JRR Tolkien’s, Theoden, as adapted by Peter Jackson in the LOTR Trilogy is my favorite character of all time.
Theoden was the king of Rohan of Middle Earth during the rise of Sauron, the greatest evil of the age, and his life holds a compelling lesson for Christians today.
Theoden was well past the prime of his life when the events of the LOTR take place. He had an adult son, Theodred, and a grown niece and nephew, Eowyn and Eomer, all of whom were accomplished warriors and leaders in their own right.
Theoden was probably nearly ready to pass the responsibilities of rule on to Theodred and enjoy peace and quiet in his later life. He likely expected that his days of riding rough and leading the Rohirrim throughout the Riddermark were well and truly behind him.
Then, enter Grima Wormtongue. Grima was Theoden’s chief advisor, a debased and treacherous man who worked indirectly for the wicked, Sauron. Gradually, he whittled away Rohan’s strength, driving a wedge between Theoden and his family. He cast a dark enchantment on Theoden, which caused the king to shrivel away into a husk of his former self.
As king, Theoden was responsible for choosing his advisors wisely. He made the worst mistake of his life when he trusted Wormtongue, and placed him in a position of great power. Theoden slipped into the stupor of the enchantment and could not be stirred to action, even when orcs killed his only son and heir, Theodred.
He let slippery lies and falsehoods slowly worm their way into his mind. He became stagnant and complacent in his royal position. He grew disinterested in ruling and gave more and more of the responsibility to Wormtongue. It did not happen over night. Theoden fell by nearly imperceptible degrees over a long period, so that he did not even notice his own downfall as it was happening to him.
This is the way the Devil works. He worms his way into the Christian’s life with half truths and ideas that seem like wisdom. He wants nothing more than for the Christian to sit back and do nothing. He knows what a Christian anointed by holy fire is capable of, and the worst blow he can deal a Christian is to make him comfortable. This was Theoden’s failure.
Theoden became so comfortable where he was that he failed to sense the encroaching dark. He was utterly consumed and possessed. He became worse than impotent, useless in the fight against evil. Perhaps things would not have become so dire, had Theoden remained vigilant, but we will never know.
Thankfully, this complacency was not the end of Theoden’s story. However, as it was, it took drastic measures to reach Theoden deep in the pit where he had fallen. Only Gandalf could touch him, and it was a rather rude awakening. Sometimes Christians may find themselves on the receiving end of a Gandalf-level curse breaking. It’s downright painful and terrifying.
Fortunately, Theoden revealed to us his true mettle and showed us the path forward, should this be where we find ourselves. Once freed from the power of darkness, Theoden saw clearly for the first time in years. Yet, his body was still weak. In doubt, his hands trembled, and he looked to Gandalf. This was the first right action he took, replacing the advice of the worldly with that of godly wisdom. And Gandalf’s guidance does not disappoint. He proclaims to Theoden:
“Your fingers would remember their own strength better, if they grasped your sword.”
Gandalf, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The cure to Christian complacency and clouded vision is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. In immediately reaching for his sword, Theoden banishes the last vestiges of darkness on his own, and evil no longer has a foothold in him.
The Bible is our best weapon, sharper than any two-edged sword, full of life and power. We need only reach for it to be reminded of our strength in Christ. This was the first critical step in Theoden’s journey to reclaim his life and legacy. It is the step all Christian’s must take if they are to remain awake to the times and connected to the Vine.
Yet, Theoden’s awakening did not signal his happily ever after, far from it. Christians throughout the ages have subscribed to the erroneous belief that if they do all the “right” things, God will make their life path smooth and paved with earthly rewards. That’s not to say there is not tremendous blessing in following Christ, because there is. But, that blessing will probably look vastly different than what passes for blessing by human standards. The blessing will often be accompanied by pain and testing. These produce perseverance and noble character, the things God seeks to cultivate in his children.
Theoden awoke to the news that he had lost his only child, Theodred. God the Father Himself showed us the magnitude of this kind of grief when darkness covered the land for hours as He mourned His Son on a cross.
Perhaps in Theoden’s position, some would wish they could go back to the curse of being unaware and unfeeling. That way Theoden would not have to face the road of intense grief and pain that lay before him. Yet, here again, Theoden rises above the circumstance. He embraces his grief and feels it deeply but refuses to let that stop him from serving and leading his people the best he can.
Again, he leans on good influences: Gandalf, his niece Eowyn, and Aragorn. He gives himself time to grieve but does not allow himself to sink into another kind of stupor, one of sorrow and depression. He fights with everything he has to get to his feet and lead.
Then, things go from bad to worse. Sauron’s evil host is at Rohan’s doorstep, prepared to annihilate everyone and everything in its path. Moreover, the rift Grima Wormtongue caused between Theoden and his nephew Eomer means that the bulk of Rohan’s armies are leagues away in the wrong direction, leaving the civilian populace minimally defended.
For the first time in years, Theoden is thrust into a situation which will determine if he still has what it takes to be king. Can he still lead? Can he still inspire? Aragorn was right there in the council room as was Gandalf. Theoden could have taken the easy way out and handed them the reins to his kingdom. The burden of life and death decisions could have been lifted from his shoulders in an instant.
