Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026

Many events in the book of Esther might seem like luck or coincidence. How else do you explain how an orphaned Jewish girl became the queen of Persia at just the right time to save her people from slaughter? What are the chances that Esther’s cousin Mordecai would happen to overhear a plot to assassinate the king? Were these coincidences, or were they part of a divine plan? Elder Ronald A. Rasband noted: “What may appear to be a random chance is, in fact, overseen by a loving Father in Heaven. … The Lord is in the small details of our lives” (“By Divine Design,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 56). We might not always recognize the Lord’s influence in these “small details.” But we learn from Esther’s experience that He can guide our path and prepare us “for such a time” (Esther 4:14) when we can be instruments in His hands to fulfill His purposes.

For an overview of the book of Esther, see “Esther, book of” in the Bible Dictionary.

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Second Counselor in the First Presidency

We cannot and we must not allow ourselves to get distracted from our sacred duty. We cannot and we must not lose focus on the things that matter most.

Ezra reads and interprets the law of Moses to the people—They keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

Sanballat engages in intrigue against Nehemiah and the building of the wall—The Jews finish the construction of the wall.

Many Jews are in bondage to their fellow Jews—At Nehemiah’s direction they are freed, their lands are restored, and the taking of usury is discontinued.

The Jews’ enemies seek to prevent them from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem—Nehemiah arms the laborers and keeps the work progressing.

Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem—Sanballat and others oppose Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

Ezra goes up to Jerusalem—Artaxerxes provides for beautifying the temple and sustains the Jews in their worship.

Darius renews the decree of Cyrus to build the temple—It is finished and dedicated, and sacrifices and feasts commence again.

Haggai and Zechariah prophesy—Zerubbabel renews the building of the temple—The Samaritans challenge the Jews’ right to continue their building work.