This carries the connotation of forethought or foresight to attain a particular end or goal. What a beautiful picture this is of God's role in history. His omniscient foresight orders, sustains, and cares for His creation, accomplishing His divine purpose. Many today, however, would have us believe that an indescribable fate determines the course of history. Man's destiny is left to mere chance.
History is viewed as a series of unrelated circumstances.
But to the one who seeks to discern the hand of God, history will have purpose, meaning, and direction. An incident recorded in the book of Esther illustrated this truth. The very night the wicked Haman built gallows on which to hand Mordecai, the Persian king could not sleep. The king asked his servants to read to him out of the royal records, probably hoping that the boring documents would make him drowsy. The servants read about Mordecai who saved the king's life by exposing a plot against him.