以斯拉記和尼希米記詳述猶太人流放到巴比倫之後，約有五萬人返回家鄉的情形，但有更多的猶太人仍滯留波斯，雖然他們並不在意上帝，上帝卻仍十分關心他們！這一點在以斯帖記裡可以非常清楚的看見。──以斯帖記敘述一個美麗的猶太女孩，出身寒門卻平步青雲，成為波斯新后，雖然通篇未曾提到上帝的名字，但上帝的引導卻處處可見，正如祂把以斯帖放在波斯宮中，讓她的堂兄末底改名列波斯歷史，都是「為了現今的機會」（4：14）。

        「哇！怎麼所有的壞運氣都落在我頭上？」
        實在很奇怪：我們很容易把生活裡的困境推諉給「惡運」，卻把成功歸功於「努力」！
        當你讀以斯帖記的時候，一定會發現困境與成功明顯的參差其間，（拿出一張紙來分成兩半，今後四天之內，看看你能發現多少困難與成功吧！）但在錯綜複雜的世事中，終有脈絡可尋，那就是上帝在幕後掌管一切！以斯帖原本無意封后，末底改被遺忘的救駕行動──其實並非出於偶然！上帝誠然以猶太人的生命為經緯，以祂的全能為題，編織了一段動人的史實，讓猶太人在當代學到上帝掌管一切──就像你學到的一樣！
        這個真理並非只有以斯帖記才有，在出埃及記四章十一節；詩篇一一五篇三節；但以理書四章十七、二十五、三十二節及羅馬書八章二十八節裡都清晰可見。

        千鈞一髮話陰謀
        在生死關頭，末底改得兩個守門的太監處心積慮要謀害亞哈隨魯王──又名薛西（2：21-23），於是末底改暗中把消息傳送進宮，通報以斯帖，以斯帖以末底改的名義將實情上報，兩名謀反之徒於是問吊，這個事件記載在波斯歷史上。薛西王當年雖然命不該絕，但十五年後還是在類似的陰謀裡喪了命。

謀事在人，成事在上帝。

English

        The books of Ezra and Nehemiah recount the return of about 50,000 Jews to their homeland after the Babylonian Exile. But thousands more remained behind in Persia. And though they were not concerned about God, God was still very much concerned about them! Nowhere is this more clearly visible than in the Book of Esther—the story of a beautiful Jewish girl who rises from obscurity to prominence when she becomes the new queen of Persia. Though God's name is nowhere mentioned in the account, His hand is everywhere visible as He places Esther in the Persian palace and her cousin Mordecai's name in the Persian chronicles "for such a time as this" (4:14).

        "Of all the bad luck! Why did that have to happen to me?" It's truly amazing how quickly we credit our setbacks in life to bad luck and our successes to hard work!
        As you read the Book of Esther, you'll find a remarkable assortment of setbacks and successes. But one common thread runs through them all: God was at work behind the scenes. Esther's unexpected promotion, Mordecai's forgotten act of heroism—neither was an accident! Rather, God was weaving a beautiful lesson on sovereignty from the threads of their lives, showing that in their day—as in yours—God is in control.
        It's a truth found not only in the Book of Esther. Read about God's sovereign control in Exodus 4:11; Psalm 115:3; Daniel 4:17, 25, 28; Romans 8:28.

        A Fatal Plot at a Fateful Moment
        At a strategic moment, Mordecai became aware of a plot devised by two eunuchs of the royal bodyguard to put King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) to death (2:21-23). On this occasion, Mordecai secretly passed the news to Esther, Esther reported it in Mordecai's name, the conspirators were hanged, and the incident written up in the Persian court diary. Ironically, about 15 years later Xerxes lost his life as the result of a similar plot.

Man proposes, God disposes.