernatural story.  If you judge it for surface issues, and are too critical, you might miss some powerful truths and something that is a gift to people of our time. 

 

“Greg, I have not seen these movies, nor have I read these novels, and I never intend to”.  That is alright, but you need to know about them. They are a cultural phenomenon. My son is invited next week to a Lord of the Rings birthday party for his best friend.  All the kids will be attending the newest movie out, no doubt for a 2nd or 3rd time.  LOTR toys and action figures will probably be the rage of the party. If you cannot read this because you know nothing of this trilogy, then rest assured, many of the people God has called you to witness to are seeing this movie and reading these novels and they are receiving them with much appreciation. What a shame if the hidden meanings I cover here are not pointed out to them.  They may need to be saved or touched by God. Your young people are ripe for the plucking by God as they view this trilogy. That becomes apparent as you read this.

 

The Lord Of The Rings is a golden opportunity to witness, or help people with oppression or discouragement if you read this, and share it with others.  Why? Because of the enormous popularity and following the movies and novels have, and because of the inner core value of the story and characters.

 

A Little Background

 

J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of TLOTR, was a professor of linguistics at Oxford University .  He was a Christian. He used to hang out with another Christian writer, C.S. Lewis.  Both of these men made their mark on the world. As the story goes, C.S. may have led Tolkien to the Lord.  They had a small club that met at the local pub and they were called the Inklings.  No doubt, they discussed manuscripts, and philosophy. Tolkien was in World War 1 as a young man, and he saw much death.  He was in the trenches, and he saw the friends he joined the army with all die. This probably affected his views and philosophy. Tolkien began his saga about Middle-Earth then, in 1917. He began recording a tale, and the existence of a fantasy Universe and world.   The characters were bigger than life. Heroics, honor and valor were important to Tolkien.  He wrote The Hobbit in 1937, and he wrote the trilogy beginning about that time, with the release of The Lord of The Rings about 1955.  The Lord of the Rings picks up where the Hobbit leaves off. The critical acclaim of Tolkien’s literary works has been huge, and his literary audience has grown to millions from 1955 to 2004.  But people don’t just read these works, they actually buy a ticket to Middle-Earth and they do not return until the novels are done. The reading of the novels is an adventure of a lifetime.

 

Back To The Modern Movie Version

 

The novel trilogy has been made into a 3 part movie called, The Lord of The Rings.  (LOTR) The current movie episode, The Return of the King, may get the biggest worldwide movie audience the world has ever seen.  Could Tolkien have imagined it?  Would he be pleased?  Box office records are being set, then DVD sales, then videos, then special editions, then action figures for kids, and the commercial list goes on and on.  Billions are being made.  New Line Cinema was brilliant to back the venture. Peter Jackson, the Director, did an outstanding job of interpreting Tolkien’s fantasy world.  But what are people running to the theatres to see? In these movies, there is no explicit s*e*xua*lity. There is no bad language. There is some violence, but no more than true biblical violence.  The violence is tastefully done. Men do not get subjected to the violence in these movies as much as the monstrous enemies, called Orcs, and other evil creatures.  Also, there is very little blood in these movies. I let my youngest son view the first episode at 9. He is now 11.  The important lessons of character in the trilogy far outweigh any violence he has seen in the trilogy. Just the same, the movies may not be appropriate for any kids below 10, unless they are already used to modern movies and high action, scary situations, and a little violence. If they are not, then they can wait a few years.

 

In The Lord of the Rings, (LOTR) the wizardry and magic is in a certain context.  Old men practice it, not children or the other main characters. Also, the world is not this world, but rather a fantasy world, so it is a far stretch to think that kids will think this story real, or any practice in it such as magic within their reach.  Tolkien has elves, dwarves, hobbits, men and all sorts of evil and hideous creatures.  That certainly is not reality, and that is quickly apparent to all viewers.  Therefore, the Christian may just relax, sit back for the ride, and enjoy. However, the next part here is very interesting. What is in TLOTR?  TLOTR seem to propagate ideas like courage, honor, persistence, love, humility, kindness and glimpses at human nature deeper than most people ever get to see.

 

Symbolic Or Allegorical?

 

To quote Tolkien: 

 

“But I cordially dislike allegory, in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thoughts and experience of readers. I think that many confuse ‘applicability’ with ‘allegory’ but one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other is the purposed domination of the author.”

 

It sounds like Tolkien had a pet peeve, and it is allegory, but he may actually just intellectually be mincing words. Even so, Tolkien believed in the freedom of the reader to interpret his writings.  “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty .”  Since Tolkien has said that the reader has freedom, I plan to take liberty in this writing.  For those of you who wish to stay true to Tolkien’s way of thinking, every time I use the word allegory, you can see the word ‘applicability’ instead.

 

Tolkien did not like allegory, and said he disliked it when he saw it. Tolkien insisted that the novels were not allegories of anything real.  OK, JRR, if that is what you say. Here is my problem with that. If a man creates a world, because of his creativity, he will create it according to his belief system. He will create it with his morals. If that man adheres to something like Christianity, then his fantasy world will have the influence of the deep things the man has learned about truth, and principles of higher kingdoms. Tolkien was a believer. He was moral, and he was full of beliefs about how men should be, not marred by sin. Tolkien knew evil, for he fought it in WW1. He knew death, and danger, from his time in war. Tolkien knew heroism and valor, and he knew fear and courage.  Tolkien was like this, and his writings are too. But what man knows his own heart? What man really objectively thinks he can totally understand his own vision in life, when he is trapped in a finite mind and subjective viewpoints about himself and his life’s work?  Isn’t art for the viewers, and not the author? Isn’t the judgment of such art for the critics and the audiences instead of the author? My opinion is that these novels of Tolkien are extremely symbolic and allegorical, even if Tolkien could not see it, or did not intend it.  A man’s vision can turn out much bigger than himself, and a man’s writing pen can be influenced by God, also. Then, he does not totally understand what he wrote or did as it plays out for the future. Tolkien probably never saw in his vision the movies, and he probably never saw the amazing world-wide popularity of his works outside of literature. But might God have seen it, as God made an end run and touchdown for the cause of Divine Truth, inside of Tolkien’s works?

 

 

The Characters

 

Elves

 

The elves in Tolkein’s works are immortal, while men are mortal. They are not like Santa’s elves, which are short and cute.  The elves are tall, powerful, wise and have great battle stealth. These tend to remind me of God’s angels. They are not as easily corrupted as men, and they are beautiful.  Who does not think God’s angels to be immortal, beautiful, good, powerful, wise, and less corruptible than men? Do you see the similarities? Although elves are intriguing in TLOTR, the story is really about men, and their future destinies. Elves are supportive at most. Legolas, the main elf of the story, is amazingly loyal to Aragorn, a man, and he is admiringly supportive of Aragorn. Legolas has many supernatural skills which he humbly uses in the service of his close friend and mentor, Aragorn. Might this seem like an analogy of an angel towards Christ? 

 

Elves cannot die from disease.  They can die violent deaths, and some do in the movies. But they are not subject to disease and thereby are considered immortal. Many of them in the story are over 3000 years old. This is an interesting scenario, and as I was watching the movies recently, I remembered an interesting fact from Christianity. This was also a characteristic of Jesus. He could not contract disease, but could die violently. I want to quote the late Christian writer, Andrew Murray: 

 

“The human part of Jesus could not be touched by sickness, because it remained holy.  We never find in the account of His life any mention of sickness.  Although experiencing all of our human weaknesses, - hunger, thirst, fatigue and sleep- because these things are not the consequences of sin, He still had no trace of sickness.  Sickness had no hold on Him because He was without sin. He could, therefore, only die a violent death (and that only by His voluntary consent)”. 

