And swore by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
6. sware by him ] This angel therefore is in no sense a divine Person.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
6, 7. that there shall be time no longer: but ] i.e. as we say, “there shall be no more time lost, but” : “there shall be delay no longer.” It is not in harmony with the usual language of Scripture to suppose that finite “time” is meant to be opposed to eternity.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And sware by him that liveth forever and ever – By the ever-living God: a form of an oath in extensive use now. The essential idea in such an oath is an appeal to God; a solemn reference to Him as a witness; an utterance in the presence of Him who is acquainted with the truth or falsehood of what is said, and who will punish him who appeals to him falsely. It is usual, in such an oath, in order to give to it greater solemnity, to refer to some attribute of God, or something in the divine character on which the mind would rest at the time, as tending to make it more impressive. Thus, in the passage before us, the reference is to God as ever-living; that is, he is now a witness, and he ever will be; he has now the power to detect and punish, and he ever will have the same power.
Who created heaven, and the things that therein are, … – Who is the Maker of all things in heaven, on the earth, and in the sea; that is, throughout the universe. The design of referring to these things here is what is just specified to give increased solemnity to the oath by a particular reference to someone of the attributes of God. With this view nothing could be more appropriate than to refer to him as the Creator of the universe – denoting his infinite power, his right to rule and control all things.
That there should be time no longer – This is a very important expression, as it is the substance of what the angel affirmed in so solemn a manner; and as the interpretation of the whole passage depends on it. It seems now to be generally agreed among critics that our translation does not give the true sense, inasmuch:
(a)As that was not the close of human affairs, and
(b)As he proceeds to state what would occur after that.
Accordingly, different versions of the passage have been proposed. Prof. Stuart renders it, that delay shall be no longer. Mr. Elliott, that the time shall not yet be; but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, whensoever he may be about to sound, then the mystery of God shall be finished. Mr. Lord, that the time shall not be yet, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, etc. Andrew Fuller (Works, vol. vi. p. 113), there should be no delay. So Dr. Gill. Mr. Daubuz, the time shall not be yet. Vitringa (p. 432), tempus non fore amplius, time shall be no more. He explains it (p. 433) as meaning, not that this is to be taken absolutely, as if at the sounding of the seventh trumpet all things were then to terminate, and the glorious epiphany – epiphaneia (or manifestation of Jesus Christ) – was then to occur, who would put an end to all the afflictions of his church; but in a limited sense – restricte – as meaning that there would be no delay between the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the fulfillment of the prophecies. The sense of this passage is to be determined by the meaning of the words and the connection:
(a) The word time – chronos – is the common Greek word to denote time, and may be applied to time in general, or to any specified time or period. See Robinson, Lexicon sub voce, (a, b). In the word itself there is nothing to determine its particular signification here. It might refer either to time in general, or to the time under consideration, and which was the subject of the prophecy. Which of these is the true idea is to be ascertained by the other circumstances referred to. It should be added, however, that the word does not of itself denote delay, and is never used to denote that directly. It can only denote that because delay occupies or consumes time, but this sense of the noun is not found in the New Testament. It is found, however, in the verb chronizo, to linger, to delay, to be long in coming, Mat 25:5; Luk 1:21.
(b) The absence of the article – time, not the time – would naturally give it a general signification, unless there was something in the connection to limit it to some well-known period under consideration. See the notes on Rev 8:2; Rev 10:3. In this latter view, if the time referred to would be sufficiently definite without the article, the article need not be inserted. This is such a case, and comes under the rule for the omission of the article as laid down by Dr. Middleton, part i. ch. 3: The principle is, that when the copula, or verb connecting the subject and predicate, is the verb substantive, then the article is omitted. To affirm the existence, says he, of that of which the existence is already assumed, would be superfluous; to deny it, would be contradictory and absurd. As applicable to the case before us, the meaning of this rule would be, that the nature of the time here referred to is implied in the use of the substantive verb ( estai), and that consequently it is not necessary to specify it. All that needs to be said on this point is, that, on the supposition that John referred to a specified time, instead of time in general, it would not be necessary, under this rule, to insert the article. The reference would be understood without it, and the insertion would be unnecessary. This is substantially the reasoning of Mr. Elliott (vol. ii. p. 123), and it is submitted for what it is worth. My own knowledge of the usages of the Greek article is too limited to justify me in pronouncing an opinion on the subject, but the authorities are such as to authorize the assertion that, on the supposition that a particular well-known period were here referred to, the insertion of the article would not be necessary.
