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Doctrine changes · Claim record

From at least 1971 until 2015 the organisation taught that “Gog of Magog” in Ezekiel 38 was Satan himself, named Gog after being cast out of heaven in 1914.

Claim ID claim-doctrine-chg-gog-satanConcerns 1 January 1971Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 1 January 1971 Verified

From at least 1971 until 2015 the organisation taught that “Gog of Magog” in Ezekiel 38 was Satan himself, named Gog after being cast out of heaven in 1914. “The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How?, 1971The Watchtower, 15 September 1988

Show the evidence (2 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

“The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How?, “Defeat Awaits Attack by Nations under Gog”

1971 · p.354 · chap. 19, par. 12 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“Accordingly, the actual Gog of Magog who fulfills Ezekiel’s prophecy is Satan the Devil after his ouster from heaven, and the land of Magog is his location at the earth in which he is confined, with no freedom or power to leave it and reenter heaven.”

The book-length exposition of Ezekiel in which the identification of Gog with Satan is stated as settled teaching.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Document opened on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; the wording was read in full and the page number taken from the library's own page markers.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-chg-d-kj-1971-ch19-gog-satan

Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, ““They Will Have to Know That I Am Jehovah””

15 September 1988 · p.25 · par. 14 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“Gog is “the ruler of this world,” Satan the Devil. He received the name Gog after his ouster from heaven, following the Kingdom’s birth in 1914.”

A congregation study article restating the identification of Gog with Satan twenty-seven years before it was withdrawn.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Document opened on wol.jw.org on 19 September 2026; the wording was read in full and the page number taken from the library's own page markers.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-chg-d-w-1988-0915-gog-satan

Claim page

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-doctrine-chg-gog-satan/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.