 

To find this principle in scripture about Jesus is interesting. Tolkien no doubt modeled this from the Bible. The elves are amazing in every way, but clearly not as amazing as Jesus Christ.

 

Sauron

 

This is the dark lord, who is depicted as an all seeing eye, in spirit form only, without a body.  He commands evil, distorted creatures, called Orcs.  Sauron is a picture of Satan, in my thinking, for the description of him matches Satan.  Sauron has set his sights on dominating Middle-Earth, and bringing all beings there into bondage and slavery. In an older work of Tolkien’s, called The Simarillion, Sauron was working with men, and was desirable to have around, but he was evil and tried to deceive, seduce and destroy men with his influence.  The Bible says Satan transforms himself into an angel of light so that he might deceive. 

 

Sauron lost his body, but cannot be killed permanently. Sauron to me in LOTR represents a cosmic war being played out, of good versus evil, and behind the scenes. People today do not believe in Satan, and they do not think him relevant.  As long as they are like that, Satan has an edge on them. God teaches that Satan is real and had better be taken seriously, just as seriously as LOTR ‘s characters take Sauron.  Evil prevails when good men do nothing. Go see LOTR and see what good men are willing to do to stop evil and preserve their world!

 

 

 

 

Gandalf

 

This wizard is a totally loveable character. He is old, and wise.  He loves Middle-Earth, and preserving the status quo.  He hates evil.  He wields a mighty sword, and he has supernatural power. Gandalf reminds me of a biblical prophet. Yes, he works magic, but at the time Tolkien wrote this, magic was more innocent.  Remember Mickey Mouse in Fantasia, and Merlin of The Sword In The Stone, and other Disney classics.  Gandalf’s magic may make believers wince, but his wisdom and understanding of evil and of life will make believers feel good. Gandalf understands destiny. He guides people, but let’s them choose their own way.  He hopes for the best, but does so in great humility. Gandalf has many Godly characteristics.  In movie 2, he does what appears exactly like a supernatural deliverance on a man from demons. It is extremely revealing of what goes on in demon possession.   Gandalf also appears to die, in movie 1, but is sent back to live again and help his comrades save Middle-Earth. Gandalf was known as Gandalf the Gray, but returns as Gandalf the White.  He returns with more power, and purpose. In this sense, he seems to me symbolic of Christ, who died saving his friends, but returned to life more powerful than ever. Even if the author intended no such symbolism, you must admit the scenario is suspect, and it makes great literature. If Tolkien did nothing else than to just imitate or copy scenes and subplots from the Bible, because of their beauty, he did the world a service. 

 

But do you think it coincidental that Gandalf, for his friends, went into the deep places of Middle-Earth, doing battle with darkness, fell into a pit, and slayed a huge demonic being, at the cost of his life?  In the Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf told Gimli, “I will not go there, to the mines of Moria, but will only go if there was no other way.”  Jesus also wanted the cup to pass from Him, but took it, seeing no other way.  He knew He would have to descend into hell, or into the pit, and do battle with pure evil after His death.  The Bible said He made a show of them openly.  Later, Jesus returns with white flowing robes and brilliant radiant light from a resurrection showing around Him.

 

Another interesting fact from the movie is that Gandalf also returned with light and splendor, and even rode a white horse. He returned at the most opportune time, when Middle-Earth was covered with darkness.  The Bible teaches that Jesus will come, riding on a white horse, at a very strategic time, as our world is covered in darkness, by a ploy of Satan and the anti-christ, to dominate the Earth.  Satan and the anti-christ are possibly also symbolized by Sauron and Saruman. 

 

Gandalf’s timely return appears symbolically like an apostle in the New Testament, whose job is to prep the believers for battle and to under-gird them in their destinies. Apostles are also known to work miracles in Christianity. Gandalf wields a staff like Moses and does miraculous wonders.

 

Gandalf said, after his death fall, “I have been sent back at the turn of the tide”.  The word “apostle” literally means “sent one”. So if Gandalf is such a possible Christian symbol, why did he have to be a wizard?  To exist in Middle-Earth, he could not wield the name of Jesus, or perform miracles like a believer or like Jesus, for Jesus is not God over Middle-Earth.  It does not exist.  Jesus is real and He is God over His Father’s real Creation. The only other way Gandalf could have power supernaturally is to be a wizard.  It is the only way the story can work. 

 

Another note about Gandalf is that he was inferior to his superior, Saruman, a white wizard, until he was transformed from gray wizard to white himself. This transformation is almost like the new birth taught in Christianity.  Regarding the gray to white change,  I have only seen this color scheme with regards to rank one other time, in the Bible.  We must respect and reverence the “hoary head” or white haired person.  The gray haired person might be 40-60, but the white haired person is 60-90.  God commands us to listen to, respect, reverence and care for the elderly. They truly have the most wisdom.  Modern society wants to shut the mouths of the elderly, put them aside, and they, the younger think they can do it better.  White hair scripturally rules and has rank over gray or blonde or black or brown hair, any day of the week in God’s eyes.  Honor for fathers and mothers, and grandparents, and in-laws, no matter what their age, is God’s mandate. It is too bad if it takes Gandalf the gray to show us that, but the lesson is heeded.

 

Lastly, Gandalf reminds me of a born again believer in another way. He wields supernatural power, and uses it at critical times, but he seems to not be able to rely on it to solve all the problems of Middle-Earth.  In fact, Gandalf uses his sword more than his magical staff, and he uses his mind and wisdom more than magic. This reminds me of principles God has taught me. We dwell in a natural world, but we have access to the supernatural at times through prayer. But most seasoned believers have found out that God does not want the miraculous to be a crutch that people lean on. The miracles are totally up to God, both their usage and their timing.  We do not command them at will.  It is according to scripture, as God wills. (1 Corinthians 12)  Many baby or immature Christians make claims that are not from God, overstating their own power, or the power of some person they admire in the Kingdom of God .  But we as believers do not have the power.  Only God has it, and it rests upon His Word, and His purposes. We get to use the power of God at times, but we cannot predict those times. Rather, we must rely on wisdom, natural ability, talents, and excellence of character at all times. This is also a work of God in us. Gut determination can sometimes be more of God than an outright miracle.  The fruit of the Spirit of God is more valuable than the gifts of charisma of God.  We must have excellence, and inspire our fellowman to excellence. God would have us live in a way that requires less of the miraculous, and more solidity in living. Gandalf is always where he is needed, but his help is usually wisdom, encouragement, bold fighting with his sword, and strategic maneuvering. He does not misuse his powers, almost as if he is not at liberty to according to the ways and rules of the creator of Middle-Earth.  Tolkien has shown us an amazing insight into the depths of Christianity here, and I expect that this lesson in LOTR might help many believers who are overly zealous finally get it, what their own supernatural power is all about, how to use it, and when to use it.  We are not to be “miracle junkies.” Believers must use prayer and their human spirits, their understanding, their faith and their relationships with God to grow as people, to become strong, to have character and love, and to overcome in life with their natural mind and body. The spirit, mind and the body can be more submitted to God over time, and less submitted to Satan.  As we pray, we grow and become stronger and wiser.  Wisdom then keeps us out of the position of always needing a miracle. Then, in dire circumstances, with much prayer, and humility, we can wield the supernatural power of God for ourselves or our fellowman, “at the turn of the tide” and deliver them. 

 

 

Orcs

 

Orcs are hideous creatures who walk like men, and look like a perverted type of man.  They seem to be like the demons taught about in the Bible. The word most similar is Orca, which means “killer” whale.  Orcs are beings that kill. According to the Tolkien world, they were elves who were tortured and mutilated and turned evil, using breeding and sinister design. If elves seem like a symbol of angels, then this fits, for there are a host of fallen angels that serve Satan, and are changed, and are in rebellion against God. This is biblical.  Fallen angels that were an object of God’s Creation now serve Satan. They attack man, created in God’s image. Orcs, who once were elves, serve Sauron.  The heroes of the books and movies do great damage to these Orcs, using swords, axes and bows. Might the sword be like the Word of God in believer’s mouths, and the slaying of Orcs symbolically be what we must do to Satan’s demons?   The heroes like Aragorn use great savagery to slay Orcs. Do we believers need a little savagery in our prayers as we battle darkness?

 

Tolkien Dwarves

 

Gimli the dwarf is loveable and comical in LOTR, but as a race, Tolkien dwarves are greedy, industrious, and keep to themselves.   They also hate elves, and are not fond of men. The trilogy seems to have an absolutely wonderful message against racism, as The Fellowship of The Ring launches a quest of magnificence that can only take unity in the races of Middle-Earth to achieve. This is also an absolute biblical truth, for Reverend Martin Luther King was speaking of God’s love and the unity of races, when his life was cut short. Tolkien wrote about this years before that. Heaven will be a place of absolute unity, and the Church of Jesus Christ today has many signs of this kind of unity in man and man’s races.

 

Dwarves are earthy, and they are miners. They love gold and jewels and stone. They represent fallen man and lust for things and money to me in TLOTR.  They are small in stature, but seem more stunted in their minds than in their physical size. Gimli is the big mouth of the group, and must be corrected and toned down by the others often.  Gimli also has a noble, brave and caring side which can come forth, when he wants it to, just as fallen man can find inner worth and these same inner values through Jesus Christ.

 

Hobbits

 

Hobbits love life.  They are little like children. They like food, good tobacco, a party, the pub, their hobbit holes, a warm fire, family, and they like to play.  Hobbits as Tolkien describes them remind me of the abundant life Jesus came to give mankind.  Hobbits are loyal, friendly, loving, humble, kind, brave, and resourceful. This description reminds me of believers. People who know God have these hobbit-like characteristics. I do not mean carnal believers who do not obey God, I mean believers who love God’s Word, do His will, and live in love and peacefulness.  There are many believers like that, and there should be many more. I know this Christian-Hobbit connection sounds like a stretch, but didn’t Jesus say we must come to God as or like a little child?  Of all the races of Middle-earth, only the simple hobbit seems to have no ambition of greater design inwardly and to be beyond the temptation of the one ring of power.  Only a hobbit can be trusted to bear the ring.   Hobbits seem to be separated by their natures from men or any other beings in Middle-Earth.  This is much like a Christian, in our world.  Hobbits can teach us a few things. Gandalf marvels constantly, and says things like, “just when you thought you knew all there was to know about hobbits, they will surprise you.”  The hobbit, which Tolkien invented as a creature of literature, is truly of genius design, and significant.

 

Saruman

 

The novels indicate this once good white wizard becomes seduced by Sauron, and deceived into following him. Saruman seems to think he can rule equally with Sauron, but Sauron is only using him.  Satan uses men in much the same way. Some rock stars, as an example, often are used by Satan to influence young people to suicide, or to encourage drug use or sexual sin.  Later, Satan kills and discards the rock star giving them no reward, but rather only eternal torment.  Saruman is a top general of Sauron. This union, which is highly portrayed in The Two Towers, seems like the beast and the false prophet of Revelations. The dark lord the beast, and the insane wizard the false prophet.  Saruman hates men, and wants to destroy them all. Saruman is corrupt, but is further corrupted by Sauron. Saruman represents someone like Hitler, who was corrupted by Satan.  He also represents evil men who rise up to dominate in the name of religion. Saruman is the embodiment of pride, ambition, and evil. Gandalf’s good nature gives us a picture of Saruman’s potential for good.  Gandalf has a good heart, but similar power. Both of them were created and given the same purpose. This seems to show how one person in our own world can be evil while another person can be good, even if they are similar people.

 

The Supreme Beings Of LOTR

 

Naturally, Jesus is not in TLOTR.  Tolkien created a totally fantastic world, not real, so the Creator as we know Him could not have created it.  Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are not characters in TLOTR.  This is OK, for the story only, because  Middle-Earth imitates our Earth, and Tolkien’s universe seems to parallel ours. But just as we have no elves or hobbits, Middle-earth does not share our gospel.  It is a fair exchange, made available by literary license. However, there is a creator in TLOTR. (small c)  That being’s name is Illuvitar, and the beings he created to carry out his will are called the Valar. These are revealed in Simarillion, an earlier work by Tolkien. Neither Illuvitar nor the Valar are mentioned much in TLOTR, just as God and the Holy Trinity are not mentioned much or appear as characters in Christian novels. What really would they say? What would they speak of, as beings so far above people on Earth?  Most authors do not want to go there, and cheapen their characters.

 

While we in our real world try as we may to convince modern man that we are a created Universe, Tolkien assumes it for Middle-Earth in a very matter of fact way. Middle-Earth is a creation, and it is nice to know the characters such as Gandalf, Frodo and Aragorn know that they are created, and that they are helped by a Divine character,  and that they are not alone in their fight against evil. Those characters seem to have more insight than many people in our real world, as many real people do not think they are created, or that there is a God.  The supreme being of Middle-Earth is also not easily apparent, except in nature, but rather is spirit, and invisible, like our God. It is possible to anger the supreme being of Middle-Earth, but then his judgment is handed out by natural events, and through sowing and reaping, much like our Earth.

 

The traits that the good characters have in our saga are love, courage, honor, self sacrifice, kindness, mercy, grace and hope and faith.  It appears that the supreme being of TLOTR is modeled after the God of Christianity, in his character traits.

 

Heavenly Locations In LOTR

 

The elves came from Valinor, also known as the undying lands. They are returning to Valinor, during our saga. Valinor seems to be like Heaven, where the angels come and go from quite regularly.  Rivendell, the home of King Elrond and elves, seems also to be an indescribably beautiful place, like Heaven. Every sense is satisfied there. There is harmony there, and peace.   If elves are like angels in Tolkien’s writings, then their true and final home, Valinor, might be like Heaven, the real home of God’s angels. Rivendell also seems to be a model of Heaven.

 

Next, in issue 2, we will cover more characters, such as Sam, Arwen, Merry and Pippin, Frodo, Gollum, Borimir and Farimir, Aragorn, and, we will cover the one ring of power, and the main plot of The Lord of The Rings. You will not want to miss it, as it pulls this 1st part together, and reveals a possible hidden purpose to all the excitement and hype of LOTR.

 

 

End of Part 1

 

 


 
What Hollywood is not saying about  The Lord Of The Rings!    Part 2  
 

 "He that winneth souls is wise."

Greg Nichols

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Is God Found In The Lord Of The Rings? 

 What Hollywood Is not Saying!

copyright 2004 by Greg Nichols  

 

Why did I write this about The Lord of the Rings? Why be interested and compare the story to Biblical concepts?  A friend told me that I should not recommend the movies.  I am not by any means recommending the movies or books. I do however like them and enjoy them myself. What I am doing is pointing to the principles in the trilogy with much excitement and enthusiasm. The movies need no recommendation. Millions have seen them, millions more will see them with or without recommendation, and no one can stop people from seeing these movies. My calling is to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will use any means available to do that. If The Lord of the Rings helps people to see Divine truth, by me pointing it out to them, after they have seen the movies, then that is the heart of the matter.

 

I am convinced that J.R.R. Tolkien was a born again man.  Jesus said that unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God .  (John 3:3)  To see the Kingdom, one must be born again. I did not say that, Jesus did. If you cannot accept this phrase, because your denomination does not teach or believe that, take it up with Jesus. To see the truths of the Kingdom, one must be born again. To see the beauty of the Kingdom of God , one must be born again.  To see ourselves, in our true sinful flesh, and the intricate workings of God’s great redemption, and how the Kingdom benefits us, one must be born again.  To see and understand God in His real glory, and all His power, one must be born again.  To enter Heaven finally, one must be born again. The Lord of the Rings, with all its deep reflections and understanding of the human condition, and of Godly symbolic situations and principles, seems to indicate that the author had to be born again.

 

As director of White Fields Ministries, my job is to spot white fields of harvest for the gospel, and extract what God can use to reveal His Truth and Love. The Lord of the Rings world audience is a huge white field of harvest.  God wants to help people. God loves people. If people cannot see or hear God in nature, or in their hearts, or from believers, then God will come to them in subtle ways to open them up. People have a shell of flesh over their hearts and minds that keep God out.  That shell needs to be broken down. People need a God-awareness inside. Why?  So that they might receive Jesus Christ once and for all time, to the saving of their eternal souls.  The sin issue on this planet is not solved for all people. It is only solved for some. Provision of salvation and forgiveness has been made for all, but many reject God’s great salvation. One by one, each human must deal with sin and work out God’s great redemption which He has provided.  People are needy.  Some are in deep bondage of drugs, or alcohol or sexual addiction. Others are caught in crimes, or gangs, or bad marriages, or are being abused.  Many men and women are trapped in mindsets brought on by childhood and past experiences, and they have no idea who they are or what they are. Sin, with all its trappings of pride, arrogance, pretense, lack of self worth and self loathing, is running the human condition.  We can dress up sin, or mask it over, and say it is not that prevalent, but this is a satanic lie.  As sin dominates the planet, then the fruit of sin, pain, also is in great abundance on this Earth. The enormous pain of humanity is increasing more every year.  God has made a provision for sin, and made a way out, and a way of deliverance from sin and pain, through Jesus Christ. The answer to the world’s condition is in a person, who is God, and man.  Jesus is both God and man.  He will remove sin, and heal pain. Do not tell me that writings like this one about TLOTR are not needed.  Jesus is trying to shine through many vehicles and avenues on this Earth, for the good of God’s love creation, - mankind!

 

The One Ring of Power

 

The one ring of power is the crux of the story. The main characters of the story, and, all beings of Middle-Earth, must deal with the issue of the one ring of power. This ring seems to me to represent sin.  The evil dark lord Sauron made it and poured his malice and cruelty into it, almost giving it a life of its own. There is an old saying: “sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, and it will keep you longer there than you wanted to stay.”   Isildur, Gollum, Bilbo and Frodo seem to all have found that out.  In the trilogy, the ring must be destroyed. The Bible teaches that we must destroy sin before it destroys us.  We put sin to death.  We crucify it.  If not, it can kill us.  The one ring seems to cover the whole myriad of colors and shades and degrees of sin, from lust of it, to simple addiction, to deep, dark bondage and demonic possession.   

 

All men want the one ring.  With it, they feel they can rule and have power and defeat Sauron.  With the ring, Sauron can defeat all men. So the ring is sought by all, and is deadly and a killer in the wrong hands.  Gandalf and Galadriel and Aragorn are too wise to even touch the ring. It seems the more power a person in Middle-Earth has, the more havoc the ring can create in their hands.  It is interesting to note that the inherent desire to possess the ring is in each person, even before it beckons to them itself.  The ring is evil, itself, and tempts, but each person, no matter how good, is easily tempted by their own desires also. This seems like and sounds like the biblical revelation of human flesh, with its original sin and weakness inside, built into us by human birth. When we are tempted, we are led away by our own flesh, or, by higher evil with temptation from outside ourselves. Therefore, temptation to sin comes from within and without of an individual. Tolkien has shown an abnormal knowledge and intelligence about human nature, sin and evil.  It is the kind of wisdom the world can applaud and say, I see that, but in no way can normal man see it apart from being shown it in a skillful manner.  I believe Tolkien needed God and Godly revelation to create this very complex and yet simple truth about the ring.

 

Bilbo first exhibits the addiction to the ring in the trilogy. The ring is beautiful.  He loves to finger it and feel it. It has power and makes him feel he is more than he really is.  It helps him become invisible.  Sin is pleasurable for a season. But then its true nature is revealed. Sin comes in the form of a desirable thing, only to find it is a killer in disguise.  Isildur obtained the ring from Sauron. He began to call it “Precious” and he loved it. It caused his death.  Gollum’s brother found the ring, and Gollum killed him for it, and the ring, which he deemed “precious” actually began to suck the very life out of him in a slow form of death over many years. Gollum to me represents a person in deep bondage of sin, where his very identity is lost under the mire of depravity. The line of the old hymn, Amazing Grace, “to save a wretch like me” is significant here.  Many children brought up in the church do not know what a sinful wretch is.  I dare say many of us have never seen a true wretch of sin. But Gollum is a wretch. He disgusts everyone. Faramir says he has an ill favored look. Sam says there is nothing left in him but lies and deceit. Frodo can see what they are saying but pities Gollum. Frodo is hooked on the same substance as Gollum, - the ring.  “There but for the grace of God go I.” Frodo understands Gollum, and is the only one in Middle-Earth to show him kindness and call him by his real name, “Smeagol.”   Gollum said, “what did you call me?” He was astounded for he himself had forgotten his origins, and his original name. If you ever want to help anyone in bondage, call them by their true name, and remind them of where they came from.  Look through the sin and look into their heart, and see potential. Remind them of the day they were normal, and let them know there is hope for them to be whole again. Just maybe, they will find their way back. Frodo seems to have the heart of Jesus in this matter, who is the guide back to normalcy and wholeness in our own world.

 

Bilbo is like a recovered alcoholic. He cannot even touch the ring, for it will be his undoing.  He exhibits a demon like thrust for the ring, as Frodo draws back. In a moment, he is sane again. It has been a long time, and he cannot forget the pull of the ring.   Frodo, the current ring bearer, is like a person who is an alcoholic, or drug dependent person. Maybe it is also like a sexual addiction. The ring makes him feel better. He fingers it and plays with it, in a compulsive way, much like a person in a compulsive addiction. However, the sense of feeling better is short-lived, and he must pull the ring out again and look on it, or feel it some more. The ring is killing Frodo. It is heavier each day. Frodo becomes angry at people like Sam who suggest he is taken with the ring.  Addicts who are not ready to surrender their addictions show the same anger at their good intentioned loved ones.  But whether a person is addicted to pornography, or sexual lust, or food, or drugs or alcohol, or any other thing, they are trapped in sinful bondage. The addiction is slowly pulling the substance of character right out of them, and replacing it with dark mood swings and genuine self loathing.

 

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God., for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he himself tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.” James 1: 13-15

 

Sauron made the one ring, much like the Bible teaches that Satan was the originator of sin.  The one ring and Sauron belong together, they are alike. Anyone else who has possessed the ring did not mix with it. It was not like them, it was foreign. They were not totally corrupt until they possessed the ring.   Mankind in our real world was not born for sin, it is foreign to man. As we embrace it, we are dabbling with something that is from Satan, and not from God. Sin is foreign, but can wear us down and become part of us and turn us into less than normal creatures if we indulge in it.

 

 

 

 

 

Samwise Gamgee

 

Sam is the true friend, that sticks closer than a brother. Sam is the proverbial 2nd in combat, the one who serves and assists the person he perceives is greater than himself.  Like Elijah and Elisha, the Bible is loaded with instances of servant-hood, and assistance.  Sam is the true servant, like Christ. Sam upholds Frodo as Aaron did Moses. Sam and Frodo go out in two, the way Jesus preferred His disciples go.  There is a special power in two.  Paul and Silas, Paul and Timothy, Peter and John,  and many more examples show that this is a Bible principle. Sam is a true picture of how we should serve one another in this earth, and in our lives.  First, there is the respect that both Frodo and Sam have for one another. Then, there is the love. Finally, there is the loyalty. “No greater love has no man than he that lays down his life for his friends.”  That by the way was Jesus who said that.

