Eru Ilúvatar (Lord Of The Rings)

## Eru Iluvatar

Eru Ilúvatar is the one omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent God who existed eternally in the Timeless Halls, first created the Ainur group of godlike or angelic beings called the Ainur, which included the powerful Valar and their assistants the Maiar. The Ainur took part in the creation of the universe through a "holy music" called the Ainulindalë under the direction of Eru. whom he kindled with his Flame Imperishable, then presented his thoughts to them as music which they developed into visions and became the foundation for Creation of Eä and Arda, fixed the laws of reality, solely . intervened at key points in history according to his inscrutable designs, and will bring everything to a providential conclusion beyond comprehension, Eru alone directly created the races of Elves and Men, referred to as the "Children of Ilúvatar". Eru intervened on rare occasions, such as burying the army of the king of Númenor when they invaded the Undying Lands, or sending Gandalf back after he died fighting the Balrog.Eru is portrayed as the singular creator and governor of the entire universe, while the Valar and other beings carry out his will in participating in the creation and ongoing affairs of Arda/Middle-earth.  Ilúvatar fills the role of God or supreme deity in Tolkien's mythological world, being its omnipotent being. The Ainur and other beings are subordinate to and carry out the will and plan of Eru.

## Origin

Before the beginning of time and the universe, only Eru Ilúvatar existed, the one supreme and omnipotent being. He is described as similar to the Christian God. With his imperishable flame (similar to the Holy Spirit), Eru generated the Ainur, angelic beings endowed with intellect and creativity. He revealed his thoughts and music to him. The Ainur sang and added new melodies to Eru's music, expanding it. The most powerful, Melkor, desired Eru's power and introduced discord, giving rise to evil. Eru absorbed the discordances in his music and concluded the harmony with a powerful final chord.He showed the Ainur in vision what they had sung: the creation of the physical universe Eä and Middle-earth (Arda). With the imperishable flame, Eru gave physical reality to this vision, creating the universe and the Earth. Some Ainur remained with Eru, others came down to inhabit Arda taking the names of Valar and Maiar. Eru allowed the Ainur to contribute to creation in harmony, but Melkor's free will gave rise to evil in Middle-earth. Only Eru knows Arda's final fate, left open at the end of the Silmarillion. His plan is broader and even absorbs Melkor's rebellion.

## Ability

He is the single omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent Creative deity, existing eternally in the Timeless Halls, He possesses the Flame Imperishable, the innate spiritual fire and essence that kindles all existence from nothingness. He first created the Ainur, the Holy Ones, from his own mind and thought, endowing them with being and power derived yet diminished from his own. He revealed his intentions, purposes and greatest themes for creation to the Ainur in the form of the Music of the Ainur, where they developed and elaborated on his themes with powers he granted them. From the Music, he brought Eä, the universe, into being through the utterance of "eä" and fixed its inherent laws, limits and conditions that cannot be broken. Eru resurrected Gandalf after he faced a foe more powerful than any, demonstrating abilities above any other being.

## Etymology

. In Quenya, the Elven language invented by Tolkien, "Eru" means "The One" or "He that is Alone" and "Ilúvatar" signifies "Allfather".