The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. (Revelation 16:3, NIV 1984).
My Musings – This blood is not the bright, healthy, red oxygenated blood of a living creature, but rather “like that of a dead man.” This judgment and the one that follows mirror the plague of blood in Exodus 7:17–24, and “every living thing in the sea” (bodies of salt water) dies. This is an extension of the one-third that perished because of the second trumpet judgment (see Revelation 8:8). It is possible that the seas do not turn into actual blood, but into something that looked like blood and had the effect of killing everything in the sea. As most of the earth’s surface is covered by the seas, this judgment affects the entire world and as such is tremendous in its scope.
This plague is somewhat reminiscent of so-called red tides, but on scale of “Biblical proportions.” Red tides are a naturally occurring phenomenon in which algae overpopulates a stretch of water, turning it red. Sometimes, these algae blooms produce harmful toxins that sicken and often kill sea creatures. In rare cases, even humans have died from eating red tide-tainted seafood. For years now these harmful algae blooms have been increasing worldwide, with some scientists blaming global warming. Others say runoff from farms and cities are draining into the ocean and feeding these micro-organisms, causing them to grow in larger numbers. Whatever the proximate cause, this judgment will ultimately originate from God.
My Advice – When studying Revelation, it is often a danger to focus on the minutiae and lose focus on the major point. What exactly is meant by “blood like that of a dead man?” Minutiae. “Every living thing in the sea died.” Major point. If this was something avoidable, understanding the cause (“blood like that of a dead man“), would be of extreme importance in finding a remedy (“every living thing in the sea died“). The reality is that this is not avoidable. God has determined it. “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth. (Revelation 16:1, NIV 1984). If this is so, do you think it is wise to disregard the warning signs? Act now, while there is still time.
Resources:
Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Re 16:3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
Walvoord, John F. (1985). Revelation. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 967). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/08/06/38510/beachcombing-hunting-for-red-tide-with-algae-seeki/
The Brew Is A Musing 