Rediscovering Who You Are

Why do you exist?

In Genesis 1:26, God says: "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness."

The Hebrew word for "image" is "Tselem" (צֶלֶם). This is not just a simple picture. In the Ancient Near East, a king would set up images of himself throughout his empire. Why? It was a proclamation: "This is the king's territory."

What does it mean that God made human beings in His image? It means He has sent you to this earth as God's representative. Your very existence is a declaration that "This place belongs to God." This is your identity. This is the reason you exist. Whether you succeed or fail, whether you are wealthy or poor, whether you are healthy or sick—you are the image of God. This does not change.

What must you do?

In Genesis 2:15, it says: "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."

God says He made us to cultivate ("work") and keep ("take care of") it. The Hebrew word for "cultivate" is "Abad" (עָבַד)—meaning to serve, to work. The Hebrew word for "keep" is "Shamar" (שָׁמַר)—meaning to protect, to guard.

Interestingly, these two words are later used in Leviticus to describe the work priests do in the temple. What does this mean? Eden was a temple. Human beings were priests. Our work is not merely about survival. Our work in this world is worship. Everything you do—cooking, cleaning, teaching, working—is caring for God's temple. Your workplace is your temple. Your home is your temple.

God established us on this earth to represent Him, yet we face suffering as we live in this world.

Why do you suffer? 

Looking at Genesis 3:1-6, the serpent asks: "Did God really say?" This is not a simple question. It is a seed of doubt. "Does God really love you?" "Does God really give you good things?" "Can God really be trusted?"

In Genesis 3:6, Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom. This signifies the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

It is exactly the same as 1 John 2:16. [1Jn 2:16, NIV] For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

This is the pattern of all sin. They ate it. And what happened? 3:7 "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked" – Shame entered. 3:8 "They hid from the LORD God" – Separation from God occurred.

The result of sin is always the same: Shame and Hiding. It is the disconnection of relationship.

Where is the hope to resolve this?

[Ge 3:15, NIV] And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Judgment is declared. But within that judgment, there is a promise. We call this verse the Proto-evangelium—the first promise of the Gospel.

"The offspring of the woman" is singular. It refers to one person. "He will crush your head" — This is a decisive victory. "You will strike his heel" — This is a painful cost. Who is this speaking of? It is Jesus Christ.

On the Cross: The serpent (Satan) struck Christ’s heel (He died). But Christ crushed the serpent’s head (He won the decisive victory).

This can be seen as the core message of Genesis chapters 1 through 3. I pray that we clearly understand why we exist, what we must do as we live on this earth, why suffering comes to us in this world, and who the Lord is who gives the perfect answer to it all. May we live our lives relying wholly on the Lord.

I bless you in the name of the Lord. Amen.