Why did God make so many people? Or should we say, why did God create humans at all?
This question has boggled the minds of philosophers for centuries, and not even the brightest of them all can provide a coherent answer. For Christians, however, this is no mystery, as the answer has been revealed in the Word of God.
God may be full of mysteries, but there are things he is happy to reveal to his creation. One of them is the reason for man’s existence. So, why did God make so many people? And what is the purpose of life?
The Self-Sufficiency of God
Before we answer these million-dollar questions, we need to establish one truth: God is self-sufficient. The world was not created out of necessity by him, or because he was lonely or insecure. He was already supremely happy in the fellowship of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Understanding this truth will help us understand the purpose of life.
Need is a common factor in human interactions. In a certain way, this is only natural; we are drawn to those who provide for our needs and from whom we benefit the greatest.
The same is not true with God. He is complete in himself, and his self-sufficiency is revealed throughout the Bible. Genesis 1:1 says, “God created the heavens and earth.”
Paul, in the meeting of the Areopagus, argued, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. (Acts 17:24-25).
It’s Not About Us
We live in a self-centered world, a self-absorbed society. For some, the question about the purpose of life stems from a deep longing to find one’s identity and original design. For many, it’s a result of the obsession with oneself. We ask for the reason we exist because, deep inside, we hope that the answer will confirm our need to be the center of the universe.
And yet, it’s not about us. It is about God. It is for his pleasure that we exist (Revelation 4:11) and not the other way around. It is only when we begin to have a full grasp of this truth that we will understand what our purpose really is.
Each of us has a specific purpose or reason for being on earth, and that is what life is all about. Instead of focusing excessively on ourselves and our desires or what others think of us, we should strive to fulfill our unique purpose, which is founded in God himself.
The Ultimate Reason
If he is self-sufficient, why did God make so many people? The Bible is clear. He created the world and everything in it for his glory.
Isaiah 43:7 says, “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
The word “everyone” here refers not only to Israel but to every nation, every man, woman, and child who has ever existed, currently existing, and will exist in the future.
The most beautiful part of all this is that God created us in his image. Think of him as an artist creating a sculpture of himself. What could be the purpose of such a sculpture than to represent the artist who made it, to glorify its creator? In the same manner, man being made in the image of God implies one thing — we are to represent our creator and glorify him.
Experiencing His Glory
You’ve probably heard or read many times that God’s ultimate goal for man is for him to be holy, that God created us for holiness. One can argue that happiness, not holiness, is God’s ultimate goal for his children. Nevertheless, this happiness is not distinct from holiness, for the only way for man to be happy is to attain holiness.
Don’t think of holiness as being sinless or perfect. Being holy doesn’t mean becoming a monk or a mystic. The concept of holiness is complex, but one way to describe it is having an awareness of God. And yes, one answer to the question, “Why did God make so many people” is that he wants us to experience his glory. He wants us to be aware of his presence at all times. He wants that because it’s the only way for us to be truly happy.
You see, to be holy is to be content in the presence of God. To be holy is to delight in his glory.
Displaying His Glory
Another answer to the question, “Why did God make so many people” is for us to display his glory. It’s not enough that we glorify God by representing him and delighting in his presence. That God created us for his glory also means us reflecting his glory to the world — to one another.
To display God’s glory simply means making it easy for others to see who he really is — that he is a loving and gracious God.
The Hebrew word for “glory” is kavod, which means “weight,” “heaviness,” or “importance.” It also means “majesty,” “honor,” and “respect.” The equivalent of this word in the New Testament is doxa, which carries the same meaning.
The apostle John wrote about this glory, saying, “and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” This is an interesting transition because, now, we are no longer referring to the glory of the Father alone but the glory of his son, Jesus.
Conformed to Christ’s Image
That Christ should die on the cross to save humanity from sin was God’s ultimate plan from the very beginning. The lamb was slain before the creation of the world (Revelation 13:8), and the end goal of this eternal act is the glory of God. Christ was the plan all along so that through his crucifixion, death, and resurrection, God’s glory and grace could be displayed.
This is the reason that all the saints will sing,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood
you ransomed people for God”
(Revelation 5:9)
But if God created every person for his glory, God’s ultimate purpose is for them to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, Jesus (Romans 8:29).
Jesus is the core of our identity, and He lives through us. Our primary goal in life is to emulate Him and follow His teachings. As we walk with Jesus and allow His spirit to guide us, we learn from Him and start to behave more like Him.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we ask, “Why did God make so many people?” “What is his ultimate purpose?” Our answer is found in the Scriptures: God created mankind for one reason alone — His glory. He is omnipotent. He is self-sufficient. He did not need to create the heavens and the earth and everything that is in them.
But he did so, nonetheless. Why? For his glory. It’s all about him and not about us, and that is awesome. Knowing that our true purpose is to glorify God gives us peace because now, we know that we are not here on earth to accumulate things or to become famous and influential, all of which only bring sorrow to our lives. We are here to glorify our creator, the sole act that rejuvenates our spirit and restores our souls.
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