Tuesday, December 2, 2025
I have read J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings many times in my life. I find them beautiful in their vivid descriptions of an ancient, mythical world (Middle Earth) where evil lurks, good triumphs, and salvation is ultimately brought about by a small person who arises out of a distant, mainly unknown area. Tolkien, a devout Roman Catholic who was influential in C. S. Lewis’ journey to faith in Christ, must have known the impact his books would have on society as they draw many parallels to the Christian story. They appeal to people all over the globe because at their core is what everyone truly desires: someone to deliver them from sorrow and bring them comfort and joy. Sadly, there are also those who are uncomfortable with Tolkien. A dear, non-Christian friend and academic colleague once commented to me that she had never read Tolkien’s books because they sounded far too much like the Bible.
Something I have loved in Tolkien’s books are the prophecies from ancient times that eventually come to pass. These prophecies, often spoken by the wise elves of Middle Earth, sound akin to the Old Testament prophecies from prophets like Isaiah. And just as the elves are hated and killed by forces tied to the evil Lord Sauron, so did the wicked kings of Israel and Judah hate, persecute, and kill the Lord’s prophets who cried out for justice, mercy, and righteousness in the years leading up to the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities.
Within these Tolkienesque prophecies lie similarities with the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets. Consider the following:
“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.”
“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit… Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.”
I’m certain we all recognize the second prophecy as spoken by the prophet Isaiah (Ch. 11: 1 and 5). However, if a person did not know the Old Testament well, they could be forgiven if they assumed the first prophecy, written by Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings, was Biblical. Both speak of the coming of a King, triumphant and bringing justice to afflicted worlds. Both give hope to those in distress. And both are spoken in a time of endless waiting for that King to finally come. Just as during the period from the fall into sin until the coming of Jesus, the characters in Tolkien’s books waited thousands of years before their King sat on his throne.
I have always loved Isaiah 11:1 and other Old Testament prophecies like it (see Micah 5:2; Isaiah 9). It speaks of hope; a light in the cold darkness that often occurs during Advent. Though I’m not certain why, I find prophecies such as these seem most powerful when I whisper them to myself. It is as if I’m brought back to a time when they were being spoken in secret by those afraid that the powers of evil would overhear them. Despite this fear, they are uttered nonetheless, bringing hope when it seems there is none.
I’m sure the next 26 days of Advent will feel like thousands of years to the children of our parish waiting for Christmas morning. For the adults, Advent is a short period of time in which we remember the waiting of Israel for their Messiah, only to have many miss the whole thing. It’s a little like us getting so wrapped up (no pun intended) in buying gifts, preparing food, attending Christmas concerts, and visiting family that we miss the peace that Christmas can bring. But if we still our thoughts and busy lives and whisper some of these prophecies to ourselves during Advent, perhaps in a small way we too will have our hope rekindled in a world once again groaning for the coming of Jesus.
Keith Griffioen
Rumors of a Savior (Emmanuel) by Church of the City
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