The Sea Becomes Blood

5. (a) What takes place when the second bowl is poured out? (b) How does Jehovah view those who inhabit the symbolic sea?

⁵ The second bowl of God’s anger must now be poured out. What will it mean for mankind? John tells us: “And the second one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood as of a dead man, and every living soul died, yes, the things in the sea.” (Revelation 16:3) Like the second trumpet blast, this bowl is directed against “the sea”​—the seething, rebellious mass of humanity alienated from Jehovah. (Isaiah 57:20, 21; Revelation 8:8, 9) In Jehovah’s eyes, this “sea” is like blood, unfit for creatures to live in. That is why Christians must be no part of the world. (John 17:14) The pouring out of the second bowl of God’s anger reveals that all of mankind who inhabit this sea are dead in Jehovah’s eyes. By reason of community responsibility, mankind is guilty of gross shedding of innocent blood. When Jehovah’s day of anger arrives, they will literally die at the hands of his executional forces.​—Revelation 19:17, 18; compare Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13.

[Box on page 223]

“Into the Sea”

The following are just a few of the statements published over the years by the John class proclaiming God’s wrath against the restless, rebellious “sea” of ungodly mankind alienated from Jehovah:

“The history of every nation shows that it has been a struggle between the classes. It has been a few against the many. . . . These struggles have resulted in many revolutions, great suffering, and much bloodshed.”​—Government, 1928, page 244.

In the new world, “the symbolic ‘sea’ of the restless, rebellious, ungodly peoples out of whom the symbolic wild beast ascended long ago for the Devil’s use will be gone.”​—The Watchtower, September 15, 1967, page 567.

“The present human society is spiritually sick and diseased. None of us can save it, for God’s Word shows its sickness is leading to its death.”​—True Peace and Security—​From What Source?, 1973, page 131.