Lord of the Rings: Foreshadowing the Book of Revelation by Joseph Chambers

World events make no sense unless you understand the “Book of Revelation.” This entire universe is on a pre-determined course set by the foreknowledge of its Creator. Whether it is the poetry of the poet, the business adventure of the money mad tycoon, the grand plans of the One World designers, the cinema creation of the movie makers, or the imagination of a J.R.R. Tolkien, it is all under the auspices of the “Beginning and the Ending.” The God of the Book of Revelation proclaimed, “I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8).

No book in the Bible makes more sense in today’s world than the grand closing of God’s Revelation. The Book of Revelation was designed to bring the church of Jesus Christ from the hour of its early beginning to the glory of its eminent future. The seven letters to seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three embodies the entire time from the beautiful beginning of the church to the apostasy of its waning hours. The saints will not be raptured in the glory of the church’s organizations and wealth, but in the grace of His holiness and imparted purity. Beginning in chapter four of Revelation, we have the future of His kingdom after the church age as it unfolds both on earth and in the Heavens. Our world is speedily racing in preparation for this incredible climax.

There must be two movements simultaneously preparing for the end. Darkness and light are opposites. Goodness and evil are expressions of the exact same difference as darkness and light. Every story that someone tells or writes will in some way embody these two opposites. Righteousness is on course for her grand hour of victory, while darkness must become darker to meet its fate of extinction. J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginary epic in his three grand books, Lord of the Rings, is a clever look at what awaits the religious world. The final hour of religion will be the darkest time of her entire history. The sun-clothed woman will finally end in a blob of religious superstition and pagan deception.

No writer has ever portrayed the blending of pagan myths with distorted Christianity more cleverly than Tolkien. These books can be and are being heralded by the liberal Christian world and the pagan world at the same time. The Christian bookstores and many ministries speak to Tolkein’s great message of espousing values and even some hidden form of the Messianic hope. The pagan world promotes it right in the middle of witchcraft and occultic ideas. It is a perfect pattern for the “global spirituality” of the coming One World Government and One World Church.

The Premise For His Myths Was Flawed Tolkien believed that the pagan myths of pre-Christian history were somehow earlier expressions of the future revelations. Both Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were victims of religious teaching that failed to keep truth and error clearly separated. Many pagan ideas had invaded the church world. Instead of the church rooting out superstition and paranormal experiences, they have found it easier to accommodate the two opposing themes. There is no doubt but that the political mix of church and state of that period lay at the heart of this problem. The world in which Tolkien found himself certainly affected his thinking and writing. Tolkien was a devout Catholic and made the statement that his literary works was an extension of his faith. Tolkien said, “The Lord of the Rings was ‘a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.’” (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, editor (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981), p. 172,243.) Professor Ralph C. Wood, a foremost expert on Tolkien and his writings stated, “The unrestrained quality of mercy is what, ‘I suggest, makes the Lord of the Rings’ an enduring Christian classic despite its pagan setting.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/wood-classic.html.)

Tolkien was much moved by the pagan myths that his highly intellectual world of friends saw as intriguing and of great value. He was fascinated by Norse and Celtic mythologies and taught a pantheon of gods in his earlier work, The Simarrilion. His “All Father,” as he called the one God he considered to correspond to the God of the Bible, had fifteen sub-gods. They were put in charge of “Middle Earth,” his mythical idea for the world as he would present in his myth telling.

Let’s allow Professor Ralph Wood to describe this idea, “At the top stands Iluvatar, the All-Father, corresponding roughly to the One whom Christians call God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth. From him all things proceed, and to him all things return. He is the beginning and the end, the One who shapes all events to his own purposes. He dwells in the Timeless Halls and only rarely intervenes in his Creation, preferring instead to work through the agency of his Valar or Ainur. These are the fifteen subordinate beings Iluvatar created with the Flame Imperishable of his Spirit. They are themselves entirely spiritual creations who work Iluvatar’s will in the world.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/wood-cosmogony.html.)