(c) The particle rendered longer – eti – time shall be no longer – means properly, according to Robinson (Lexicon), yet, still; implying:
(1) Duration – as spoken of the present time; of the present in allusion to the past, and, with a negative, no more, no longer;
(2) Implying accession, addition, yet, more, further, besides. According to Buttmann, Grammatical section 149, vol. i. p. 430, it means, when alone, yet still, yet further; and with a negative, no more, no further. The particle occurs often in the New Testament, as may be seen in the Concordance. It is more frequently rendered yet than by any other word (compare Mat 12:46; Mat 17:5; Mat 19:20; Mat 26:47; Mat 27:63; Mar 5:35; Mar 8:17; Mar 12:6; Mar 14:43 – and so in the other Gospels, the Acts , and the Epistles); in all, 50 times. In the Book of Revelation it is only once rendered yet, Rev 6:11, but is rendered more in Rev 3:12; Rev 7:16; Rev 9:12; Rev 12:8; Rev 18:21-22 (three times), Rev 18:23 (twice); Rev 20:3; Rev 21:1, Rev 21:4 (twice); longer in Rev 10:6; still in Rev 22:11 (four times). The usage, therefore, will justify the rendering of the word by yet, and in connection with the negative, not yet – meaning that the thing referred to would not occur immediately, but would be hereafter. In regard to the general meaning, then, of this passage in its connection, we may remark:
(a) That it cannot mean, literally, that there would be time no longer, or that the world would then come to an end absolutely, for the speaker proceeds to disclose events that would occur after that, extending far into tim future Rev 10:11, and the detail that follows Rev. 11 before the sounding of the seventh trumpet is such as to occupy a considerable period, and the seventh trumpet is also yet to sound. No fair construction of the language, therefore, would require us to understand this as meaning that the affairs of the world were then to terminate.
(b) The connection, then, apart from the question of grammatical usage, will require some such construction as that above suggested – that the time, to wit, some certain, known, or designated time, would not be yet, but would be in some future period; that is, as specified, Rev 10:7, in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound. Then the mystery of God would be finished, and the affairs of the world would be put on their permanent footing.
(c) This would imply that, at the time when the angel appeared, or in the time to which he refers, there would be some expectation or general belief that the mystery was then to be finished, and that the affairs of the world were to come to an end. The proper interpretation would lead us to suppose that there would be so general an expectation of this, as to make the solemn affirmation of the angel proper to correct a prevailing opinion, and to show that the right interpretation was not put on what seemed to be the tendency of things.
(d) As a matter of fact, we find that this expectation did actually exist at the time of the Reformation; that such an interpretation was put on the prophecies, and on the events that occurred; and that the impression that the Messiah was about to come, and the reign of saints about to commence, was so strong as to justify some interference, like the solemn oath of the angel, to correct the misapprehension. It is true that this impression had existed in former times, and even in the early ages of the church; but, as a matter of fact, it was true, and eminently true, in the time of the Reformation, and there was, on many accounts, a strong tendency to that form of belief. The Reformers, in interpreting the prophecies, learned to connect the downfall of the papacy with the coming of Christ, and with his universal reign upon the earth; and as they saw the evidences of the approach of the former, they naturally anticipated the latter as about to occur.
