Middle earth, the setting for The Lord of the Rings, is filled with battles and conflicts, images of spiritual war to which Christians can relate: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world . . . " (Ephesians 6:12). Tolkien's tale isn't generic "good versus evil," but about evil that gets up close and personal. Evil forces are led by Sauron, the dark lord. Sauron is desperately trying to regain the great ring and its immense power. The pitiful character, Gollum, discovered the ring, his "Precious," and kept it for many years. Eventually he became possessed by the sinister talisman. The ring is an image of the unwholesome, perverting power of evil and self-serving sin, a progressive, increasing, encroaching power that begins small but ends big. At its core, The Lord of the Rings is about the sovereignty of God, whose love and power are so great that He is able to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28). God uses even the Enemy's evil schemes to bring about the ultimate completion of His perfect plan. Within that plan, even Gollum plays a critical role in saving Middle Earth. In his book, The Silmarillion, Tolkien wrote: "Evil may yet be good to have been . . . and yet remain evil."

The idea that God uses small hands to achieve noble deeds is a fundamental part of the story (Cf., Moses and Pharaoh, David and Goliath, and Gideon and the Mideanites). When the power of evil comes our way and our future looks bleak, the solution is not to fight fire with fire, but to keep doing what's right and look for deliverance in unexpected places. Hope and salvation may come from unexpected sources: a hobbit-hole in the Shire. Or a manger in a Palestinian stable.

Sources:

Darci Hill, "Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings: An Encounter with the Dangers of Light and Joy,'" Presentation at Texas A&M University, November 7, 2002, 7 pm, Rudder Theater.

Jim Ware, "Finding God in The Lord of the Rings," Breakaway, December 2001, pp. 24-28.

Ralph Wood, "The Lord of the Rings: A Book for Our Time of Terror," Presentation at Texas A&M University, February 5, 2002.

Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin face the dark riders (ring-wraiths).	Battling orcs in the mines of Moria, Aragorn draws his bow.	Gimli is handy with an ax.	Boromir considers taking the ring.
A dark rider surveys the Shire.	At the ford, the dark riders catch up to Frodo.	Frodo is saved by elf magic.	Galadriel considers Frodo's offer.
Orcs really are an ugly bunch.	Soldiers prepare for battle.	At Helm's Deep, the battle is fierce.	Eowyn faces the lord of the Nazgul.