Each of these God-like creations has a pagan description of their place and office in this pantheon of gods. Manwë was the good and pure and reigned over the air, wind, clouds, and the birds. His spouse was Varda, the Exalted, who made the stars and set the course for the sun and the moon. Melkor was given by Iluvatar greater power and knowledge than all other gods and was gifted in substances and craft. Melkor fulfilled the idea of Satan by rebelling and seeking power equal to Iluvatar himself. Tolkien even names the fifteen sub gods Valar, taken from his primary god’s name, Ilu-vatar.

Melkor’s shadow god or equal was named Aule. He was given the same power as Melkor, but had no desire to dispossess and rule instead of Iluvatar. There was Ulmo, the lord of waters, Irmo, the author of visions and dreams, and his wife, Este. Then, we have Nienna (compassions), whose tears bring healing, Mandos, who keeps the Houses of the Dead. There are six more of these valars with different god-like responsibilities. All this Tolkien saw as a “splintering fragment of the true light.” He said, “In making a myth, in practicing ‘mythopoeia,’ and peopling the world with elves and dragons and goblins, a story-teller . . . is actually fulfilling God’s purpose, and reflecting a splintered fragment of the true light.” (Quoted by Colin Gunton, Professor of Christian Doctrine in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at King’s College, London. His article first appeared in the King’s Theological Review (Vol. 12, No. 1), in 1989. Included as a chapter in Tolkien: A Celebration, edited by Joseph Pearce (London: Fount, 1999), p. 130.)

It’s easy to see that Tolkien’s basis for his claim of Biblical harmony in his myths was dead wrong. Paganism is exactly what it is called, “paganism.” I agree that the pagan writers and the spirits behind their writing do indeed imitate truth in a kind of vague fashion. Satan is the master imitator, but his evil inspiration can never be seen or used as a kind of foundation for truth. A mixture of truth and error is completely forbidden in Scripture. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?” (II Corinthians 6:14-16a).

His Characters Were Similar to Those in the Book of Revelation

The occultic powers, as clearly revealed in the Book of Revelation, are strangely similar to those same powers in Lord of the Rings. This may have been unintentional on Tolkien’s part, but unlikely on Satan’s part. The world must be prepared for the coming seven years of “Great Tribulation.” The world would not receive a sudden infusion of strange mythical creatures empowered by paranormal ability unless there had been years of preparation and acquaintance with those ideas. The Lord of the Rings series is only one of many fictional themes that our world has fallen in love with today. It is very apparent that millions have come to love beastly creatures, strange mystical powers, occultic themes and almost any idea that is otherworldly.

One of the scary things about Lord of the Rings is that some authorities see the powers, which are manifested, as being supernatural, instead of magical. This in itself suggests that they are very much presented in a Bible-like fashion. Listen to an interview/question with Author Joseph Pearce (Books: Tolkien: Man and Myth and Tolkien: A Celebration):

“Question: In recent years, magic in diverse forms such as games, TV shows, etc., has been very popular among young people. Given the way magical powers are presented in the Lord of the Rings, do you think that there could be any dangers for youngsters?

“Pearce: There is very little of what could be termed magic in The Lord of the Rings. There is much that is supernatural, but only in the sense that God is supernatural, or that Satan is supernatural, or that good and evil are supernatural. It would be more accurate to describe the so-called magic in The Lord of the Rings as miraculous, when it serves the good, and demonic, when it serves the evil.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/zenit-tolkien.html).

Mr. Pierce further stated, “Far from being a ‘fantasy,’ The Lord of the Rings is a theological thriller.” (Ibid.) The entire atmosphere created in this epic is a borderline story between a world of occultic mythology and Biblical creatures out of the Book of Revelation.

Berit Kjos documents the tremendous presence of demons, wizards, spells, and other creatures or activities that are clearly Satanic in nature. Here are a few of her quotes:

“Both stories (Harry Potter series and Lord of the Rings series) involve wizards, spells, mythical creatures and magic charms. Both demonstrate the battle between a mythical good and evil. Both pit heroic white magic against dark menacing occultism.”