Compare Dan 2:34; Dan 12:11; 2Th 2:3, 2Th 2:8. The anticipation that the Lord Jesus was about to come; that the affairs of the world, in the present form, were to be wound up; that the reign of the saints would soon commence; and that the permanent kingdom of righteousness would be established, became almost the current belief, of the Reformers, and was frequently expressed in their writings. Thus, Luther, in the year 1520, in his answer to the popes bull of excommunication, expresses his anticipations: Our Lord Jesus Christ yet liveth and reigneth; who, I firmly trust, will shortly come, and slay with the spirit of his mouth, and (destroy with the brightness of his coming, that Man of Sin (Merle DAubig., vol. ii. p. 166). After being summoned before the Diet at Worms, and after condemnation had been pronounced on him by the emperor, he fell back for comfort on the same joyous expectation. For this once, he said, the Jews, as on the crucifixion day, may sing their paean; but Easter will come for us, and then we shall sing Hallelujah (DAubig., vol. ii. p. 275). The next year, writing to Staupitz, he made a solemn appeal against his abandoning the Reformation, by reference to the sure and advancing fulfillment of Daniels prophecy. My father, said he, the abominations of the pope, with his whole kingdom, must be destroyed; and the Lord does this without hand, by the Word alone. The subject exceeds all human comprehension. I cherish the best hopes (Milner, p. 692).
In 1523 he thus, in a similar strain, expresses his hopes: The kingdom of Antichrist, according to the prophet Daniel, must be broken without hands; that is, the Scriptures will be understood by and by; and every one will preach against papal tyranny, from the Word of God, until the Man of Sin is deserted of all, and dies of himself (Milner, p. 796). The same sentiments respecting the approach of the end of the world were entertained by Melancthon. In commenting on the passage in Daniel relating to the little horn, he thus refers to an argument which has been prevalent: The words of the prophet Elias should be marked by every one, and inscribed upon our walls, and on the entrances of our houses. Six thousand years shall the world stand, and after that be destroyed; two thousand years without the law; two thousand years under the law of Moses; two thousand years under the Messiah; and if any of those years are not fulfilled, they will be shortened (a shortening intimated by Christ also, on account of our sins).
The following manuscript addition to this argument has been found in Melancthons hand, in Luthers own copy of the German Bible: Written 1557 a.d., and from the creation of the world, 5519; from which number we may see that this aged world is not far from its end. So also the British Reformers believed. Thus, Dr. Latimer: Let us cry to God day and night … Most merciful Father, let thy kingdom come! Paul saith, The Lord will not come until the swerving from the faith cometh 2Th 2:3; which thing is already done and past. Antichrist is already known throughout all the world. Wherefore the day is not far off. Then, reverting to the consideration of the age of the world, as Melancthon had done, he says, The world was ordained to endure, as all learned ones affirm, 6000 years. Now of that number there be past 5552 years, so that there is no more left but 448 years. Furthermore, those days shall be shortened for the elects sake. Therefore, all those excellent and learned men, whom without doubt God hath sent into the world in these last days to give the world warning, do gather out of sacred Scripture that the last day cannot be far off.
So again, in a sermon on the nearness of the second advent, he says, So that peradventure it may come in my days, old as I am, or in my childrens days. Indeed, it is well known that this was a prevalent opinion among the Reformers; and this fact will show with what propriety, if the passage before us was designed to refer to the Reformation, this solemn declaration of the angel was made, that the time would not be yet – that those anticipations which would spring up from the nature of the case, and from the interpretations which would be put on what seemed to be the obvious sense of the prophecies, were unfounded, and that a considerable time must yet intervene before the events would be consummated.
(e) The proper sense of this passage, then, according to the above interpretation would be And the angel lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth forever and ever, That the time should not yet be; but, in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished. Appearances, indeed, would then indicate that the affairs of the world were to be wound up, and that the prophecies respecting the end of the world were about to be fulfilled: but the angel solemnly swears by Him who lives forever and ever – and whose reign therefore extends through all the changes on the earth – by Him who is the Creator of all things, and whose purpose alone can determine when the end shall be, that the time would not be yet. Those cherished expectations would not yet be realized, but there was a series of important events to intervene before the end would come. Then – at the time when the seventh angel should sound – would be the consummation of all things.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. By him that liveth for ever and ever] The eternal, self-existent Jehovah, the Maker of all things.
That there should be time no longer] That the great counsels relative to the events already predicted should be immediately fulfilled, and that there should be no longer delay. This has no reference to the day of judgment.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And sware by him that liveth, &c.; that is, by God; for this description can agree to no other, neither is it lawful to swear by any other: see Dan 12:7.
