What lessons can we learn about priorities from Jeremiah 22:10? Jeremiah’s startling directive “Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him. Instead, weep bitterly for the one who is exiled, for he will never return to see his native land.” (Jeremiah 22:10) Why God redirects our tears • The man who died (King Josiah) had finished his race; his destiny was settled. • The living king in exile (Shallum/Jehoahaz) faced ongoing separation—geographically from Judah and, more importantly, spiritually from God. • The verse pushes us to shift our deepest concern from the physically departed to those still alive yet spiritually adrift. Priority 1: The soul matters most • “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) • Earthly achievements, positions, or comforts are temporary; the condition of the soul is eternal. • Our time, emotions, and resources should reflect that hierarchy. Priority 2: Focus on the living who are estranged • Heaven “rejoices over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7). God invites us to share that passion. • Paul carried “great sorrow and unceasing anguish” for lost Israel (Romans 9:2-3). Grief over spiritual exile is biblical. • We are “ambassadors for Christ” imploring the wandering to be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:20). Active engagement, not passive sadness, is the call. Priority 3: Recognize the real tragedy—separation, not mortality • Physical death for believers means immediate presence with the Lord; we “do not grieve like the rest, who are without hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). • Spiritual exile, however, is a foretaste of eternal separation. That is worth “weeping bitterly.” • James reminds us that turning a sinner back “will save his soul from death” (James 5:19-20). Living these priorities today • Pray earnestly for the spiritually distant—by name, daily. • Initiate gospel conversations; prioritize the lost in your schedule. • Invest in ministries that rescue and disciple rather than merely entertain. • Let every loss or funeral prompt gratitude for the redeemed and renewed urgency for the unreached. |
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