Shepherd’s Chapel teaches a doctrine known as the Katabole, or the "Three Earth Ages," which includes the concept of a "world that was" before the current age. According to this teaching, Satan fell in this prior world, leading one-third of the angels (whom they claim were humans in a previous form) to follow him, one-third to align with God (earning the status of "elect" in this age), and one-third to remain undecided. However, a close examination of Scripture reveals no evidence to support this narrative. Shepherd’s Chapel points to Jeremiah 4:19–31 as describing the Katabole—the alleged destruction of this earlier world. A verse-by-verse analysis of this chapter, in its proper context, demonstrates that it refers solely to God’s judgment on Judah and Jerusalem, not a prehistoric earth age.
Context of Jeremiah 4: God’s Judgment on Judah
Jeremiah 4:5–6 sets the stage clearly:
“Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, ‘Blow the trumpet in the land; cry aloud and say, “Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities!” Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, do not stay, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction.’” (Jer. 4:5–6, ESV)
This passage explicitly describes God’s impending judgment on Judah and Jerusalem, with the “disaster from the north” referring to the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions. The context is unmistakable: God is addressing the immediate future of Judah, not a distant primordial event.
Verse 9 reinforces this focus:
“And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord, that the heart of the king shall fail, and the heart of the princes; the priests shall be appalled, and the prophets amazed.” (Jer. 4:9, ESV)
The phrase “in that day” refers to the time of Judah’s destruction, not a speculative prior age. Similarly, verses 11–12 state:
“At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, ‘A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.’” (Jer. 4:11–12, ESV)
The repeated phrases “in that day” and “at that time” anchor the prophecy to God’s judgment on Judah, leaving no room for an interpretation involving a previous earth age. Verses 13–18 further emphasize warnings of destruction and calls for repentance, urging Judah to turn back to God.
Jeremiah’s Anguish and Judah’s Rebellion
In verse 19, the prophet expresses personal anguish over the coming judgment:
“My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.” (Jer. 4:19, ESV)
Jeremiah’s emotional response reflects the severity of the judgment on Judah, which he feels deeply. Verse 22 explains why this judgment is necessary:
“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.” (Jer. 4:22, ESV)
This echoes Proverbs 1:7, which states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Judah’s rejection of God, described as moral and intellectual folly, has led to their impending punishment, foretold in Jeremiah 3:19 and throughout the book.
The Misinterpretation of Jeremiah 4:23–26
Shepherd’s Chapel points to Jeremiah 4:23–26 to support their Katabole theory:
“I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.” (Jer. 4:23–26, ESV)
The phrase “without form and void” (Hebrew: tohu wabohu), also found in Genesis 1:2, is central to their argument. They claim this imagery describes the destruction of a prior world. However, the context of Jeremiah 4 clearly ties these verses to Judah’s judgment. The imagery of tohu wabohu is not a literal description of a past event but a poetic depiction of God’s judgment as a reversal of creation. The earth becomes desolate (“without form and void,” Gen. 1:2), the heavens lose light (Gen. 1:3), mountains quake (Gen. 1:9–11), and humanity and birds vanish (Gen. 1:20–31). This vivid language underscores the totality of Judah’s destruction, portraying it as if creation itself were undone.
Hope Amid Judgment
Despite the severity of this judgment, God offers hope:
“For thus says the Lord, ‘The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.’” (Jer. 4:27, ESV)
This promise of a remnant points to God’s faithfulness, ultimately fulfilled in the New Covenant through the Christian Church.
Conclusion: Exegesis, Not Eisegesis
Shepherd’s Chapel’s interpretation of Jeremiah 4:19–31 as evidence for a “world that was” relies on eisegesis—reading preconceived ideas into the text—rather than exegesis, which derives meaning from the text itself. The context of Jeremiah 4 is unambiguous: it describes God’s judgment on Judah and Jerusalem, not a mythical prior earth age. By ignoring the chapter’s clear historical and theological focus, this teaching distorts Scripture to fit a preconceived narrative. Sound biblical interpretation requires letting the text speak for itself.
Soli Deo Gloria!