Book review: Heavenly Signs

★★★★★

What do you get when you merge the book of Revelation with astrology?

You get what you start with: Revelation, in the spirit in which it was written. Few people give credence to the astrological underpinnings of Revelation, and the utter fascination its intended first-century audience held with the mysteries of the heavens. So while I knew I would disagree with Gable’s future-based interpretation of Revelation (I myself have little faith in astrology but quite a bit of faith in the historical-critical approach to Revelation—see my own book about the topic here www.dubiousdisciple.com/revelation), I wondered if his work would provide an exposition that does justice to this fascinating Bible book.

I wasn’t disappointed. Gable lays out a timeline of events, culminating in a future reappearance of Christ, just as the original readers of Revelation would have expected. It’s the first century all over again! Computer projections tell us there is a time coming when all the signs in the heavens align with the prophecies of Revelation and other scriptures. I won’t play the spoiler by telling you when that time will arrive; buy the book to learn when it all happens.

Gable treks through each of the seven Trumpet signs of Revelation, explaining their relevance and the “heavenly sign” which will trigger them. For example, the first judgment will arrive as the planet Saturn and the moon both participate in an eclipse of the sun, turning the earth into darkness during the daytime.

One of the more fascinating projections is the appearance of a light tunnel stretching from heaven down to earth, precisely at the time Gable calculates that the armies of heaven will arrive for Armageddon. Gable describes this tunnel like Jacob’s Ladder, enabling heaven’s hosts to travel down to earth for battle.

Gable feels no awkwardness in drawing on pagan mythology, as he points out common associations with the stars in antiquity. Jupiter is a messianic star, being associated with the Messiah. Mercury represents the Antichrist, Mars is the god of war, Neptune is the god of water and the sea. The meaning of the constellations, too, borrow from Greek and Roman mythology.

Heavenly Signs is stunningly beautiful, in full color. I’m a hard sell on the theology, but I strongly endorse Gable’s book for its authenticity of spirit and fascinating astrology.