Tolkien's legendarium has some definite traits in common with the Old Testament. They're both long stories that preoccupied with the ancient past. But there are some differences, too. One purports to be "real" history, the other "feigned" history. As Tolkien himself says, history and myth are "made of the same stuff." Understanding the systematic similarities and dissimilarities between Tolkien's work and the Old Testament greatly enhances the reader's appreciation and delight in BOTH bodies of literature!