How does Daniel 8:25 challenge the belief in a benevolent God? Stated Concern At first glance the verse seems to depict a God who permits a ruthless ruler to flourish, intimidate, deceive, and slaughter “many” before being divinely terminated. Why would a benevolent God allow such devastation in the first place? Immediate Literary Context Daniel 8 details the ram (Medo-Persia), the goat (Greece), and the “little horn” that grows “exceedingly great” (vv. 9-12). Gabriel declares the vision concerns “the time of the end” (v. 17). Thus v. 25 sits inside an inspired explanation that temporary evil precedes inevitable judgment. Historical Fulfillment: Antiochus IV Epiphanes • Hellenistic records (Polybius 31.11-32; 1 Maccabees 1-4) and archaeology at the Jerusalem Temple mount confirm Antiochus’s desecration (167 BC). • He “destroyed many” Jews during an era of “security” secured by treaties (cf. 1 Macc 1:29-38). • His sudden death in Persia (2 Macc 9:5-9) matches “shattered—not by human hands.” The episode verifies God’s predictive reliability, not malevolence. Antiochus’s rise and fall occurred exactly as foretold two centuries earlier, displaying providential control over history. Prophetic Typology: Ultimate Antichrist New Testament writers mirror Daniel’s language when describing a future “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) and “beast” (Revelation 13). God’s benevolence is shown in forewarning humanity, unveiling evil’s final manifestation, and pledging its destruction “by the breath of His mouth” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The Moral Question: Why Permit Such Tyranny? 1. Free, Accountable Agents: Scripture affirms genuine creaturely freedom (Deuteronomy 30:19). Benevolence requires freedom; coercion would annul authentic love and righteousness. 2. Greater-Good Defense: Temporary suffering often delivers greater redemptive purposes (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Antiochus catalyzed the Maccabean revival, purified temple worship, and preserved messianic expectation. 3. Divine Long-suffering: God “is patient...not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9). Delay in judgment reflects mercy toward both oppressor and oppressed. 4. Eschatological Justice: Psalm 73 voices the same complaint—yet resolves when the psalmist “entered the sanctuary” and grasped the wicked’s “sudden ruin” (vv. 16-19). Daniel 8:25 likewise promises catastrophe for evil “not by human hands,” highlighting God’s personal intervention. The Philosophical Lens Behavioral studies note that moral outrage at injustice presupposes an objective moral law. An ultimate, benevolent Lawgiver must therefore exist; otherwise “evil” loses meaning. Daniel 8 faces, not creates, the so-called “problem of evil,” because only the biblical framework grants moral vocabulary to protest it. Christological Resolution Evil’s most vicious stroke—the crucifixion of Jesus—was simultaneously God’s gracious plan for salvation (Acts 2:23). The resurrection, attested by multiple early independent sources (1 Corinthians 15:3-7; early creed dated AD 30-35), proves that God overrides evil for unfathomable good. Daniel’s “Prince of princes” whom the horn opposes is ultimately the risen Christ, guaranteeing that injustice never has the final word. Theological Synthesis God’s benevolence encompasses: • Revelation—He discloses evil’s rise in advance. • Restraint—He limits its duration (“2,300 evenings and mornings,” v. 14). • Retribution—He personally crushes the tyrant. • Restoration—He sanctifies His people through trial. Pastoral Implications Believers enduring oppression can anchor hope in Daniel 8:25’s rhythm: deception, destruction, divine deliverance. The verse nurtures perseverance, not despair (James 5:10-11). Conclusion Rather than undermining belief in a benevolent God, Daniel 8:25 vindicates it. Evil is neither ignored nor permanent; it is predicted, bounded, and ultimately shattered by a righteous, sovereign, and gracious Lord whose character is disclosed supremely in the risen Christ. |
    |