Vs. 5-6. These verses tell us that this heavenly messenger lifted up his hand as he stood upon the sea and upon the earth, and swore by the Creator of the universe that time should be no longer. This cannot mean that all time was at an end. On no scheme of interpretation could that be true. The rest of the book is full of events that are yet to come. But the meaning is that no more time could be given these sinners on whom this judgment was to fall; no further delay till the final stroke should descend. The Lord had delayed his judgments long; he is long suffering and slow to wrath; but the time had now come and no longer delay would be granted.