 

Sam rises up to great valor, and courage, but this is inspired by loyalty and love, for his friend and superior whom he serves. Many will say Frodo saved the day, but might Tolkien be showing us that those who take bows for greatness are surrounded by great subordinates who really deserve equal credit? Sam truly is a hero in TLOTR. He is the picture of focus and determination, to stand by his friend. 

 

Arwen

 

This elf princess is very interesting in symbolism. As Frodo is dying, she asks for the grace that is in her to go into Frodo.  This is a way Jesus and the disciples and many others heal people in Christianity. The very Elven tongue and language sounds strangely familiar like Pentecostal tongues.  Arwen commands a river to swallow up 9 ring-wraiths, who are evil beings of Sauron.   Before she does so, she began to speak it forth, in a strange tongue, and the principle seems much like the one Jesus used when he calmed the sea.  Whether she symbolizes an angel, or a believer, or Jesus, she is a very good part of the story.  Note that in those early days in the 1930’s to the 1950’s, and as far back as 1917, Tolkien did not mind letting women be heroines, and showed a progressive equality of the sexes, even as the New Testament of the Bible teaches. In Christ, there is neither male nor female.

 

Merry and Pippin

 

Merry and Pippin add a humor element to the movies, and are quite fun in this saga. These two suddenly find themselves in way over their heads. They are hobbits who love life. They love to goof off, and do mischief that is harmless, and they love the Shire, their home. But the world has changed, and they must muster up courage and strength to do their part.  As they venture into the dangers of Middle-Earth, they keep remembering that they don’t have to be main players in the drama, but rather they could just go back to the Shire and have a good time at life.  But in their hearts, they are compelled to accompany the ring bearer, and to do their small parts, which end up being very big parts in the story. Would all of us like our world the way it was in the 1950s or 1960s?  Did we ever dream of suicide bombers, and some persons declaring death to their religious enemies?  Did we dream of terrorists, and that kind of evil? Yet this is our world, and like Merry and Pippin, we must keep our innocence and become wise above our years at the same time.  Merry and Pippin are also faithful like Sam, and are great examples of the quality of hobbits in Tolkien’s world.  Like Merry and Pippin, every believer in Christ must realize they have a role in the drama of the redemption of mankind, and they can do their parts, no matter how seemingly small. An amazing scene is the 4 hobbits receiving honor for their contributions to the accomplishments of the races of Middle-Earth. These are not beings that were likely to do anything. In Heaven, Jesus will stand, as the Bible says He stood in Heaven at the stoning of Stephen, the martyr. Why will He arise from His throne at the right hand of God the Father, to stand?  Because seeming insignificant prayer warriors who turned the tide for events on Earth, who might have been in the form of little elderly ladies while on Earth, will be deserving of such great honor, that Christ will stand to give them honor and recognition before all the greats of Christianity. 

 

“And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to the part which lacks it.. “ 1 Corinthians 12: 23-24

 

As you can see, Tolkien touched on a principle which only exists in God’s Kingdom, and is not practiced by men on Earth apart from them having God given revelation. Where did Tolkien get this? He, a British person, did not see this in the royals. This was not and is not the practice at Oxford University . Tolkien got this concept from God, through scripture. It is beautiful, and deep. It is one of many things that makes this story lovely, and inspiring.  The hobbits, Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin all seem to represent the less honorable who God might honor. They are like Christians who do their parts in the Kingdom of God without apparent reward.

 

Frodo

 

Frodo is very complex, both in the movie and in the novels.  He is a true hobbit, by definition. He has great quality, but he is wrung out in the biggest test that his world has ever seen. Jesus also was wrung out and agonized in the biggest test our world has ever seen.  Frodo agonizes with his duty and quest. He wants to quit many times. He knows what is right, but has trouble doing it. He hates it when he is bad, but the ring has control over him, and try as he may, he cannot be in control, without help from Sam.   Does this sound like scripture?  Paul in scripture says that the sin in his members causes him to do the things he would not do, or to not do the things he should. Only Christ can save Paul from his body of sin.  Frodo’s only hope is to destroy the ring. If the ring is gone, Frodo may be free. Jesus came to destroy sin. Sin in our lives literally gets destroyed and is gone. 

 

Frodo’s mission to be a ring bearer in my mind makes him a symbol of Christ.  Jesus agonized in the garden of Gethsemane .  He did not want to bear the sin of the world, but he did want to do it in the way of love and self sacrifice.  Love won the day.  If the ring symbolizes sin, then he who has to bear the ring is like He who bore sin.  For his brethren, for Middle-Earth, for the Shire, and for his friends, Frodo is bearing the ring, which may cost him his life. As Frodo goes down the road as ring bearer, he loses himself, and the ring has more dominance.  On the cross, Jesus got lost while he became sin for us.   Jesus was literally forsaken by His Father in Heaven, for a time. Listen to these words by Andrew Murray who is worth quoting again: 

 

“Sin was not found in Him, but was put on Him. He took it voluntarily. It is because He bore it, and in bearing it, put an end to it, that He has the power to save us.”  

 

Those words by Andrew Murray about Jesus could have been written about Frodo, the ring-bearer.  The ring-bearer was very much like the sin bearer. Tolkien again is drawing on scriptural ideas, to write his novels.

 

Frodo does not seem to be large enough or strong enough to save Middle-Earth. What value is a single small hobbit anyway? Those simple creatures cannot possibly have the whole destiny of the world on their shoulders. But Tolkien makes sure that readers and movie goers see that the biggest job in the world can be carried out by the most unlikely of heroes.  A statesman did not save our world from sin, a carpenter did it. He was not born in Rome , He was born in Bethlehem .  He was not born in a palace, He was born in a stable. He did not think himself great, God thought He was great.  He conquered by humility, not by might. He resisted sin, and could conquer in life because He resisted sin. I am talking about Jesus, but I could easily be talking about Frodo in the trilogy. Gandalf said, “Frodo, Bilbo was meant to find the ring, and therefore you were meant to have it, and this is a very comforting thought.”  Divine destinies are meant to be. Jesus had one, and you have a destiny too. No matter how small you are, you have a destiny in the world that you must fulfill.  LOTR has wonderful lessons of destiny – Divine destiny. 

 

Galadriel and others speak about Frodo being a ring-bearer.  They speak as though that position already existed.  "The path of a ring-bearer is a lonely one."  How many ring bearers have there been? What does she mean, a ring bearer?  Frodo is the ring bearer.  There is no generic job title called ring bearer, yet she speaks like there is such a position.  Can you see 15 young guys lined up with resumes to be the "ring bearer?" The truth is, Middle-Earth has never had or needed a ring bearer before, and after the current quest, it will never need one again.  Right?  The reference to a position of "ring bearer" is destiny talk.  Someday, because of historical events and circumstances in Middle-Earth,  someone would have to be the "ring bearer."  Frodo seems pre-selected, but must also have a choice to do it or not.  It would not be proper in the greater scheme of things for Frodo to have no choice.  Only by his freewill can he perform the task.  Now you can see a great Divine truth.  Because of the past of mankind in our real Earth, someone one day would have to be the sin bearer.  It would be a pre-selected person, but that person would have to come to it on their own, with a choice.  That was Jesus.  The only legal way for Jesus to save man in God's eyes was to do so willingly, as an act of freewill, through obedience.  Only one could be the sin bearer.  As the sin bearer, He would also be the "Redeemer."  As sin bearer, He then would also be "Savior."  What Middle-Earth owed Frodo in no way compares to what we on Earth owe Jesus Christ, the Lord of All!  Sin is so much worse than the one ring.  We are all clean who accept this great gift of sin bearing.  I am clean, are you?  Have you asked for it?  It is free, we have a free coupon, it is called "the Blood of Christ." 

