With the blowing of the second trumpet in Revelation 8:8–9, “a third of the sea became blood,” a third of its creatures died, and a third of its ships were destroyed. But as the second bowl of ashes (= residue of sin, hence wrath of God) is poured on the sea, the entire sea became like the blood of a corpse and “every living thing died that was in the sea.” It is the principle of Deuteronomy 25:2 (Luke 12:47–48). The Lord had given so much to humanity not only in the gift of his Son but also in causing that gospel to be proclaimed “to every nation and tribe and language and people” (Revelation 14:6), and had caused all to hear too that fallen, fallen is Babylon the great
(Revelation 14:8). Yet people’s response was rejection; they refused to have their sins consumed in the sacrifice of the Lamb on Calvary. So the ashes (= residue of their sins, hence wrath of God) must be poured out in righteous calamity: death in the sea (whether of food supply or of commerce).
3 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.