“In his personal letters (many are included in a book titled The Letters of J. R. R Tolkien), he expressed caution toward occult practices. But he equipped his team of mythical heroes -- the fellowship of the Ring -- with the pagan powers that God forbids. For example, ‘Gandalf [a helpful wizard] is able to wield potent magic... To do battle with the forces of darkness, Gandalf the Grey can call upon not only his spellcraft, but also his staff of power and the Elven sword Glamdring.’”

“The movie version of The Lord of the Rings idealizes occultism and cheers the pagan practices used by good characters. Like Star Wars, Harry Potter and the world's pagan cultures, it seduces its fans into an imaginary world that pits ‘white’ or benevolent magic against dark, evil magic. Both sides of this imagined ‘battle between good and evil’ use occult practices that God forbids.”

“This incarnate ‘angel’ wouldn't fit into the host of Biblical angels. But he could well fit in the hierarchy of ‘devas’ or ‘angels’ and ascended masters in the elaborate spiritual system called Theosophy or ‘Ancient Wisdom.’ Founded by Madame Helena Blavatsky, this esoteric blend of Hinduism and Western occultism received its doctrines from ‘ascended masters’ or spirit guides such as Djhwal Khul who channeled his messages to the medium Alice Bailey.” (www.crossroad.to/articles2/rings.htm).

Tolkien himself clearly saw his creature creations as strange and mystical. He probably would have been a bit offended if someone had called them Satanic. Here are some of his descriptions:

“Gandalf is not, of course, a human being (Man or Hobbit). There are naturally no precise modern terms to say what he was. I would venture to say that he was an incarnate 'angel'.... with the other Istari, wizards, 'those who know', an emissary from the Lords of the West, sent to Middle-earth as the great crisis of Sauron loomed on the horizon. By 'incarnate' I meant they were embodied in physical bodies capable of pain and weariness....”

“Why they should take such a form is bound up with the 'mythology' of the 'angelic' Powers of the world of this fable. At this point in the fabulous history the purpose was precisely to limit and hinder their exhibition of 'power' on the physical plane, so that they would do what they were primarily sent for: train, advise, instruct, arouse the hearts and minds of those threatened by Sauron to a resistance with their own strength.... The wizards were not exempt, indeed being incarnate were more likely to stray, or err. Gandalf alone fully passes the test, on a moral plane anyway. For in his condition it was for him a sacrifice to perish on the Bridge in defense of his companions.... Gandalf sacrificed himself, was accepted and enhanced and returned.”

“Gandalf really 'died' and was changed.... 'I am Gandalf the White, who has returned from death'.” (The Letters of J. R. R Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, editor (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981), pp. 201-202.)

The picture clearly evident in these descriptions is that of fallen angels subject to Satan himself. In several locations in the Book of Revelation, there are hordes of unclean spirits seeking to work havoc on the population. “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.” “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.” (Revelation 9:2-3, 7-9).

Tolkien Rejected the Classical Ideas for the Romantic Ideas

Professor Woods, a Tolkien historian, gave a revealing description of what were the greater influences in Tolkien’s life. “It is not surprising to learn that Tolkien was deeply influenced by the 19th century Romantics, chiefly S. T. Coleridge and George Macdonald, since his friend and literary companion C. S. Lewis was also decisively shaped by them. Nor is it startling to find Tolkienian connections with J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan and Mary Rose, with the Four Quartets of T. S. Eliot, even with Henry James' unfinished story The Sense of the Past. What comes as a genuine shock is the news that Tolkien's mind and work were marked by the fictional dream-journeys of George Du Maurier, by the psychic experiences of Charlotte Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain, by the time-travel fantasies of H. G. Wells, and especially by the notion of J. W. Dunne that all temporal events are simultaneous. Dunne held that time is no less constant than space, and that by certain habits of mind we can move backward and forward over time as we traverse space, even experiencing events that have not yet happened.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/wood-review.html).

