There have been news reports of rivers turning blood red; does this have anything to do with the end times?

from the old testament

• The first time Scripture records water turning to blood is during the plagues on Egypt. Through Moses, God struck the Nile and all Egypt’s waters to show Pharaoh’s defiance and the weakness of Egypt’s gods (Exodus 7:19–21). The rivers, canals, and even stored water turned to blood, killing fish and disrupting daily life. This judgment showed that the LORD rules over both creation and nations. Later writers remembered this event as a sign of God’s authority to confront empires and defend His people (Psalm 78:44; 105:29). The memory of that act helped readers understand future judgments as God’s direct, purposeful intervention.

from the new testament

• Revelation expands on what happened during the Exodus and applies it to a future, global judgment known as the Tribulation. Regarding the second judgment, John recorded, “The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea” (Revelation 16:3). Note that this is not about just changing the color, but about altering the liquid itself. At that time, the seas will wreak with blood, and nothing in them will survive.
• Following that is the third judgment: “The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, ‘Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!’” (Revelation 16:4–6). The rationale will be that humanity is bloodthirsty, and thus, they will have blood to drink.
• The impact will be enormous. For example, earlier in Revelation, at the second trumpet, we learn that “a third of the sea became blood” (Revelation 8:8). In short, Revelation describes widespread, life-threatening water loss when at least a third of it turns to blood. Although algae blooms and pollution have caused news reports of blood-red water, those stories are minor compared to Revelation’s depiction of the global water supply being replaced with blood.
• Besides the general judgments replacing water with blood, Revelation also indicates that there will be two special witnesses who will be able to turn water into blood on demand (Revelation 11:6). All these events occur during the end times tribulation, in which we are not currently living. The judgments John described are deliberate acts of God at specific stages in His plan, and their scope leaves no doubt.

implications for today

Be thankful that today’s reports of rivers turning red are not the events described in Revelation. When that time arrives, the blood will not result from natural causes or harmless discoloration but from catastrophic judgment and global death. These future plagues will make clear that God’s patience has run out and that His wrath against sin is being poured out on the world. The fact that these events have not yet occurred is a mercy in itself—a reminder that time is short and that God is still calling people to repentance.

If you have not turned to Christ, now is the moment to do so. Scripture states that all have sinned and deserve judgment (Romans 3:23; 6:23), but Jesus died and rose again so that anyone who believes in Him will be forgiven and granted eternal life (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Confess your sin, trust Him completely, and call on Him as Lord while mercy is still available (Romans 10:9; 2 Corinthians 6:2). Waiting for a specific crisis moment shown in the news may be too late—the true end will come suddenly and without warning.

If you belong to Christ, you can rest in His care. God has not destined His people for wrath but for salvation through His Son. Let the instability of the world renew your gratitude for this security and motivate you to share the gospel with others. Each report, each reminder of how fragile life is, points to the same truth: the Judge of all the earth is coming, and now is the time to proclaim His mercy before the final day arrives.