That there should be time no longer; there shall be an end of the world, so some; but this John knew well enough. It is rather to be understood of the time of the fourth monarchy, the Roman empire should come to an end; or, the time of the afflictions of the church, whether by pagan or antichristian enemies, should be no more.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. liveth for ever and everGreek,“liveth unto the ages of the ages” (compare Da12:7).
created heaven . . . earth .. . sea, &c.This detailed designation of God as theCreator, is appropriate to the subject of the angel’s oath, namely,the consummating of the mystery of God (Re10:7), which can surely be brought to pass by the same Almightypower that created all things, and by none else.
that there should be time nolongerGreek, “that time (that is, an interval oftime) no longer shall be.” The martyrs shall have no longer atime to wait for the accomplishment of their prayers for thepurgation of the earth by the judgments which shall remove their andGod’s foes from it (Re 6:11).The appointed season or time of delay is at an end (thesame Greek is here as in Re6:11, chronus). Not as English Version implies,Time shall end and eternity begin.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever,…. That is, by the living God, who is the true God: and is so described to distinguish him from idol gods, who have no life nor breath in them; and to assert the excellency and perfection of his nature, who has life in himself originally, and independently, is the fountain of life to all creatures living, and who are supported in their life and being by him; and so he always was, is, and ever will be; this is the same as swearing by Ancuialus p:
who created heaven, and the things that therein are; the airy, starry, and third heavens, and the inhabitants of them, the fowls of the air, the sun, moon, and stars, and the angels of heaven, as well as the souls of departed saints, and the bodies of as many as are there:
and the earth, and the things that therein are; men, beasts, and creeping things, trees, herbs, minerals, c.
and the sea, and the things which are therein: the several sorts of fishes in it: this is also said to distinguish the great God from all false gods, who made not the heavens and the earth, who alone is, and ought to be the object of an oath, or by whom an oath is to be made, and not any creature whatsoever and since the Angel that here swears is the Lord Jesus Christ, this may be understood of him either as man, swearing by God the Father, in which respect the Father is greater than he; or as a divine person, and so swears by himself, Heb 6:13; for to himself do these characters belong of living for ever and ever, and of having made the heaven, earth, and sea, and all in them: the thing he swears to is,
that there should be time no longer which is not to be understood of the cessation of time, and the swallowing of it up in eternity, at the end of all things, when it will be no more measured out by the revolutions of the sun and moon, which will then be no more; for this did not take place upon the angel’s oath, or at the time this vision refers to; for after this, there is to be time for the seventh angel to sound his trumpet in, though perhaps that is excepted in the next verse; and after the sounding of that, there will be the space of a thousand years, in which Christ will reign with his people on earth; and after that there will be some space of time for the Gog and Magog army to attack the beloved city; all which will be before the end of all things, or before eternity, properly speaking, takes place; and besides, such an illustrious appearing of Christ as before described, and so solemn an oath as is here made, do not seem necessary to ascertain a truth which nobody doubts of; and everyone knows that after this world, and all things in it are at an end, time will be no more. The true key to this passage is Da 12:7; where the man clothed in linen swears, that to the end of wonders should be a time, times, and a half, and here the angel swears that time should be no longer; that is, that these time, and times, and half a time, should be no longer; that these dates would be up, and the events affixed to them be accomplished, when the seventh angel should begin to sound his trumpet: the same divisions of time are made in Re 12:14; and are the same exactly with the 1260 days, or years, and the forty two months of years, so often mentioned in this book: for a time is a prophetic year, that is, 360 years; and times are two prophetic years, or 70 years; and half a time is half a prophetic year, or 180 years, in all 1260 years: now add the several events to be accomplished in this period of time, and it will give the full sense of this passage thus; the angel swears that the thee of antichrist’s reign, his tyranny over the saints, his persecution of them, which was to last forty two months, Re 13:5, should be no longer; nor of the holy city being trodden under foot by the Gentiles, the Papists, which bears the same date, Re 11:2, and is called the times of the Gentiles,
Lu 21:24; nor of the witnesses prophesying in sackcloth, which has just the same measure of duration, Re 11:3; nor of the church’s retirement, and being hid in the wilderness, Re 12:14; in short, the time of the four monarchies, and of the last of them, the Roman, and of the last branch of that, the Papal, should be no more than till the sounding of the seventh trumpet, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ;
Re 11:15; the words will bear to be rendered, as some have observed, “that there should be delay no longer”; that is, of the coming and kingdom of Christ; though the bridegroom has tarried, he will come, and will not tarry beyond the time the angel swears to; every seal of the sealed book is a delay of, and a stop upon, the open appearance of Christ’s kingdom; and the opening of every seal is an advance to it; and when the sixth seal was opened, and Paganism destroyed, and Christianity spread throughout the empire, the kingdom of Christ might have been expected to have appeared; but there was a seventh seal to be opened, which was a stop upon it, and which when opened brought ruin and destruction upon the Christian empire, both western and eastern, under the first six trumpets; and till the seventh sounds there will be a delay of Christ’s kingdom, but when that sounds there will be no more a delay.
