Do the news reports of rivers turning blood red have anything to do with the end times?

Answer

In recent years, there have been several news reports of water turning a blood-red color. Instances include a canal in Nootdorp, the Netherlands; Bondi Beach in Australia; the Beirut River in Lebanon; a river in Zhejiang Province, China; and rainfall in Sewanagala, Sri Lanka— all documented by reliable news outlets. These occurrences have led many individuals to ponder: could this be the fulfillment of end-times prophecy? Is the water truly turning into blood?

The prophecies of water turning into blood are detailed in the book of Revelation. The second trumpet judgment will bring a significant catastrophe upon the earth: “The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed” (Revelation 8:8-9).

Revelation 16:3 describes how, during the second half of the tribulation, God will indeed transform the waters of the sea into blood: “The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.” Subsequently, in verses 4–6, God performs a similar act on the world’s fresh water supply: “The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: ‘You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.’”

It is also noted that during the tribulation, God’s two special witnesses will be granted the power to perform miracles: “They have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want” «These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power oVer waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” , (Revelation 11:6). The two end-times prophets will have the same ability as Moses, who turned the Nile River to blood “And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.” , (Exodus 7:20).

Modern reports of water turning bloody red do not align with the end-times prophecies of Revelation. For one thing, the tribulation has not started yet. For another, the sea turning to blood at the third trumpet judgment is preceded by trumpets one and two—the first will involve hail and fire and blood raining down on the earth, and the second will cause a third of the trees and all of the grass to be burned. None of that has happened yet. And the bowl judgments that turn the sea and fresh water to blood are later still.

So, the red rain in Sri Lanka and the red river in Lebanon are not fulfillments of Revelation. The seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments described in that book will be much worse than anything that is happening today see Matthew 24:21. If these recent events are not signs of the apocalypse, then what are they? There are three possible reasons for why water turns blood red. The first is natural, the second is man-caused, and the third is supernatural.

Blood-red water attributed to natural causes. When a body of water suddenly turns blood-red, it is often the result of a rare natural phenomenon called an algal bloom or a red tide. An algal bloom occurs when conditions are just right for colonies of algae to grow out of control. In high concentrations, the algae’s pigmentation discolors the water. Algal blooms can happenIn freshwater and saltwater. The crimson water observed in Nootdorp, the Netherlands, has been linked to these natural causes.

Crimson water linked to human causes. Occasionally, water bodies change color due to human-made substances discharged into them. The red hue of the river in Zhejiang Province, China, was found to be a result of illegal dumping of red dye. The incident of the Beirut River in Lebanon turning red prompted a government inquiry. The source was identified as a factory discharging a chemical into the river.

Crimson water linked to supernatural causes. It is known that in the past, God turned water into blood: “[Moses] raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt” (Exodus 7:20-21).

The description of this plague in the Bible suggests a genuinely supernatural occurrence. The common belief is that when Moses’ rod struck the river, the transformation from water to blood occurred instantly. And all the water in Egypt was affected: “streams and canals . . . the ponds and all the reservoirs . . . even in vessels of wood and stone” «And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. », (Exodus 7:19). An algal bloom or a chemical spill would not have impacted the entire water supply—cisterns, rain barrels, and everything.

Moreover, the biblical account of

The account of the plague in Egypt indicates that the water was transformed into real blood. Exodus does not mention the water only appearing as blood; it clearly states, “Blood was everywhere” «And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. », (Exodus 7:21). The same applies to the prophecies in Revelation. The depiction is of “blood,” along with extensive fish fatalities and the destruction of entire fleets of ships.

In all the recent accounts of water turning into a blood-red hue, none mention the presence of real blood. Instead, the news reports suggest that the water changed due to natural causes (such as bacteria or algae) or due to individuals dumping chemicals into the water. Nowhere is the water actually transformed into blood. It is clear that we are not currently experiencing the tribulation.