Do you really believe this?

“The world and life will end in joy.”

Of course, doctrinally most of us would ascribe to such a statement of belief, knowing what the Bible says about the eventual outcome of things. But my question is not about intellectual, cognitive truths; my question is about how Christians live their lives. How time and resources are allocated and prioritized, and what occupies our thoughts and prayers most frequently - these are the things that reveal what is in our hearts. Larry Richards called this the difference between isolated beliefs and operational beliefs: the former are things we know and verbalize; the latter are what influence and - too often - determine our behavior.

So I will ask again: Do you really believe that the world and life end in joy?

Ralph Wood, in his Introduction to The Gospel According to Tolkien, discusses Tolkien’s views about what constitutes good or real myth. He observes,

True fantasies end happily, thus providing consolation for life’s tragedy and sorrow. But their endings are not escapist. Their felicitous outcome is always produced by a dreadful disaster, by a drastic and unexpected turn of events, which issues in surprising deliverance. Tolkien calls this saving mishap a eucatastrophe: a happy calamity that does not deny the awful reality of dyscatastrophe - of human wreck and ruin. The ending of Tolkien’s book is immensely sad because Frodo is too exhausted by his struggle with evil to enjoy the fruits of his victory. Yet the miraculously violent turnabout - the final clash with Sauron that issues in his defeat - reveals that the ultimate truth is joy - ‘Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief’ (The Monsters and the Critics, 153″


Tolkien was convinced in the ultimate outcome of good and joy - of eucatastrophe - for the world in which we live. His conviction is reflected in the curious statement Gandalf makes to the bitter and despairing Denethor in the hall of the Steward of Gondor.

‘I will say this: the rule of no realm is mine, neither of Gondor nor any other, great or small. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, those are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail of my task, though Gondor should perish, if anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I also am a steward. Did you not know?’”

There is something striking, terrifying, and remarkable in Gandalf’s statement. He says, in effect, that even if everything goes horribly wrong and their worst fears are realized, he will not consider himself to have failed if “anything passes through this night that can still grow fair or bear fruit and flower again in days to come.” Gandalf can make such a statement because he knows the past and believes the future. Gandalf is a Maiar, an incarnate angel, one who existed before the creation of Earth. He has seen darkness and evil prevail for times in the past: he was there when Melkor disturbed the music of the Ainur, when Morgoth destroyed the Two Lights and then the Two Trees. Gandalf witnessed Sauron’s corruption of the kings of Númenor that resulted in the destruction of the island kingdom.

But Gandalf has also seen the chaining of Melkor and his final casting into the void by Illúvatar, and saw the undoing of Sauron’s reign in the the battle of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Most importantly, Gandalf knows Illúvatar’s plans and the Last Battle that will bring about the end of the world. He knows that Illúvatar will prevail, not Melkor or Sauron or any other evil that may come into existence. Gandalf has no doubt about how the world ends: it ends in eucatastrophe, not despair.

There is also a remarkable humility to Gandalf’s statement. He was, after all, sent to Middle-earth to assist and encourage both men and elves in their battle against the evil of Sauron. He hoped, without doubt, in the eventual crowning of Aragorn as the rightful King of Gondor, and in the restoration of much that was corrupted by Sauron and Saruman. But his hopes and dreams are subject to the will of Illúvatar, and if it is God’s plan to have Gandalf’s mission result only in the survival of the merest of that which is good, then Gandalf will be content with that success. He is, as he said, only a steward sent to do the bidding of his Master.

Gandalf knew and believed in the final, eucatastrophic outcome because he was an angel and privileged to first-hand knowledge of things only reported to others. But others also believed - that is, they had faith - in the final joy of creation: elves such as Elrond, Galadriel, and Eärendil; men such as Aragorn and Faramir, along with the other Dúnedain. The decisions made by such people in Middle-earth were based on their assurance of things hoped for, on their convictions of things not seen, that good and joy are the final outcome of the world and life.

Christians know this, too, although we may at times forget it. We are told of the eucatastrophic ending of the world in Rev 21.1-5a:

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
2 “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 ‘and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’
5 And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’”

If we truly believe that the world and life end in eucatastrophe - in joy - then our decisions and priorities every day will reflect that conviction. Our isolated beliefs will become our operating beliefs. We will not despair - since, as Gandalf says, despair is only for those who know the outcome of all things - but will rejoice and choose to do that which is good and right. Decisions will be based not on expediency nor pragmatism, but on the truths and principles given to us by God. He knows the beginning and end. And He knows the outcome is one of eucatastrophe, not despair. He is in control; He is omnipotent: His final purposes cannot and will not be foiled.

The Christian’s life should reflect that immutable fact.



Namárië.