The Shadow On the Númenóreans

"Now this yearning grew ever greater with the years; and the Númenóreans began to hunger for the undying city that they saw afar, and the desire of everlasting life, to escape from death and the ending of delight, grew strong upon them; and ever as their power and glory grew greater their unquiet increased" (p. 263, The Silmarillion). An ominous beginning for today's reading. Essentially the Shadow that would eventually lead to the downfall of Númenor began with an envy of the Elves and fear of death. For they thought it unfair that the Elves did not experience death; not even the Elves who had rebelled against the Valar. Yet they, the faithful Men, still must die and forfeit all they had worked to build. "Thus it was that a shadow fell upon them: in which maybe the will of Morgoth was at work that still moved in the world" (p. 264, The Silmarillion).

And this restlessness against their allotted fate as well as their desire to sail West and set foot upon the Undying Lands reached the ears of Manwë and he was grieved. He sent messengers to reason with the Dunedain. And they spoke of Eru who governed the fates of all people and it was he, not Manwë's land, that made the Elves deathless. The Elves are bound to Arda and its life is their life where as Men were given death as a gift and not a punishment. To which the Númenóreans said, "'For of us is required a blind trust, and a hope without assurance, knowing not what lies before us in a little while'" (p. 265, The Silmarillion). I think this is a profound statement. Being a follower of Jesus means I am called to live by faith and not by sight. And yet at times I feel a similar sentiment as the Númenóreans, this blind trust, this hope without assurance. And yet, that's not how the Bible describes faith.

As an encouragement the messengers of Manwë said: "'Indeed the mind of Illúvatar concerning you is not known to the Valar, and he has not revealed all things that are to come. But we hold this to be true, that your home is not here, neither in the Land of Aman nor anywhere in the Circles of the World'" (p. 265, The Silmarillion). Those are encouraging words for those with ears to hear. Again, this reminds me of my faith in Christ, this world is not my home. When my eyes are not on Christ I can grow fearful or prideful which is the mix in play for the Númenóreans. The messengers gave this warning to the Númenóreans to beware even though they had once escaped the Shadow.

But Tar-Atanamir did not listen to the messengers and many of the people followed suit. And as a result The Silmarillion gives a little more clarity to his death (which makes sense knowing the sentiment of the people of that day): "And Atanamir lived to a great age, clinging to his life beyond the end of all joy; and he was the first of the Númenóreans to do this, refusing to depart until he was witless and unmanned, and denying to his son the kingship at the height of his days" (p. 266, The Silmarillion).

One last little tidbit. The messengers of Manwë said something else to the Númenóreans that I found incredibly encouraging when framed in the context of my life. "'The love of Arda was set in your hearts by Illúvatar, and he does not plant to no purpose'" (p. 265, The Silmarillion). Indeed what a great reminder. That God has placed desires in my heart and those desires are no pointless. For example I love stories (who doesn't, right?). The big sweeping epic kinds of story full of good and evil, sacrifice, and courage. Like Lord of the Rings of course! I love seeing the arch narratives in the Biblical text. This whole notion that there is a bigger story happening and I want to play my role to the fullest. Many a day I look at my seemingly mundane life thinking it's bereft of purpose. But I must remember, the love of giving myself to a larger story (God's story ultimately) was set in my heart by God and He does not plant to no purpose. I wonder, too, what other desires in my heart I dismiss as inconsequential that are really seeds planted by a God full of purpose. 

Middle-earth timeline: Second Age, circa 2000-2221

Today's reading comes from: The Silmarillion, pages 263-266