p Martial Epigr. l. 11. ep. 60.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Sware (). First aorist indicative of to swear.
By him that liveth ( ). This use of after instead of the usual accusative (Jas 5:12) is like the Hebrew (Matt 5:34; Matt 5:36). “The living one for ages of ages” is a common phrase in the Apocalypse for God as eternally existing (Rev 1:18; Rev 4:9; Rev 4:10; Rev 15:7). This oath proves that this angel is not Christ.
Who created ( ). First aorist active indicative of , a reference to God’s creative activity as seen in Gen 1:1; Exod 20:11; Isa 37:16; Isa 42:5; Ps 33:6; Ps 145:6, etc.
That there shall be time no longer ( ). Future indicative indirect discourse with . But this does not mean that (time), Einstein’s “fourth dimension” (added to length, breadth, height), will cease to exist, but only that there will be no more delay in the fulfillment of the seventh trumpet (verse 7), in answer to the question, “How long?” (6:10).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Swear by [ ] . Lit., “swear in,” a Hebrew idiom.
Should be time no longer [ ] . Rev., correctly, shall be, etc. The meaning is not, as popularly understood, that time shall cease to exist, but that there shall be no more delay (so Rev., in margin) before the fulfillment of the divine purposes respecting the Church on earth. Possibly with allusion to the cry how long (ch. 6 10).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And sware by him that liveth,” (kai omosen en to zonti) “And swore by him who lives,” by the most high God by whom prophets and saints had sworn or affirmed oaths, Gen 14:22; Deu 32:40.
2) “For ever and ever,” (eis tous aionas ton aionon) “Into the ages of the ages,” Dan 4:34; Rev 4:10, as attested by both Daniel and John. See also Heb 6:13; Heb 6:17.
3) “Who created heaven, and the things that therein are,” (hos ektisen ton ouranon kai ta in auto) “who created heaven and the things in it,” even by Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, the coming judge, and King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Gen 1:1; Joh 1:1-3; 1Co 8:6; Rev 4:11.
4) “And the earth and the things that therein are,” (kai ten gen kai ta en aute) “and the earth (land) and the things in it,” This was the central person of Paul’s address of Mar’s Hill, Act 17:24; Act 17:28-31.
5) “And the sea, and the things which are therein,” (kai ten thalassan kai ta en aute) “and the sea and the things in it,” Exo 20:11; Neh 9:6; Rev 14:7.
6) “That there should be time no longer,” (hoti chronos ouketi estai) “that chronological or measured time should be or exist no longer,” no more at all, following the ultimate and final judgment of Israel, the nations, and the unbelievers Dan 12:7; Rev 16:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Ver. 6. That there should be time no longer ] i.e. The beast’s time shall be no longer, but till the days of the seventh trumpet, which were shortly then approaching. Or there shall be now no longer delay or protraction of time.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
liveth, &c. As Rev 4:9.
created. Compare Rev 4:11.
therein = in (App-104.) it.
that . . . longer. Literally that time shall be no longer. i.e. no more delay in executing final vengeance. See Rev 6:10, Rev 6:11.
should = shall.
time. Greek. chronos. See App-195.
