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Authority and accountability · Claim record

In April 1972 The Watchtower said Jehovah 'had a “prophet” to warn' Christendom, that 'this “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women' known as the International Bible Students and 'today … as Jehovah's Christian witnesses', and called the group 'the modern-day Ezekiel'.

Claim ID claim-authority-1972-organisation-identified-itself-as-prophetConcerns 1 April 1972Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 1 April 1972 Verified

In April 1972 The Watchtower said Jehovah 'had a “prophet” to warn' Christendom, that 'this “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women' known as the International Bible Students and 'today … as Jehovah's Christian witnesses', and called the group 'the modern-day Ezekiel'. The Watchtower, 1 April 1972

The organisation’s position or later explanation: Later publications describe the organisation as not inspired. No direct retraction of the 1972 'prophet' language was located.

Show the evidence (1 source)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “‘They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them’”

1 April 1972 · pp.197-200 · p. 197 (identification); p. 199 (modern-day Ezekiel) · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“He had a “prophet” to warn them. This “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses.”

The article asks whether Jehovah had a prophet to warn Christendom about the League of Nations, answers that the organisation was that 'prophet', and on p. 199 calls the group 'the modern-day Ezekiel, the “prophet” commissioned by Jehovah'.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened the WOL document; page markers confirm p. 197 and p. 199.

Notes. Unnumbered paragraphs in this article.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-1972-0401-prophet-among-them

Claim page

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