🌟 Jewels of Wisdom | The Divine Search | Finding Life's Purpose and Meaning in the Hebrew Scriptures

Ever wondered what is the meaning of life? Why was I created? What is my purpose?

Humans have an innate desire to understand their purpose and place in the universe. We seek meaning in our lives and often find it through spiritual practices, philosophical inquiry, or religious belief. But the deepest guidance for this existential quest requires us to step out of our way and seek GOD for divine direction in our lives.

The Divine Connection and Transcendence

We are built for connection. Many people report having experiences of awe, wonder, and connection to something larger than themselves. These powerful experiences of transcendence—whether triggered by a life-changing event, the majesty of nature, art, music, or meditation—hint at a reality beyond the material world.

The Holy Scriptures portray GOD as a loving and compassionate Creator who cares deeply for His creation. This compassion is not a subtle whisper but a towering truth:

"For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers." (Psalms 103:11)

GOD is repeatedly described as merciful, forgiving, and slow to anger. His justice is perfect, yet profoundly tempered with mercy:

"YAH is compassionate and merciful; He is patient and demonstrates great loyal love." (Psalms 103:8)

"He does not deal with us as our sins deserve; He does not repay us as our misdeeds deserve." (Psalms 103:9-10)

This understanding of a just yet compassionate GOD (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 103:6) provides the foundation for our own moral and ethical compass.

The Call to Love: Our Primary Purpose

At the heart of the GOD'S guidance is the commandment to love. We are capable of deep love, empathy, and compassion, and we are commanded to direct this capacity outwards.

💖 Love of Neighbor

The commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself is a recurring, essential theme. This neighborly love is not just a sentiment; it is defined by action and restraint. The commandments found in Exodus 20:13-17 outline its practical boundaries: not to bear false witness, murder, steal, commit adultery, or covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Conversely, the Scriptures warn against the antithesis of love:

"The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever is kind to the needy is blessed." (Proverbs 14:21)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Love of Family

The Holy Scriptures deeply emphasizes the importance of family love, especially the relationship between parents and children. Honoring one's parents is a foundational command, essential to a just life:

"Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land YAH your GOD is giving to you." (Exodus 20:12)

"A wise child brings joy to his father, but a foolish person despises his mother." (Proverbs 15:20)

🤲 Love of the Vulnerable

The Scriptures frequently call for compassion for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. The prophets and the Psalms continually urge the people to justice and righteousness, which is inseparable from caring for the oppressed:

"Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless. Vindicate the oppressed and suffering." (Psalms 82:3)

"Learn to do what is right. Promote justice. Give the oppressed reason to celebrate. Take up the cause of the orphan. Defend the rights of the widow." (Isaiah 1:17)

"The one who oppresses the poor has insulted his Creator, but whoever honors him shows favor to the needy." (Proverbs 14:31)

The Fundamental Choice: Obedience vs. Self-Determination

The search for purpose is intrinsically linked to the earliest narrative in the Scriptures: the significance of the Trees in the Garden. The choice between the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represents the fundamental decision we all face: obedience to GOD or self-determination.

By partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve chose self-determination over divine dependence. This act introduced sin and death, and it holds profound spiritual implications for the nature of sin, the origin of evil, and the concept of human free will.

The trees symbolize different aspects of the human experience, including the pursuit of knowledge and the desire for independence. While we possess the incredible capacity to create art, music, literature, and technology, and to act with altruism, empathy, and compassion, human nature is also characterized by a drive for self-interest that can lead to sin, violence, hatred, and self-deception.

The story of the Trees reminds us that our purpose is not merely to exist, but to make the right choice: to live in dependency and obedience to the Creator, which ultimately allows us to truly fulfill our capacity for love, compassion, and righteousness.

Conclusion: Seeking Divine Guidance

Our innate human drive to seek meaning is valid and divinely implanted. We are social beings, forming deep bonds, and we possess a moral compass. But to fully understand our purpose and overcome the darkness of self-interest, we must consistently look beyond ourselves and seek GOD for guidance.

The Hebrew Scriptures provides a clear, divine roadmap: Love GOD, and live out that love through justice, compassion, and care for others. This is the essence of true purpose.

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Shalom qodesh qadasheem - the “set apart ones.”