 

I guess the biggest and most final lesson about Frodo is this: if you persist, you will win. Persistence, which is part of God’s character, is needed to win in life. I do not care if you must crawl the last mile like Frodo, you must persist in life. What circumstance are you in right now that you could show more persistence in?  Go do it.  If you do not quit, you will prevail.  Hope, patience and persistence.  Pray for these and God will give you more than you need.

 

 

 

 

Gollum

 

This person makes the whole story. He is all of us and none of us at the same time. He was normal until he tried forbidden fruit, the ring. He now is consumed with the ring, the object of his sin. He lies and cheats to obtain his own agenda, which is to be re-united with the ring.  In his desperate quest to get the ring back, he has forgotten what it means to be human.  He eats raw meat, and has lowered his standards in life way below what they once were.  He is also quite insane, speaking with himself, constantly, and one side desiring right, the other side of his personality driving him to evil.  This to me seems like our conscience, put in us by God, and our unredeemed flesh, which is ruled by Satan, the god of this world. Gollum, with all of his issues, is crucial to the story, and the solution, and it becomes clear why he was not killed earlier, by the end.  This is like the words in scripture that Joseph told his brethren, “what was meant for evil against him (Joseph) was actually used by God for good, and the good of all.” Gollum actually has an evil design on Frodo, but in the end, is used for good, and the good of all.

 

Gollum’s story is lonely and sad, and tragic. Gollum actually committed murder earlier on in life, and his tragic life was no doubt due to sowing and reaping, a scriptural principle.  Cain killed his brother Abel, just as Smeagol killed his brother. Cain received a mark, and a curse, which he bore the rest of his life.  No curse or mark can exceed Gollum’s plight, who seems to show a new level of depravity and misery. In spite of his disgusting appearance, movie viewers find Gollum almost likable, as he touches the heart with a faint glimmer of humanity showing through.

 

 

Faramir

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boromir & Faramir

 

These two brothers are very interesting. They have several scriptural parallels. Boromir had a huge heart issue, and he was the favorite of his father.  Faramir had a good heart, and he was looked down upon by his father. There are many brothers in scriptures with similar scenarios. Some are Absolom and Solomon, Jacob and Esau, Cain and Abel, and the prodigal son and his brother. In that parable, one had the father’s concern and blessing who didn’t deserve it, and the other was discontent by the father’s choices.  Boromir and Faramir both live in a way that indicates they must both please their father at any cost. But in the end, Faramir, the younger and the one belittled by the father, has the power to resist what Boromir did not, at the risk of his father’s anger. Boromir represents the weakness in all men of Middle-Earth, as they crave power and are easily deceived by power and evil. That is very much like men of our world, who crave power, and are very deceived by it, and by evil. Once in a while, God has some men who cannot be bought, or who see the truth before it is too late. This is like Faramir. Faramir is somewhat like Aragorn. No doubt, being in his brother’s shadow carved some character in him, and helped him to have a more introspective mindset, so that he might see through a dangerous temptation.

 

At a critical scene, as Boromir is speaking with Frodo, he is reasoning with Frodo about the ring, and another possible way to use it instead of destroying it. Frodo says, “I know this seems right to you, but it is not right.  I feel in my heart that it cannot be.” Isn’t it the way of things, that sometimes, and often, mental reason is wrong and the heart is right? This is scriptural and correct, and God’s way. Christians are meant to listen to their hearts instead of their heads.  In the world, many say, “quit listening to your heart and listen to your head."  But after salvation, a believer’s heart has more discernment than their head.  They also have more discernment than all the heads of unbelievers. That is because God resides in a believer’s heart and gives keen guidance.  Many men seem trapped in reason, and cannot listen to their hearts.   As soon as Boromir made his bid for the ring, he saw the error of his mind, and was sorrowful by what he knew in his heart. But it was too late.  Boromir's intentions were good, but his way was not. His pride was his undoing. The scripture says, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end is death.”

 

Aragorn – Our Last Character

 

This character is the last one mentioned here, and should be last. This is an amazing character created by Tolkien. Aragorn is similar, but in some ways, very different than Boromir.  He is brave and noble. He is humble.  He is wise and kind.  He is valiant and mighty in battle. He is the King, but not on his throne yet.  He is a wanderer, and he goes by the name Strider. He is what they call a ranger, and he is skilled in the wilds and the outdoors, in tracking and in war. He is unkempt and rough looking, and not refined. He has learned to be cunning and he has learned to fight, and being raised by elves, he speaks elvish. He is in love with an elf princess, Arwen. He is very loyal to her, even when another woman makes overtures to him. This character is a cut above most Hollywood heroes.  You like him, and you trust him.  He is the king of Gondor, but not on his throne. He does not seem to mind, for he is a content person. He is happy with himself.  He is favored by the Valar, the Godlike beings over Middle-Earth.  In the Bible, David was called a man after God's own heart.  Aragorn and King David have many similarities.  Aragorn is very humble, and that seems to make a good king. In the novel, when Gandalf is telling Frodo how to find Aragorn, he gives him a poem. This poem of Tolkien’s says much about Aragorn. This poem could actually have been written about Jesus. Just read it.

 

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost, the old that is strong does not whither, deep roots are not reached by the frost; from the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring, renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”

 

Much of it is a close parallel.  A lowly unrecognized King wanders around doing good, and protecting the innocent.  He is humble, and does not appear to be royal in appearance.  He lives under the stars at times, and all the while knows a great destiny awaits him.  He does damage to the evil enemy's servants whenever he can. He is very wise, and he travels with just a few who know his true identity.  Again, who am I talking about, Aragorn, or Jesus? 

 

Aragorn may also be modeled by Tolkien after King David, who wandered and lived out of caves with a handful of faithful men for many years. David was humble, kind, and had great character.  David acted like an equal to his men, and honored them, and this made them love him all the more. David's men began as disgruntled criminals and were reformed gradually by the man of God, David.  They became "David's Mighty Men."  Although theologically, David is supposed to be God’s symbolic representation of Jesus the King who would come later, he did differ from Jesus in one big way.  David wielded a sword and was a warrior, who killed opponents, much like Aragorn.  He also loved women.  So if you have trouble bridging the gap between Aragorn and Jesus, then simply compare Aragorn with David of the Bible, and the gap is bridged to Jesus.  In any case, there are 3 kings from Biblical and non-Biblical literature who were not on their rightful thrones for a time, until the proper timing came. They are Jesus, David and Aragorn. See the parallels?

 

Tolkien did not want the 3rd book to be called Return of The King.”  He had another name, but the publisher insisted on that name. I might suggest that that name is proper and is symbolic of the main Christian theme that Jesus Christ is a soon returning King!  The publisher in the 1950’s got their way, and movie goers all over the world in 2004 are attending the release of a movie about a wayward king, coming to his rightful throne, in a movie called “Return of the King,” just a short time before the return of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.  Is this a Divine set up?  Is there a reason why Peter Jackson, who has not made the best movies in the past, brought forth such a wholesome, well done trilogy, years in the making, and interpreted the novels very well and exactly like the Tolkien world? This was a labor of love for Peter Jackson. He was very precise and doggedly determined to get the movies right. In the past, he made a few horror films.  He currently is going to remake King Kong. This glitch of genius on Jackson ’s part seems out of place, unless a Divine hand is involved. How else can it be explained?  Did God give us a Divine signpost here as we go down the precarious path to eternity?  If you see what I am saying, are you right with God, and His Son Jesus, the soon returning King of everything?  Do you know how simple it is to just yield your heart to Jesus, once and for all?

