J.R.R Tolkien is easily my favourite author. The story of The Lord of the Rings is one that has stuck with me since I was a child. Tolkienâs work resonates so deeply with my soul. This is because his narratives display the truths that belong to a Greater Story that we were designed to be part of. It is the most marvellous story of love, sacrifice, reconciliation, and hope ever written. The Bible.
Tolkien identified a storytelling device that is used in many stories, particularly in his literature. Every good story shares a moment where all hope is lost. The heroes are downcast, nearly defeated. A way of escape or victory is deemed impossible. Then, at the very last second, a plot twist occurs. Hopelessness is met with a âsudden happy turnâŚwhich pierces you with a joy that brings you to tears.â Many of the stories we love contain this hopeful twist, which Tolkien identifies as a eucatastrophe. The Fellowship is nearly defeated in the Battle of Helms Deep when Gandalf suddenly appears in blazing light with an entire army at his side. Captain America is alone against Thanos and his forces when all of a sudden portals open all around him and every single avenger that had been snapped away reappears.
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was crucified on a cross, but, three days later, he rose to life.
This is perhaps the greatest eucatastrophe to ever occur in human history or any story ever written. Tolkien himself declared it to be âthe greatest âeucatastropheâ possible.â Humanity was broken by sin, but God put on human flesh and came to us in the form of a baby, his Son, Jesus. He dwelt with humankind. He revealed to us the goodness and glory of God. He was the Messiah. The promised Saviour King. The only hope against sin and death. And he was murdered. He gave himself up willingly to be crucified. In the Scriptures, it says that âthere was darkness over all the landâ (Matthew 27:45). The disciples were left devastated, hopeless. Jesus - their Rabbi, King, and Friend - had been slain. They buried him in a tomb, doubly sealed by Roman guards. All hope seemed lost. Then, a eucatastrophe occurred. Three days later, the stone was rolled away. The tomb was empty. Jesus had resurrected from the dead. He has risen! He is alive!
This news should pierce us âwith a joy that brings you to tears.â Our God is alive. Because of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, all sin has been paid for. It can control us no more. All our hardships and trials we will face are redemptive. We can have hope in knowing that our lives are eternal. In the knowledge that, even now, our God is with us. We can pray and know that we are heard by a living God. We can have joy in knowing that Christ will return again and bring an end to sin forever. We can look forwards to this glorious day when every broken part of our world will be mended. Every illness will be healed. Every tear will be wiped away.
These are incredible implications, remarkable truths, that we should be reminded of daily. No matter what may come, we can have hope in this beautiful thing that God has done. It can be difficult to focus on the light with all that is happening in our world today. The night can seem just too dark. Our burdens can become too big to carry. But God is greater. The story of Christ reminds us of this. âWe are more than conquerors through him who loved usâ (Romans 8:37). Victory has already been won by our God, who is alive and is with us always.
Sources:
Bowers, John M. Tolkienâs Lost Chaucer. E-book, Oxford Press, 2019.
The Bible. English Standard Version, Crossway, 2008.