This kind of influence and thinking produced in Tolkien a mind-set with little room for the genuine truths of Holy Scripture. He was guided by occultic thinking and the many strange ideas of those emerged in that world. Another writer, Verlyn Flieger, spells out even more clearly a description of his background and mindset. Professor Wood quotes her as follows, “There she revealed, as she does again here, that the massive moral and religious questions that exercised and animated Tolkien's imagination--the nature of good and evil, of heroism and self-sacrifice, of desire and dispossession, of death and immortality--are but subsets of his central lifelong concern with the nature of time and timelessness. In both books Flieger has shown us a darker, less cheering Tolkien than many of his Christian apologists have acknowledged. Here again she is right: Tolkien was a man whose faith was shadowed and doubt-filled, and whose fiction thus counsels a sad joyfulness as the most that we can hope for this side of eternity.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/wood-review.html).

Understanding the difference between the classical thinking where the emphasis is on principle and character, plus good taste, restraint, and clarity to the opposing idea is important. The romantic style was similar to the change agents of our day. A present romantic style would represent those that want to rewrite our history, change our value system, and impose a system of their own. An English dictionary, first published in 1901, described the romantic mindset as following, “inclining towards, or savouring of, romance, fictitious, extravagant, wild: fantastic.” (Chambers English Dictionary, 7ed, 1990, p 1270.) This kind of view into Tolkien’s life should give his cult followers a jolt into reality.

Reincarnation & Doom

Tolkien’s view of life, death, and the absence of a happier nature certainly played a big part in his sad myths. A bookstore manager asked him if he had dealt too strongly on the metaphysical aspect. His answer reveals something of his theology. “‘Reincarnation’ may be bad theology (that surely, rather than metaphysics) as applied to Humanity... But I do not see how even in the Primary world any theologian or philosopher, unless very much better informed about the relation of spirit and body than I believe anyone to be, could deny the possibility of re-incarnation as a mode of existence, prescribed for certain kinds of rational incarnate creatures.” (The Letters of J. R. R Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, editor (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981), page 189.)

Reincarnation is the very opposite of eternal life and cannot be reconciled in the least. This kind of thinking is natural for a man that loved and enjoyed the myths of paganism. C.S. Lewis, deeply involved in the same mythological world, saw into the sad nature and writings of Tolkien and said that the Ring epic is embedded with “a profound melancholy.” Professor Wood joined in suggesting the same general consensus.

“The word ‘doom’ -- in its Anglo-Saxon meaning of damning judgment as well as final fate in ruin and death -- pulses like a funereal drumbeat throughout the entire work. Toward the end of Volume I, the elf Legolas offers a doom-centered vision of the world. It sounds very much like an elvish and Heraclitean version of entropy. ‘To find and lose,’ says Legolas, is the destiny ‘of those whose boat is on the running stream.... The passing seasons are but ripples in the long long stream. Yet beneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last.’ Though elves are so long-lived that they seem immortal to humans and hobbits, the tides of time will sweep even them away. A deeply pagan pessimism thus pervades all three of the Ring books.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/wood-classic.html).

The Tolkien epic of the Ring falls terribly lacking of any semblance of the Christian hope, salvation, or eternal life. It is rather filled with the hopelessness of paganism and its dark future of judgment.

Conclusion

Tolkien’s ideas were sadly lacking in contrast to the glorious truth of the infallible Word of God. He argued that “mythic tales grope toward the Hope which, in the story of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Jesus Christ, finally enters space and time to become historical reality, God’s own myth-made-fact.” (www.leaderu.com/humanities/wood-classic.html). It is marvelous indeed that no man has to read and follow the myths of paganism to find his way to the cross. Only a few Tolkien’s or Lewis’ would find such an idea satisfying.

The Book of Revelation is filled with these similar beasts, spirits, spells, and, in every case, they are shown to be the enemies of God and faith-filled mankind. Tolkien gave us nothing but a distorted view of Christianity all mixed up with the world of Satan, which is soon to be presented to this world as Satan’s imitator of true religion. Reading the Book of Revelation would fill you with such hope and assurance that you will not need the lies of pagan myths to inspire your soul.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2002

Answers

Philip,

I never have ascribed any great spiritual benefit to the Lord of Rings. It's just great fiction!

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

We did study the Lord of Rings as Christian Lit. But I don't remember Revelation coming up. More of a typology.

-- Anonymous, April 01, 2002