Defining The “Katabole”

The “Katabole” Explains the Ancient Pre-Adamite World

that Existed on Earth with the Sun, Man, Birds, and Vegetation Long Before Adam was Created

The Bible term “the foundation of the world” needs to be better explained. Thus, first we need to consider this explanation taken from the Appendix 146 “The foundation of the world” from EW Bullinger’s “Companion Bible.”

“The Foundation of the world” - To arrive at the true meaning of this Bible expression, we must note there are two Greek words translated "foundation" in the New Testament: (1) themelios, and (2) katabole.

The noun, themelios, occurs in Luke 6:48, 49; 14:29.  Acts 16:26.  Rom. 15:20.  1Cor. 3:10, 11, 12.  Eph. 2:20.  1Tim. 6:19.  2Tim. 2:19.  Heb. 6:1; 11:10.  Rev. 21:14, 19.  It is never used of the world (i.e., the kosmos) or the earth (ge). The corresponding Verb (themeliou) occurs in Matt. 7:25. Luke 6:48.  Eph. 3:17.  Col. 1:23.  Heb. 1:10 and 1Pet. 5:10.  The verb is only once used of the earth (ge).  Heb. 1:10. A comparison of all these passages will show that these are proper and regular terms for the English words "to found" and "foundation."

The noun, ‘katabole,’ occurs in Matt. 13:35; 25:34; Luke 11:50; John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 4:3; 9:26; 11:11; 1Pet. 1:20, Rev. 13:8; 17:8; and the corresponding Verb (kataballo) occurs in 2Cor. 4:9.  Heb. 6:1; and Rev. 12:10. A comparison of all these passages (especially 2Cor. 4:9, and Rev. 12:10) will show that kataballo and katabole are not the proper terms for founding and foundation, but the correct meaning is Casting Down, or Overthrow.

Consistency, therefore, calls for the same translation in Heb. 6:1 where instead of "not laying again", the rendering should be "not casting down".  That is to say, the foundation already laid, of repentance, &c., was not to be cast down or overthrown, but was to be left -- and progress made unto the perfection. Accordingly, the Noun katabole, derived from, and cognate with the Verb, ought to be translated "disruption", or "ruin".

The remarkable thing is that in all occurrences (except Heb. 11:11) the word is connected with "the world" (Grk. Kosmos), and therefore the expression should be rendered "the disruption (or ruin) of the world," clearly refers to the condition indicated in Genesis 1:2, and described in 2Pet. 3:5-6.  For the earth was not created ‘tohu’ (Isa. 45:18), but became so, as stated in the Hebrew of Gen 1:2. This is confirmed by 2Pet. 3:6, "the world that then was by the word of God" (Gen. 1:1), perished, and "the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word "were created” (Gen. 2:4), and are "kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment" (2Pet. 3:7) which shall usher in the "new heavens and the new earth" of 2Pet. 3:13.

The ‘katabole’ or ‘overthrow’ of the world - “The disruption of the world” is an event forming a great dividing line in the dispensations of the ages of creation as seen Gen. 1:1 where we have the original founding of the world (Heb. 1:10, themeliou, “the earth”), but in Gen. 1:2 we have the earth’s “overthrow.”

This is confirmed by a further remarkable fact, that the phrase, which occurs ten times, is associated with the preposition apo = from seven times, and with pros = before three times.  The former refers to the kingdom and relates to the "counsels" of God; the latter refers to “the Mystery” (or Secret) and relates to the “purpose” of God (See John 17:24. Eph. 1:4; 1Pet. 1:20).

⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation [Gk. katabole, overthrow, casting down] of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:4

Ample New Testament testimony is thus given to the profoundly significant fact recorded in Gen. 1:2, that "the earth became tohu and bohu (i.e., waste and desolate); and darkness was on the face of the deep [waters]", before the creation of "the heavens and the earth Which Are Now" (2Pet. 3:7).”

Key “Katabole” Overthrow of the Earth Proof Text”

In phrase “from the foundation of the world” the word “foundation” is the Greek “Katabole,” meaning the “overthrow” of the world. This appears in the verses below and seen throughout the New Testament. The “katabole” or “overthrow of the earth” marks the data point for all the items mentions in these verses.

Matthew 13:35 (KJV) ³⁵ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I [Jesus] will utter things which have been kept secret from [since] the foundation [katabole] of the world.

Matthew 25:34 (KJV) ³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you [Israel] from the foundation [katabole] of the world.

Luke 11:50 (KJV) ⁵⁰ That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from [or since] the foundation [katabole] of the world, may be required of this generation;

John 17:24 (KJV) ²⁴ Father, I [Jesus] will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me [Jesus] before the foundation [katabole] of the world.

Ephesians 1:4 (KJV) ⁴ According as he hath chosen us [grace believers] in him before the foundation [katabole] of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Hebrews 4:3 (KJV) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation [katabole] of the world.

