“But when it came to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows” (Esth 9:25).

Well-known is the fact that the book of Esther never once mentions God (so also the Song of Songs!). So how in the world did a book that never mentions God make it into the Hebrew canon? Let me suggest it is God’s way of mocking atheists who try to explain Jewish history without him! Those who fail to see God in the book of Esther (and in Jewish history) are just not looking closely enough, completely blinded to all the obvious clues. The book of Esther constantly alludes to the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50): Mordecai’s refusal to bow down to Haman parallels Joseph’s refusal to lie with Potiphar’s wife; Mordecai’s rise to second-to-the-king parallels Joseph’s rise to second-to-the-pharaoh; the giving of the king’s signet ring to Mordecai parallels the giving of the pharaoh’s signet ring to Joseph; Mordecai’s role in saving his people parallels Joseph’s role in saving his brothers; etc. Read Esther 9:25 once again in light of Joseph’s story and the providence of God will leap off the page! For this verse is clearly an allusion to the theological explanation of all the tragedies that befell Joseph:

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen 50:20).

In all their attempts to explain the miraculous story of the Jewish people, apparently God laughs at atheists.