Charles Swindoll wrote a book titled Hope Again, with the subtitle “When Life Hurts and Dreams Fade.” On the back cover describing the contents of the book the publisher entices the reader with the following words:
Hope is more than mere wishful thinking. Hope is a vital necessity of life — a gift that God wants to give to you. And in a world that regularly writes dreams off as foolish and drains the hope from the heart with dark pessimism, Hope Again is a voice crying in the wilderness ... a word of enthusiasm for life in the midst of any difficult situation you are in.
Zephaniah’s audience could identify with that need for hope! They were overwhelmed with grief and prolonged distress, along with a history of defiance of God’s commands and demands dating back to their two previous kin…