 

A few points about Aragorn reveal more insights. He was one man who could resist the ring. He released Frodo to his calling without making a bid for the ring of power.  He, by all rights could have tried to take it and use it, for he would be king soon, and the biggest threat to Sauron.  In that final battle scene, Sauron taunted Aragorn openly, before both armies.  How sweet would it have been if he could have slipped on the ring and defeated Sauron there!  No!  It was the right way or death.  But do not use the enemy's ways.What self control he showed. Jesus was tempted in all points as we are tempted, and yet did not sin.  In the 3 different temptations that Satan gave Jesus, He did not want the enemy's ways, or methods.  It was the right way only.  Divine leadership has a cost of anything for the preservation of integrity.  Go God's way at any cost.  God will not let you lose. If the ring is a symbol of sin, then Aragorn’s resistance of it might be likened to Jesus’ strength when tempted to sin. 

 

Aragorn was unpretentious as Jesus was. Tolkien said, “all that is gold does not glitter..” and that refers to Aragorn’s refusal to lord his kingship over people, and maybe even forget to tell them about it. This is total humility and meekness. Jesus is the picture of this humility, as a true King in the God sense of the word “King” only leads by example, and not by fear or arrogance.  Aragorn also dressed simply, and in seeming rags, sleeping outside under the stars.  Jesus said, “the son of man has no where to lay his head.” Jesus refused to care what others thought about Him, and Aragorn seemed to have the same quality. Even when Boromir said, “Gondor has no king, and needs no king”,  Aragorn refused to debate, as it did not bother him. He even silenced those who would take offence, showing them the meek way of leadership.  All that did was endear him more to them and make him seem worthy of even higher honor in the eyes of those like Legolas, who was trying to be his spokesman.   Jesus said, “my yoke is easy and light.” He meant that He was not trapped in a male macho image, nor was He spending much time presenting an image, or gloating over His miracles, or telling people of His great destiny. Jesus was a realist, and not given to emotional highs and lows as people attacked Him.  He did show deep emotions at times, but only over real things, like the death of Lazarus, and not imagined things.  If you want a light yoke, cast off all pretense, all self promoting, and all care about who might think what about you, and your yoke will be truly light indeed.  Those who find their way past the need for self promotion have taken on the most peaceful path and the lightest and easiest yoke of all.

 

Each one of us who is saved is a quiet king in God’s Kingdom. That is scriptural.  We have enormous power available to us, and we wield supernatural power from prayer and faith. We are quiet kings walking on the Earth among unbelievers – and God views those unbelievers as a lesser rank, living a lower form of life and existence. But God says we must become their servants, and win them to Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven .  Jesus was the first of us to become a servant, which is a paradox, as He has the highest rank of all men.  And yet, while Jesus knows He is not outranked, He humbly speaks of and shows us he is outranked by Father God, who He is in total submission to.  An interesting point comes forth here. God says, "to be greatest in the Kingdom, you must be servant of all."  This is a Divine principle of which there can be no exceptions, not even for God Himself.  Jesus proved by the cross of Calvary that He could serve all mankind, even to the death. This qualifies Jesus as the greatest in God’s Kingdom, but for one person.  God the Father is the highest Commander of Heaven, so by His own rule and policy, He is the servant of all, and therefore greatest in His own Kingdom.  But who does He serve?  He has not brought me a cup of water, or washed my car. The answer is simple. He serves Jesus by giving Him the heathen for an inheritance. This is a daily job. God serves every believing person who prays. God the Father answers prayers all day long, and never sleeps because of the duty.  God answers the prayers of the smallest child. But His service goes beyond answering prayers. He opens every closing flower or leaf in the morning.  He makes the sun come up again. He keeps the air clean enough to live. He serves every unbeliever, even those who speak out against Him and mock Him.  God the Father is the biggest Servant in existence. Jesus teaches us to learn this, and become like He and the Father.  In all the greatness we see in God the Father and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, their stance in scripture is to point to each other, and defer recognition, reserving it for one another. This is true humility, and as believers enter this humble society of God’s Kingdom, and keep the company of the Holy Trinity, they must begin to do the same. A true and mature believer never seeks their own glory, but the glory of the one who sent him or her. That would be God’s glory. That is our heart and motive.

 

Take the yoke of Jesus upon you, and learn of Him, for He is lowly and meek.  Make an inventory of yourself.  Do you walk in a level of pretentiousness? Will you serve others?  If you will accept yourself for who you are, then you will also stop trying to convince others of who you are.  This is a light yoke, and much less effort in living. One time, when my youngest son was 3 years old, God showed me I was his servant in my household. I am the head of my home, but the youngest one's servant, and all the others too.  To be the greatest in the kingdom of my household, I must serve all of them, from my wife to the youngest. In the Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf vowed to serve Frodo, and help him bear his burden.  Gandalf was able to do this first as he had the most understanding of the task.   But very quickly, next, Aragorn knelt down by the little one and pledged his life and his sword.  This great example made those who had less nobility step up to the task, like Legolas, Gimli and Boromir, and Sam, Merry and Pippin. The fellowship becomes a model of Christian service, humility, and unity as taught in the Bible. A great leader will lead by being what they wish to see in their subjects, and this is God’s way.  Aragorn took a firm lead here, not caring how it looked or the outcome. Learn the lessons displayed by Aragorn, who impressively models characteristics of Christ.

 

Another example of Aragorn is the element of hope. He hopes when there is no hope.  He encourages a boy who says to Aragorn: “people are saying that all of us are about to die”.  Aragorn knows it to be true.  But he looks the boy in the eye and says, “there is always hope.” In the book of Isaiah, there is a passage that indicates that Jesus would never bruise or bend a reed, meaning, He would never dash the smallest hope. This idea that there is always hope is truly a scriptural principle.  “All things are possible to those who believe.”  We must never dash people’s hopes or dreams, even if they do not line up with reason.  We must support people if we are to be like Jesus.  If you are in some trial, right now, there is hope. You can make it.  Hold on to hope.  Give others hope too!

 

Lastly, Aragorn is a terror to evil. He wields a sword himself and commands men to kill all evil.  He has cunning and prowess.  Jesus is a terror to evil in our real world.  He is referred to as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah ”.   This is because the Lamb of God has a ferocious side. Did you ever get real mean and terrible with Satan in prayer?  That was the Lion Jesus, who lives inside you, coming through you to deal with evil.  Do not tolerate evil.  Be a lion of God, as Christ is inside you.  Learn to growl.  Learn to rebuke.  Use it on demons and Satan.  You can cut their heads off with a word, as that is your sword.

 

The Plot of The Lord of The Rings

 

Jesus taught many times with parables. Those parables were stories that never happened in reality, nor could they ever happen.  But the principles of truth and of the real world were always present in those parables.  That is what Tolkien has seemingly done with TLOTR.

 

Parable - "A placing of one thing by the side of another, comparison of one thing with another, an example by which a doctrine or precept is illustrated, an earthly story with a heavenly meaning."  

 

If Tolkien did not intend a parable, I do, as another writer who admires the trilogy and sees a potential in it. Read the next paragraph slowly, and deliberately.  Read it as the story of Middle-Earth, and the great War of the Ring, but also read it from a Biblical viewpoint, and our real Earth, and of the great war between God and Satan, with men in the balance.

