10 “‘So do not be afraid, Jacob my servant;
do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the LORD.
‘I will surely save you out of a distant place,
your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,
and no one will make him afraid.
11 I am with you and will save you,’
declares the LORD.
...
12 “This is what the LORD says:
“‘Your wound is incurable,
your injury beyond healing.
13 There is no one to plead your cause,
no remedy for your sore,
no healing for you.
14 All your allies have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you.
...
17 But I will restore you to health
and heal your wounds,’
declares the LORD,
‘because you are called an outcast,
Zion for whom no one cares.’"
This seems paradoxical. If Jeremiah wants to encourage the people not to be afraid, why does he say that their wound is incurable? Or why does he say the wound is incurable, then say God will restore them to health and heal their wounds? Did Jeremiah forget what he was writing from one verse to the next?
But I conclude the negativity of verse 12 in the overall context of hope makes sense. I'm almost tempted to call it a hopeful hopelessness.
Your wounds are incurable. You really need God's grace. Not just a small touch of grace but the complete course; major surgery, complete replacement, a brand new life from the factory. You can stop pretending you've got it almost all together, you just need help on one or two little details.
Jeremiah goes on that "your allies" won't be there for you. The "if only" won't happen, or if it does it won't make the difference you think it will. But God will be there. The maker of something out of nothing, the power who brings life back out of death is on your case. That's what you really need, and that's what you've really got.
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