Several years ago, I shared YouTube videos and a blog post addressing errors in the teachings of Shepherd's Chapel, particularly those promoted by its founder, Arnold Murray. While my previous content briefly outlined and countered some of their false teachings, such as their views on Hell and the Kenite (serpent seed) doctrine, this article focuses specifically on their doctrine of the Katabole and the Three Earth Ages. This teaching misinterprets key biblical terms and concepts, leading to significant theological errors that require clear refutation.
Misuse of the Greek Word Katabolē
A central issue in Shepherd's Chapel's teachings is their misinterpretation of the Greek word katabolē (Strong's #G2602). Drawing from E.W. Bullinger’s hyper-dispensationalist Companion Bible, Arnold Murray constructs a doctrine asserting that a previous "earth age" existed before the current one. According to this view, Satan rebelled during that age, prompting God to destroy it in an event they call the "Katabole," which they interpret as the "destruction" or "overthrow" of the world.
Shepherd's Chapel claims that the Greek word katabolē, translated as "foundation" in the King James Version (KJV) of the New Testament, is mistranslated and should instead mean "destroyed" or "overthrown." For instance, they argue that in Ephesians 1:4, the phrase "before the foundation of the world" (katabolē in Greek) should be rendered "before the overthrow (or destruction) of the world." This reinterpretation underpins their Three Earth Ages doctrine, suggesting a cataclysmic event between earth ages.
However, a careful examination of katabolē in the New Testament reveals this interpretation is flawed. The word appears 11 times, translated as "foundation" in 10 instances and as "conceive" in one. The most telling usage is in Hebrews 11:11:
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. (Hebrews 11:11, KJV)
Here, katabolē is translated as "conceive," referring to Sarah’s ability to bear a child. This usage clearly aligns with the idea of creation or beginning, not destruction. In the other 10 instances, katabolē consistently relates to the "foundation" or "creation" of the world, as seen in verses like Matthew 13:35, Ephesians 1:4, and Revelation 13:8. The term never carries the meaning of "destruction," "overthrow," or "ruin." Instead, it denotes laying a foundation or initiating creation, as supported by the HELPS Word Studies:
Katabolḗ (from 2596 /katá, "exactly according to," and 906 /bállō, "to cast") – properly, a foundation, cast according to a blueprint; the substructure which determines the entire direction of all that follows.
If the New Testament writers intended to convey destruction or overthrow, they would have used terms like apōleia (#G684, meaning "destruction"), katastrophē (#G2692, meaning "overthrow"), or rhēgma (#G4485, meaning "ruin"). These terms appear elsewhere in the New Testament (e.g., rhēgma in Luke 6:49 for "ruin") but are never used interchangeably with katabolē. Thus, Shepherd's Chapel’s reinterpretation lacks biblical and linguistic support.
New Testament Verses Using Katabolē
For reference, here are all 11 New Testament verses containing katabolē:
Matthew 13:35
Matthew 25:34
Luke 11:50
John 17:24
Ephesians 1:4
Hebrews 4:3
Hebrews 9:26
Hebrews 11:11
1 Peter 1:20
Revelation 13:8
Revelation 17:8
These verses consistently use katabolē to mean "foundation" or "creation," reinforcing its proper meaning.
The Gap Theory and Genesis 1:1–2
Shepherd's Chapel also supports the "gap theory," which posits a vast period between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 during which Satan’s rebellion and the Katabole occurred. They argue that the Hebrew word translated "was" in Genesis 1:2 ("the earth was without form, and void") should be "became," implying the earth "became formless and void" after a divine judgment.
This interpretation faces several problems:
Hebrew Grammar (Waw-Disjunctive): Genesis 1:2 uses a Hebrew grammatical structure called a waw-disjunctive, where the verse begins with "and" (waw) followed by a noun ("the earth"). This structure indicates that verse 2 describes the state of the earth in verse 1, not a subsequent event. Thus, Genesis 1:2 depicts the earth’s initial, unformed state at creation, not a later transformation due to a cataclysmic event. Hebrew grammar does not permit inserting vast periods between these verses.
Six-Day Creation (Exodus 20:11): Exodus 20:11 states that God created the heavens, earth, sea, and all that is in them in six literal days. This timeline leaves no room for extended periods or prior earth ages. The gap theory introduces death and suffering before Adam’s sin, contradicting Romans 5:12, which teaches that death entered the world through Adam’s sin. Additionally, Genesis 1:31 declares creation "very good" on the sixth day, incompatible with prior sin or destruction.
Misinterpreting Isaiah 45:18
Shepherd's Chapel cites Isaiah 45:18 to support their view:
For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18, KJV)
They argue that the Hebrew word tohu (translated "in vain" here and "without form" in Genesis 1:2) proves the earth was not created tohu but became so due to the Katabole. However, context clarifies the meaning. In Isaiah 45:18, tohu means "without purpose" or "in vain," emphasizing that God created the earth with the purpose of being inhabited. Genesis 1 describes how God shaped the initially formless earth (tohu in Genesis 1:2) over six days to fulfill this purpose. The two uses of tohu are contextually distinct: Genesis 1:2 describes the earth’s initial state, while Isaiah 45:18 underscores its ultimate purpose. There is no contradiction, nor does Isaiah 45:18 support a prior earth age.
The word tohu appears multiple times in the Old Testament, translated variously (e.g., "without form," "vain," or "waste") depending on context. In Genesis 1:2, it appropriately describes the earth’s unformed state before God’s creative acts, not a state of judgment.
Conclusion
Shepherd's Chapel’s Katabole and Three Earth Ages doctrine relies on misinterpretations of katabolē and tohu, as well as a flawed application of the gap theory. Biblical Greek and Hebrew, combined with contextual analysis, demonstrate that katabolē means "foundation" or "creation," not "destruction," and tohu in Genesis 1:2 describes the earth’s initial formless state, not a post-judgment condition. The gap theory is further undermined by Hebrew grammar and clear biblical passages like Exodus 20:11 and Romans 5:12. By adhering to the text’s linguistic and contextual integrity, we can confidently reject these teachings as unbiblical.