For the first time in a long time, Theoden is free. What he chooses to do with his newfound freedom is remarkable in its own way. He listens to both Gandalf and Aragorn’s advice, but ultimately the decision is his to make. Gandalf counsels him to ride out and meet the opposing force head on. After a long moment, Theoden acknowledges what they want from him, but says he cannot risk open war. He chooses the path of his forefathers and puts his people first. They will fortify themselves within Helms Deep, a fortress that has never been successfully taken and has saved his ancestors many times before.
In this moment, Theoden shoulders the mantel of king and takes responsibility for his nation. He makes a decision knowing that the consequences will be his alone to bear. He is no longer willing to sit in comfortable complacency and watch others act. Was his decision the right one? Was it the best course of action?
Maybe. Gandalf’s counsel would have seemed to Theoden like suicide, pitting his few hundred men against a host of ten thousand, with no assurance of help from his nephew so far afield. And even if Eomer’s contingent arrived, they were only a few thousand strong.
Sometimes the Christian faces a crossroads in which it seems there are no good options. God’s calling may fly in the face of all human reason. Theoden was not prepared to follow Gandalf headlong into an unknown fate. At least not yet. However, God’s timing is everything. Theoden was about to bear witness to the Almighty working all things together for good.
“At dawn, look to the east.”
Gandalf, LOTR: The Two Towers
Theoden fortifies Helms Deep against the encroaching enemy despite knowing that he and everyone else will most likely die, even with the protection of the fortress. His decision has seemingly only delayed the inevitable. Suddenly, a foreshadowing that things are not as hopeless as they seem: an army of elves appears as if out of nowhere, swearing fealty to an ancient allegiance that has not been upheld for centuries. The elves throw in their lot with Theoden, despite the certainty that death is at the door.
Gandalf rode out in search of Eomer while Theoden and Aragorn prepared Helms Deep. It was a seemingly doomed errand, but Gandalf made a rather cryptic statement before he set out. “Look for my coming on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east.”
Theoden and Aragorn held the defenses at Helms Deep for five terrible days against a relentless onslaught. First the outer wall fell, then the second line of defense, until only the inner keep remained. By the predawn hours of day five, any hope had been effectively snuffed out. In despair, Theoden cries, “What can man do against such reckless hate?”
The answer? Man can do nothing. We need MORE than a Man to face it. Evil would overrun Theoden’s people within the hour. It was now that Theoden was finally prepared to ride out against certain death. He led a handful of cavalry through the inner gates of the keep out into the teeth of the waiting enemy. As the sun rose on what promised to be a dark and bloody day of death, Gandalf appeared on the ridge, leading Eomer and his forces into the fray like a brilliant beam of holy light.
Impossibly, the enemy was defeated and Rohan saved. Theoden emerged uninjured, preserved despite all odds. His time had not yet come. There was still more for him to do.
Now, Sauron’s evil set its sights on Gondor, the neighboring kingdom who was supposedly Rohan’s staunchest ally. But Gondor had its own cancer growing inside it and had left Theoden to rot. Theoden would have been well within his rights to ignore Gondor’s plight as they had ignored his people in their desperate time of need. Admittedly, he was tempted to do just that.
But, when the fires of the signal flares were lit, and Gondor called for aid, Theoden and Rohan answered. Theoden was awake. He was no longer complacent, and he would be no bystander while evil raged. He would lead from the front despite being in his seventies when by rights he should have enjoyed a peaceful retirement.
If you thought the odds of victory at Helms Deep looked slim, the battle Theoden now waged was positively dismal. The forces of evil were impossibly huge, with numbers nigh immeasurable. Yet, Theoden had learned from Helms Deep. He would not give in to fear, nor despair. His final speech to his men before leading the charge into battle was incredible when you think about where Gandalf first found him in the throes of Grima’s curse.
“Arise! Arise riders of Theoden!
Spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered! A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending!
Death! Death! Death!”
Theoden, King of Rohan, LOTR: The Return of the King
Theoden galloped into the fray. He never once hesitated. With the full force of his army at his back, they ran full tilt into enemy pikes and spears and kept going. The enemy had never seen anything like it, a wall of horsemen throwing themselves into the enemy lines with such force and momentum that they crushed the monsters under their feet even as the men and horses themselves died for the effort.
Theoden saved Gondor and dealt Sauron’s armies a crippling blow. He turned the tide in the fight against the greatest evil any of them had ever faced. LOTR: The Return of the King is most often remembered because Aragorn returned as the King of Gondor. But really, it was just as much about the return of another king, Theoden. Theoden’s legacy was one of courage, honor, determination, and resilience. No one would remember him as the cursed, ineffective man who sat on a hollow throne in a broken kingdom.
Maybe you think you’ve fallen too far or made too many bad decisions for God to redeem. Theoden is proof that is not true. Maybe you have sat in quiet comfort without recognizing the dark closing in around you. Get up! Get up now! Theoden is proof that it is never too late to start living.
“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Revelation 1:18 NIV
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:55 NLT
Grace and Peace Friends,
A.A. Wordsmith
Selah Vie! 