About this time of year, we remember what happened in the previous year and look forward to the new year. A part of remembering the past year is to learn from our successes and failures. Then we change priorities, make improvements and plan for success in the coming year.

In 2016, the three year cluster of Blood Moons concluded as the final four of twelve solar and lunar eclipses occurred on Jewish holy days. The six lunar eclipses occurred on Passover and Tabernacles in 2014, Passover and Tabernacles in 2015 and Purim and Teshuvah in 2016. The previous eclipse cluster occurred in 1948 when Israel became a nation. See Blood Moons. In February, the Jewish calendar added a leap month of Adar I. See Adar I. In December, the first day of Hanukkah was on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day like the first Christmas. According to Scripture, six months after Zechariah was in the temple in Sivan (June), Mary conceived of the Holy Spirit in Kislev (December). Jesus was born on the 15th of Tishri (October) on Tabernacles in 7 BC. See First Coming.

In those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness [solar eclipse], and the moon into blood [lunar eclipse], before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come [Tribulation] (Joel 2:29-31).

In 2016, the conflict between the four horses of the Apocalypse continued. Red Russia was back in the Middle East and fought beside Iran (green) in the civil war in Syria (green) and tried to influence the United States (black) elections. Red China deployed missiles on the constructed islands in the South China Sea. See China Superpower. Even the Pope (white) commented on the US presidential election. America supported Iraq (green) against ISIS (green) who attached Belgium, France, Germany, Russia and America. There were Islamic extremists attacks in over eighty countries.

I looked, and behold a chloros [green] horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth (2 billion), to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8).

The year 2016 was a year of political surprises. In May, the British lion voted to leave the European Union. The major issues of the referendum were trade, immigration and national sovereignty. The lion will rejoin the bear and leopard during the Tribulation (Revelation 13:2). See Brexit.

After defeating the Republican field, businessman Donald Trump upset former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Throughout the year, Clinton led the polls but Trump held all 2012 red states and broke through the blue wall to take six states and the 2nd district of Maine. Every state that Trump won, the incumbent senator also won which kept a Republican majority in the Senate. While this was a shock to the media, the Bible describes the next war between the US and China not Russia. See China Superpower. The political class and even most Christians do not understand that Donald Trump could be the president that brings us into the Tribulation. See 2016 Election. God's plan is that all nations fall before Jesus Christ reigns.

Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates [Turkey, Syria, Iraq]. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the third part of men [2.7 billion]. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand [200 million]: and I heard the number of them (Revelation 9:14-16).

On the eve of Hanukkah in December, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2334 condemning Israel settlements on Israeli land in east Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria (West Bank). This makes it illegal for Jews to live in east Jerusalem and other Palestinian designated lands even though there are no settled boundaries. The Obama administration abstained which allowed the measure to become law. The Israel/Palestine covenant is unresolved until the beginning of the Tribulation.

Because of the US election, the 2016 was a wild year. In the next four years, we will see more Bible prophecy fulfilled as we get closer to the Tribulation. Keep track throughout the year of current news events and Bible prophecy. Monthly article are available on 21st Century Revelation. See Articles.

References: 21st Century Revelation: World Wars, Iraq Wars & End Wars Chapter 20 - Players in the Game, Chapter 21- Four Horses on the Run, Chapter 25 - Iraq War III, Brexit, Green in Islam