Today, we launch our new series on, THE BIBLE & THE LORD OF THE RINGS. What is our purpose in all this? The Bible is the greatest book in the world and most profound. It has many themes that touch all our lives in so many ways. The Bible and its great lessons apply to everyday life. It touches everything. The Bible touches literature. Mighty Shakespeare has within its great words the themes that were first laid out in the Bible. The glorious work of Tolkien and THE LORD OF THE RINGS, is a masterpiece of literature and a movie sensation. It too takes its grand themes from the Bible.
What we shall do here in this series of articles is this: we shall express the great themes of the Bible and then show their illustration in the great work of literature, The Lord of The Rings. We hope you enjoy our study together and that it makes you think and ponder, even more deeply on the great themes of the Bible and how they come to life in every aspect of our being..
First, let us ponder and consider The Bible. It is the greatest book in the world. It is one book, composed of 66 books. It has two grand divisions, the Old Testament and the New Testament. It contains history, law, literature, biography, etc. It tells the greatest story in the world. The story of God, man, good, evil, sin, holiness, and salvation or redemption. It is a masterpiece. No other book on earth compares to it. It lays out the great themes of life. Themes that even today make billions of dollars in movies, literature, the news, etc. For the great forces that the Bible speaks of, are at work constantly on earth and shall be till time is no more.
The Bible was penned by 40 writers over a period of 1600 years. All spoke with one voice of the Almighty God and His will for humans. In the Bible, a great war is played out. It involves God, the Holy Angels, Satan, the Demonic world, and humanity. These are the great players on the greatest stage of life. Everything is at stake. Eternity hangs in the balance.. Redemption is set before the world. One man, who is both man and God will enter the earth on a massive rescue mission, pay the ultimate price, and be victorious over all enemies, even death itself! Wow! Glorious! . What a story. It is so powerful and profound and we are in it whether we like it or not. We are actors on the stage and great forces are at work.
The Lord Of The Rings is a masterpiece of literature penned by J.R. R. Tolkien. Here is a link to Amazon to a great book, THE HISTORY OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS, by Christopher Tolkien. http://www.amazon.com/History-Lord-Rings-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618083553 This book tells the history of the making of this great work.
Amazon posted this summary of THE HISTORY OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS, "J.R.R. Tolkien"s THE LORD OF THE RINGS, now firmly acknowledged as one of the most popular books of the twentieth century, has captivated generations of readers with its completely convincing fantasy. In The History of The Lord of the Rings, the author"s son and literary heir, Christopher Tolkien, examines the creation of that epic from its inception to its finished form. At the core of these books are many early drafts and unpublished passages by Tolkien, which add greatly to a thorough understanding of his masterpiece. Combining his father"s unique vision with his own privileged insight and editorial commentary, Christopher Tolkien"s THE HISTORY OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS is a set of four volumes — including one unique to this collection — that no fan of THE LORD OF THE RINGS can afford to overlook." I urge you to read this book to gain great depth on its production. It is very good.
The History Channel did a great job in telling the story of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: FACTS AND FICTION. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krqmf5oBDXk
The Lord Of The Rings has been rated as one of the greatest works of literature in the 20th century based on popularity and sales. The great motion pictures (three in all) made it even more popular (produced and released in 2001, 2002, 2003). These movies are readily available and are exciting to view.
The History Channel presentation on this great work details how that the Bible was his greatest influence in the writing of THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Tolkien was Catholic and deeply religious and a man of deep faith. This had a profound influence on him. We shall see in future articles how the Bible affirms great themes and how they are illustrated in The Lord Of The Rings.
"In a hole in the ground, lived a Hobbit". These were the first words that Tolkien wrote that started the path to create The Lord Of The Rings. Tolkien wrote this on the back of an exam paper in one of his classes, for Tolkien was a college professor.
I might note also, the friendship and connection of the great J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Tolkien had a profound influence on Lewis in his conversion from unbelief to belief in God and the Bible. That in itself is a most fascinating story.
So, the stage is set, although so much more could be explored. The Bible is real and true and is from God and is a masterpiece on the great war of life. The Lord Of The Rings is a work of fiction but portrays the great forces of humanity that drives all human history and thus connects inevitably with the Bible.
We shall explore the greatest theme of all in our next installment. It is that of, GOOD VERSUS EVIL.
We are on a great journey, a journey through time, THE BIBLE, human history, and the nature of humans. We shall see the images and the portraits laid out in amazing emphasis in, THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
So, let us go out our door and take this journey together.
“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
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