no longer. Greek. ouketi.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 10:6. , That a chronus [whole period] shall be no longer) Many pass by this most weighty utterance with a slight comment. Henr. Efferhen, in his 6th and 13th Homily respecting Gog and Magog, thus interprets it: the space of a year shall not pass, namely, between Gog and the end of all things. He perceived that chronus here ought to be taken in a specific sense: but Gog is much later than the Non-chronus (which would be more in accordance with the Latin idiom to call Ne-chronus); and this period is much longer than a year. I should rather say, it is longer than 1000 years; and shorter than chronus, that is, than 1111 1/9 years. It will end A. 1836. From thence reckoning backward, it is chronus to the former part of the year 725: and the beginning of the Non-chronus immediately succeeded the beginning of the Chronus. At the beginning of Non-chronus, the Saracens were not only in possession of Jerusalem, but even appeared to threaten destruction to the whole of the Christian Church, as the second woe came to its height. But yet the angel affirms that these and the following evils shall be overcome within a chronus. Eudes conquered the Saracens, A. 726; and Charles Martel destroyed a great multitude of them, A. 731, in the battle of Tours. See Vitringa on Rev 12:16. Charlemagne, the grandson of Martel, A. 800, commenced a new line of emperors in the West, or, in other words, of many kings, Rev 10:11. And this Non-chronus comprises, beside other things, a small portion of the third woe, the 3 times of the woman in the wilderness, and the duration of the beast variously divided. There is indeed great doubt respecting these periods, and many say that nothing can be known before the end; by which very assertion the martyrs and witnesses of the truth, at the Reformation, and before and after it, who relied on the Apocalypse, and especially on ch. 13 and 17, are deserted, and the principal advantage of prophecy, which forewarns and forearms us against the evils which threaten, is made void. The truth is, that for the opening of prophecy, either the whole event is necessary, or a considerable part is sufficient. If the whole event is necessary, the Apocalypse will never be understood before the end of the world; for the event extends itself up to that goal, nay, even to eternity itself. If a considerable part is sufficient, why do we not make use of that part, so as to measure future things by the past, and not to run into events without preparation? The rash man is he who sleeps in danger, not he who foresees it. We ought not to be so confident in determining future things, but that the things, which the text has not defined, or at any rate the interpreter does not as yet distinctly see, should be determined by the result. Die Erkl. Offenb. pp. 725, 874, 1064, etc., has many examples. But they who avoid all particulars, do not even know what they ought to look for in the event. Docility in spiritual things, and sobriety, are in entire consonance with each other.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Reciprocal: Gen 1:1 – God Gen 1:9 – General Gen 14:22 – lift Deu 32:40 – General 2Ch 2:12 – that made heaven Psa 106:26 – lifted Isa 3:7 – swear Eze 20:23 – lifted Eze 36:7 – I have lifted Eze 44:12 – therefore Dan 4:34 – him Rev 4:9 – who Rev 4:11 – for thou Rev 6:16 – Fall Rev 10:1 – another Rev 12:12 – because Rev 15:7 – who Rev 16:17 – It is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, {5} that there should be {c} time no longer:
(5) Neither time itself, nor the things that are in time: but that the world to come is at hand, which is altogether of eternity, and beyond all times.
(c) There shall never be any more time.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The oath emphasized the certainty of what he announced. What was about to happen was extremely important. He appealed to God as the eternal Creator who can cause whatever He pleases to happen. This appeal strengthens the force of the oath and the certainty of its outcome. His message was that there would be no more delay. The Greek word used here, chronos, commonly means "time," but that is obviously not what the angel intended here. "Delay" is the only acceptable translation that makes sense in this context. There would be no delay between this announcement and the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Rev 11:15). [Note: Alford, 4:652; Swete, pp. 126-27; Charles, 1:263-64; Beckwith, p. 582.] Rev 10:7 explains this affirmation (cf. Dan 12:7 a). The Tribulation martyrs would have to wait no longer for vindication (cf. Rev 6:10). Evidently the seal and trumpet judgments will take some time to unfold, giving earth-dwellers time to repent (Rev 6:15-17; Rev 9:20-21), but the bowl judgments will come very quickly, allowing little or no time for repentance (cf. 2Pe 3:1-9).