Hebrews 9:26 (KJV) ²⁶ For then must he [Christ] often have suffered since the foundation [katabole] of the world: but now once in the end of the world [Grk. aion, age] hath he [Jesus] appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

1 Peter 1:20 (KJV) ²⁰ Who verily was foreordained before the foundation [katabole] of the world.

, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Revelation 13:8 (KJV) ⁸ And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation [katabole] of the world.

Revelation 17:8 (KJV) ⁸ The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from [since] the foundation [katabole] of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

The Dateless Beginning and the later Original Creation of a Habitable World.

John 1:1-2 In the beginning [the dateless past] was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God.

Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou [God] hadst formed the earth and the world [Heb. tebel, the habitable earth], even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

The Original Creation

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning [the dateless past] God Created the heaven and the earth.

Lucifer (Satan) Cast Out of the Third Heaven

Isaiah 14:12-18 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground [Heb. eres, earth], which didst weaken [waste] the nations! ¹³ For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars [angels] of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ¹⁵ Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. ¹⁶ They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; ¹⁷ [You] That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? ¹⁸ All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house [sepulchre, grave].

The Earth Had Been Originally Created “to be Inhabited” – It did not evolve!

Isaiah 45:18 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.

The Heaven and the Earth In their Multiple GenerationS or Iterations

Genesis 2:4 These are the GenerationS of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens

God’s Judgment of the ‘Original Ancient Pre-Adamite Creation’ foretells His 2^nd Coming in Judgment.

Genesis 1:2a - And the earth was [became] without form [Heb. Tohu, chaotic waste], and void [Heb. Bohu, empty, void of life, see Heb. Tohu wa-bohu below]; and [sunless] Darkness Was Upon the Face of The Deep [frozen waters of the abyss] …

“Tohu wa-bohu” is a Biblical Hebrew phrase found in the Genesis 1:2, after the original ancient creation narrative of Genesis 1:1. Then also we see Isa. 45:18 (above) and Jer. 4:23-26 (below) describing the condition of the earth ‘before’ the Gen. 1:3-31 REcreation or REgeneration account begins with light restored by ‘the 1^st day lights’ of Genesis 1:3. Before that the world had been was covered with Darkness and under Frozen Water of (Gen. 1:2).

Strongs Exhaustive Concordance: Tohu - Strong’s H8414 ‘tohu’; formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness: —chaos (1), confusion (1), desolation (1), emptiness (1), empty space (1), formless (2), futile (2), futile things (1), meaningless (2), meaningless arguments (1), nothing (2), waste (3), waste place (2).

The Result of the Ancient World Being Judged as seen in Genesis 1:2a is confirmed here:

Jeremiah 4:23-26 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void [Heb. Tohu wa-bohu]; and the heavens, and they had no light. ²⁴ I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. ²⁵ I beheld, and, lo, there was NO MAN [REMAINING], and all the birds of the heavens were fled. ²⁶ I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. (Note: “no man” (v25) is in contrast with Noah’s flood when there were eight survivors)

2Peter 3:4-6 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. ⁵ For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the Earth Standing Out of The Water and In The Water:⁶ Whereby the world [cosmos] that then was, being overflowed with water, PERISHED: ⁷ But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

How Jeremiah 4:23-26 (above) Relates To Gen 1:2’s “Tohu wa-bohu,” earth in ‘chaos, void of all life.’

In reading the context of Jeremiah 4:23-26 (below) in the light of it preceding verses of Jer. 4:19-22 we should note that Jeremiah the Prophet of Israel was first speaking about a judgement that was to come upon Judah, but in verse 4:23-26 he pauses the prophecy. He then seems to have been stricken with a vision, which ought to be seen as a separate paragraph for verses 4:23-26. He says “I beheld the earth…”;

Jeremiah 4:23-26 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void [Heb. Tohu wa-bohu]; and the heavens, and they had no light. ²⁴ I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. ²⁵ I beheld, and, lo, there was NO MAN [REMAINING], and all the birds of the heavens were fled. ²⁶ I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. (Note: “no man” (v25) is in contrast with Noah’s flood when there were eight survivors)

It certainly appears that Jeremiah was transported back to the first judgement of the ‘original earth’ as seen in Gen 1:2. He no doubt was inspired to use that same description to foretell of the catastrophe that was coming upon the whole world because of their rebellion against God. He sees it as to be repeated at the time of “the wrath of God” that will close the awful 7-year Tribulation period. Note Jeremiah 4:26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. As with Gen 1:3-31 this will bring in the Millennial reign of Christ when the earth will be restored, a least partially.

To learn more, go to: http://www.artlicursi.com/series/pre-adamite-world

Portions are adapted from “The Gap is Not a Theory” by Jack W Langford