The Original Temple of Doom

In this message centering on Revelation 15, Chuck Swindoll presents a sobering prelude to the final outpouring of God’s wrath. Acknowledging that the subject of divine judgment is neither “happy” nor “popular,” Swindoll insists that teaching the full counsel of God requires facing the uncomfortable truth that God is holy and will judge sin. He contextualizes this chapter as the introduction to the “bowl judgments”—the third and final set of judgments following the seals and trumpets, representing the completion of God’s wrath on earth [11–13].

The sermon paints two distinct scenes found in the text. First, Swindoll depicts a scene of tranquility and triumph, where victorious martyrs stand on a “sea of glass mixed with fire.” These believers, having overcome the political, religious, and economic pressures of the Beast, hold harps and sing the “Song of Moses” and the “Song of the Lamb,” celebrating God’s righteous acts [14–17, 21].

The scene then shifts abruptly to the “Temple of Doom.” Swindoll describes the opening of the heavenly sanctuary, from which seven angels emerge, not with messages of mercy, but carrying “bowls” full of wrath. He uses the analogy of a surgeon to explain the necessity of this judgment: just as a surgeon must inflict pain to excise a deadly cancer, a holy God must judge sin to maintain His righteousness [27–28]. The message concludes with a reminder of the brevity of life and an urgent plea to accept Christ while there is still time, citing 2 Peter 3:9 to affirm that God desires repentance, not destruction [32, 34–36].

Message Key Facts:

• The “Guilty” Experiment: Swindoll references Carl Menninger’s book Whatever Became of Sin and shares a story of a man in Chicago who stood on a street corner pointing at pedestrians and shouting the single word, “Guilty.” The fearful reaction of the passersby illustrates that deep down, humans know they are accountable for their offenses [7–9].
• Three Sets of Judgments: Swindoll outlines the structure of Revelation’s judgments:
  1. The Seals (a scroll unrolled).
  2. The Trumpets (announced by blasts).
  3. The Bowls (the ultimate expression of wrath poured out). Revelation 15 serves as the “overture” or prelude to this final set [11–12].
• The Sea of Glass: Swindoll interprets the “sea of glass mixed with fire” not necessarily as literal water or fire, but as a representation of purity and tranquility. He likens it to a “slick” on the ocean where the water is perfectly still, contrasting the peace of heaven with the chaos of the tribulation [15–16].
• The Victors’ Harps: Swindoll notes that the harps mentioned in verse 2 are not large orchestral harps, but handheld instruments similar to guitars. He points out this is the only instance in Scripture where God’s people accompany themselves with harps.
• Two Songs: The martyrs sing two songs:

• • The Song of Moses: A song of triumph over the enemy (Egypt/Pharaoh), celebrating God bringing His people out.
  • The Song of the Lamb: A song of triumph over sin and wrong, celebrating God bringing His people in [19–21].

• The Architecture of Doom: In verse 5, the “Tabernacle of Testimony” is opened. Unlike the Old Testament tabernacle which contained furniture and a mercy seat, this temple is empty of furniture and filled with smoke. It signals that the time for mercy has passed and judgment is at hand [24–25].
• The “Phialas” (Bowls): Swindoll explains the Greek word for “bowls” (phialas) refers to a shallow saucer or deep dish used for heating liquids and pouring them out quickly. This signifies that these final judgments will be splashed out swiftly upon the earth [25–26].
• The Surgeon Analogy: To address the difficulty of a loving God pouring out wrath, Swindoll compares God to a surgeon. A doctor who refuses to operate because it “hurts too much” is not a good doctor. Similarly, for God to be wholly just, He must excise sin [27–28].
• Smoke in the Temple: The smoke filling the temple represents the “intense holiness” of God. Swindoll warns against the modern tendency to treat God as a “chum” or “big buddy,” reminding listeners that God is awesome and demands reverence [29–30].

Message References:

• Revelation 15:1–8: The primary text describing the seven angels with the seven last plagues, the sea of glass, and the opening of the temple [2–3].
• Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed unto us to die once and after death the Judgment”.
• 2 Peter 3:9: “God is not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance”.
• Isaiah 6: Referenced regarding the temple being filled with smoke and the holiness of the Lord.
• Revelation 13: Referenced regarding the Beast, his image, and the number of his name.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll