We Can Do Nothing Against the Tolkien

Well, against the truth at least. And Tolkien speaks a fair bit of it. In the Ainulindalë, Eru the One allows the Ainur to participate in creation through singing. But one of them, Melkor, begins adding his own notes into the music. The discordant sound from his own will muddles the tunes. Nevertheless, Eru weaves all into one great tapestry in the end and gives the disobedient Ainur a stern warning:

And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.

Such are the evil works of man. We may try to thwart God’s purposes by asserting our own sinful will but all that we do will only serve his purposes in the end. Praise the Lord that what we have meant for evil, he has meant for good. Let us then join cheerfully in the song that God has played for us in Christ by singing the parts he has given to us. And if any should wish to ruin the vibe, we may rest at ease knowing that God will work all things for an unforeseen and superior good. Is not the gospel this very kind of work?

The Soft Pillow

The prophet Daniel had a difficult life. Even in his posterity he wrestled with high mysteries that shook him deeply. The rise of evil rulers and the persecution of God’s people haunted his dreams and visions. He was like Paul, anxious about all the saints and their steadfastness. But the visions land Daniel on a soft pillow:

But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.

Daniel 12:13

That is the promise for us all in Christ. The future may fill us with apprehension and woe but this much is always true: we have a place with God forever and ever.

When the World Stares

J.K. Rowling is pretty funny (I wonder if the initials stand for Just Kidding, or maybe Joking Konstantly). In the Harry Potter saga she finds hilarious ways of describing how the regular world of Muggles (that’s us) react to wizards and witches when they happen upon them by chance. For instance,

Most of the Londoners who passed them were used to eccentric dressers and took little notice, though occasionally one of them might glance back, wondering why anyone would wear such long cloaks in this heat.

Seeming out of place is something every believer can understand. The Muggles could little guess what dangers and destinies hung in the balance over their own heads as Voldemort (whom they had never heard of) seized control of the wizarding world (which they knew nothing about), and Potter and his friends fought back. Just so, our walk with Christ may seem pointless to some, or eccentric to others, but we do not need anyone’s recognition or approval to trust the Lord and follow him into spiritual battle.

Messianic Magician

The book of Daniel brings a mystical vibe to the Bible. Like wise Joseph before him, the humble Jewish slave rises to prominence in the highest heathen court in the world by interpreting the king’s disturbing dreams. Neb’s magicians were lore-masters of Chaldean sacred literature but they could not pierce into the mysteries of heaven. Daniel was indeed learned in their knowledge but surpassed them all with the supernatural knowledge which God showed to him. Let this be a lesson to us all: natural knowledge is good but God’s word is far superior, flying higher, shining brighter, and searching out the Mystery of time and space.

Nothing but Net

Fishermen will stand beside the sea.

Ezekiel 47:10

If Ezekiel’s visions are bananas, his last one is the cherry on top of a Sunday split for the Lord’s Day. In it, water flows from the altar and becomes a healing river which issues eastward into the Dead Sea, turning its salt waters sweet. The Book of Revelation mirrors this mighty stream as the water of life, flowing clear as crystal from God’s throne through the city with the tree of life in its midst (Revelation 22:1-2, can’t wait).

Anyway, all types of fish now swim in the sea and Ezekiel sees fishermen pictured there. Perhaps another New Testament passage comes to mind, even the legendary seaside scene where this whole party got started: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:19). A Church Father named Ephraim the Syrian had this to say about Ezekiel’s Fisherman:

He was baptized and came up who draws all things into his net. Out of the stream from which Simon caught fish came the fisher of men, and he took him. With the cross, which catches all robbers, he caught that robber up into life.

Amen. And may the Lord of the catch use us in the ongoing family business.

Surely Temple

And he said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever.”

Ezekiel 43:7

The passage about Ezekiel’s temple is a bit of a puzzler (understatement of the millennial kingdom). But there are some things we can be sure of. We know that the temple portrays God’s presence with his people. And what happens at the temple is plain enough: sin-atoning, world-healing sacrifice (as seen in the rest of the vision). So here it seems we have it once again, the age-old gospel truth. Our wondrous God is with us through our Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified for our sin. And thus will he always be with us.

Hid in Wisdom

The king of Tyre must’ve been some chap; Ezekiel arrays him in the glory of Satan before his fall. “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (v. 12). It sounds like he was the most God-like creature that ever was made, the very stamp of perfected beauty. And yet it was he who made the first sin exchange! “Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor” (v. 17).

Unlike the foul fumes and desolate wastelands of Mordor, the wicked in this world prize outward beauty. Thus, if we should happen to find heavenly wisdom and earthly beauty or pleasure at odds with each other, let us choose the hidden and chaste but superior beauty of fearing God over the easy luxury of doing what looks or feels best. For sin is essentially self-worship.

Let us also praise our heavenly Father for the gift of his Son Jesus, who suffered in tangible weakness while winning our eternal salvation from sin, death, and Satan by his invincible wisdom.

The Reformed Doctrine of Being Samwise Gamgee

There is comfort in the Christian faith when things go awry. That comfort is the fact that our lives are but the story of our Creator’s telling long ago. We need this comfort in hard times. One of my heroes, Samwise Gamgee of Bagshot Row, speaks to this well in The Two Towers:

I used to think that [adventures] were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them, because they were exciting and life was a bit dull, a kind of a sport, as you might say. But that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them.

Those who are called to adventures often wish it was otherwise and long for quieter times. Samwise ever wanted to experience the stories of old; yet, looking to the end of his and Frodo’s great errand, he says:

And then we can have some…plain ordinary rest, and sleep, and waking up to a morning’s work in the garden. I’m afraid that’s all I’m hoping for all the time.

Therefore, if we are in quiet times, let us enjoy them. And if we are in difficult times, let us trust our Maker’s storytelling to bring us through. All who belong to him through Christ will share in that profound rest in due time.

Red Tape Christianity

Let the children come to me.

Mark 10:14

Pure and undefiled we received the truth from the apostles and prophets; yet it wasn’t long until we started adding in our own stuff. We mean well when we throw our little thoughts and rules into the mix but the holy faith is quite complete without our human complications. So rather than fence ourselves in like Pharisees, let us stand firmly upon God‘s commandments and declare the free gospel freely. Let’s tear out all the churchy red tape that we think keeps us safe from the world but in reality only serves to keep the world away from Jesus.

The Reformed Doctrine of Gandalf the Greyt Encourager

Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt.

Gandalf the Grey

Tolkien’s wizard was an encouraging fellow; he went about inspiring hope and courage in the face of powerful evil. And isn’t that the war of faith we all must wage in Christ? When we saw our sin for what it truly is, was it not faith in the sweet promises of God that assured us there was still hope, even for me, the chief of sinners? Was it not our faith that drove us on past despair to find divine mercy in Christ or die trying? And now we face new battles of all sorts. Let us not despair! Sin and doubt may yet be slain; heavy trials may yet pass; salvation may yet come to those we dearly love. Though we plunge like Gandalf, staffless into the chasm of Moria along with our very foe, we may yet attain the victory. There is always hope for us in our resurrected Lord, for the end is his with absolute certainty. Amen!