 

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The plot of TLOTR is about the salvation and redemption of the whole of the world, brought about by the unlikely, and the few, and the humble.  A deep corruption has spread, and forces of darkness run rampant in once free and good lands, and those who care for their people and their homes must fight back the onslaught of evil. In addition to evil trying to dominate, the heroes must also deal with their own hearts, and huge temptation. At any time, they might turn into the evil they fight.  This constant vigilance against one’s self is very tiring. Also revealed in the saga are the daily obstacles such as basic needs for food, and water, and the obstacles of the natural world, with its dangers, and traps.  Add to the obstacles the weariness, the drudgery, and the monotony of the character’s duties, and the odds seem almost impossible.  But there is always hope, if the characters will only persist in doing what is right, and if the characters will rely on the just God who rules over everything.  But although there is a corporate unity of the characters with the drive to overcome, each character is embraced and faced with his or her own specific task, and thus the conflict of our story becomes enormously personal for each character, seeming to rely on them alone, as well as relying on each other. So individually, each must trust in what is right and good, and actually must hope against hope.  No character can do this without an amazing sense of personal destiny, and that they are chosen to live in this time, and that they are in concert with others in a bigger drama being played out which is only apparent in totality to their creator.

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What was just shared is my own paraphrasing of the basic plot of TLOTR. But notice now that it could be stated about Christians on Earth.  Every single sentence, with nothing omitted is applicable, with the freedom of Tolkien’s ‘applicability’ doctrine.

 

The Fellowship of the Ring

 

This first installment of the movie and the novels, is very interesting.  Men, dwarves, elves and hobbits must come together in unity to defeat evil.  The fellowship of the nine is quite fascinating. This is absolutely and totally a scriptural principle. “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Nine friends set out on a quest that is impossible, to destroy the one ring of power. They form the fellowship of the ring. The fate and destiny of all of Middle-Earth rests on their success or failure.

 

The Two Towers

 

The group of travelers encounters evil in their journeys and they encounter great wars and battles. The dark lord Sauron is in Mordor, and in his tower. This is one of the two towers. Saruman the wizard is corrupted by Sauron, and he dwells in the tower at Isengard.  This is the 2nd tower.   The elves are leaving Middle-Earth. They are ancient, and their time is over. Over and over, the elves state that it is the time for men. But the evil villains of the two towers hate men and wish to destroy them, and remove them from the face of Middle-Earth. Some of our fellowship travel into the land of Rohan , a land of men, to find that Rohan is under siege by Saruman and his evil, hateful armies.  In scriptures, Satan hates men. He wishes to destroy men, for they remind him of God, who he hates.  Satan also hates men because they are redeemed by Christ. Satan cannot be redeemed, and he is insanely jealous that men are the apple of God’s eye.

 

The Return of the King

 

This final installment of the story is revealing of many truths. Aragorn is the soon returning king of the story. We already discussed his similarities to Jesus. Aragorn is the true king of Gondor. Interestingly, that is the site and location for the drama of this 3rd installment of the story. Men dwell at Gondor, and the dark lord has set his sights on the total destruction of Gondor and all men who live there. Before Aragorn returns, the people of Gondor must wage a mighty battle, against great odds and great evil. This seems to me to be like the Church right before the return of Christ.  We must wage a war in the spirit realm for the souls of men, and use great resourcefulness, the tools of war, such as prayer, great courage, and suffer some losses in this conflict against God’s enemies.  At the same time that Gondor hangs in the balance, a small set of two hobbits are moving towards their destinies, through great trials, with one of the hobbits seeming to carry the weight of the whole world. This dual plot in the Return of the King – both the tale of Aragorn, and of Frodo, has much spiritual and Biblical innuendo and symbolism.  Both Aragorn and Frodo are putting others first, before their own lives, and both are sacrificially coming into their great callings.  The tale of both creates a beauty and scenario that is unequaled, until you begin to read the real story of Jesus’ Christ’s great redemption of mankind on Earth.  It is the loan here of literary material from scripture that enables great beauty in this 3rd installment of Tolkien's work.

 

Millions of people are flocking to see this great adventure movie trilogy, which is masterfully written and directed. I believe that one day as those movie fans hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in its purity, they might just say, this is a familiar story.  Their heart strings will have been made ready by such cunning and clever and blessed symbolism in works like TLOTR.   People long for the truth of it and the heart of it. They say: “I am in need of this gospel of Christ, for the world is not what it once was, and the days are treacherous, and my own sin is ever with me.  I need redemption, and I want to fit into this great redemption of planet earth, and become a character in the great cosmic story”. 

 

Aragorn is only a fictitious character, and a  humble fictitious king followed by fictitious subjects. Jesus however is not fictitious, but real, and Jesus was the inspiration for Aragorn, Frodo and Gandalf in the story. Jesus beckons unto you today to follow Him. Receive the King of Kings, for the Return of The King is a soon coming reality.  As Jesus returns, He comes back to Two Towers symbolically, a tower of human darkness erected by Satan, and a tower of light and hope erected by Jesus during His first coming, and held and occupied by believers since that time. It is called the Church.

 

Jesus returns to the Fellowship of people of the Earth of sin, (the ring) and to the Fellowship of the Godly, or the Church, and one He will deal with and one He will embrace and reward.  I trust that you will not deny or forsake the lessons taught in TLOTR, all which seem to mirror the Bible, and that you will get into the right camp of warriors in a cosmic war that is now brewing, and has been for some time.

 

My appeal is that you love and accept Jesus Christ. He will give you His love, and He will bring you into more freedom than you have ever known. If you liked the Lord of The Rings, you will love The Lord of all the Earth, of Heaven, and of Hell. His name is Jesus, the Lord of Everything.

 

"Look up, for your redemption draws near." 

 

The End

 

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If You Have Never Received Christ!

There is a time for everything under the sun, and now may be your time to receive Jesus. God gave Him to you and I as a gift, and if you never do receive Him, you will miss out on the greatest offer and deal humanity has ever received. This is no accident here that you have read this ezine. This was a Divine appointment for your Divine destiny. God set this up and has led you to this point, so go ahead and seal the plan of God, for you, that is, and receive His Son, Jesus. You must be born again to see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

Maybe you have only been away from God, but knew Him at an earlier time.  God says, "Come back child" and has arms extended open for you.  Get right in your life with God today!  You owe it to yourself.

Pray this:      (Simply repeat this prayer aloud now:) 

Lord, I am a sinner, and I need you.  Jesus, I receive you now.  You are God, and I recognize your death and resurrection. Come into my heart, save me, and give me eternal life.  Forgive me of sin, and wash me clean of all unrighteousness. I am now your child, and I thank you for saving me. Thank you Lord.       In Jesus Name, Amen.

If you said that prayer from your heart, you are now saved and a child of God. The possibilities are endless here for your new life, but best of all, Heaven is settled for you!!

Watch for the next issue of White Fields Ezine, we are going to take this to new levels! You will get this same chance to say this prayer if you did not this time, in every issue.

A Ground Rule (Statement of Unity)

White Fields Ministries is a sound Bible based organization, and I, Greg Nichols, am the Director.  I am also the owner of The MFN Group and MFN Publishing, which has a collection of published works that are a little more secular, but full of redeeming value. I am ordained with the International Gospel Assemblies out of Missouri. It is a missionary and ministerial organization founded in 1962.  My wife Debbie is a graduate of Trinity Bible College in Northern California, and that is an Assemblies of God College. I have had no bible college, but I do feel God has placed a gift of teaching and preaching upon my life, and on my wife also. The ground rule is that you and I may not always agree on doctrines, but I believe God would have us rise above doctrines in the spirit of His love, and unite to accomplish his purposes. That is how strong I feel about this project for online people. The cyber mission field here is huge, possibly the largest in the world, and the fastest growing. The ground rule is that if you disagree with something, I will welcome you to email me and state your opinion. I will probably respond. But let’s decide to think about this next fact in advance.  We will not agree on everything, but we do agree that Jesus is to be the center of our focus, the Word of God is absolute, and the gospel to lost souls is the priority.

 

Greg Nichols

Director

White Fields Ministries

http://www.wfministries.net