3. Explain the gist of Ezekiel’s prophecy regarding Gog of Magog.

3 Read Ezekiel 38:1, 2, 8, 18; 39:4, 11. Here is the gist of the prophecy: “In the final part of the years,” an enemy called “Gog of . . . Magog” invades “the land” of God’s people. But that vicious attack causes Jehovah’s “great rage” to flare up, and Jehovah steps in and defeats Gog. Victorious, Jehovah gives his defeated enemy and all those with him “as food to all kinds of birds of prey and the wild beasts.” Finally, Jehovah gives Gog “a burial place.” To understand how this prophecy will be fulfilled in the near future, we first need to identify Gog.

4. What may we conclude about Gog of Magog?

4 Who, then, is Gog of Magog? From Ezekiel’s description, we may conclude that Gog is an enemy of pure worshippers. Is Gog a prophetic name for Satan​—the greatest of all enemies of true worship? For many decades, that is what our publications said. However, a further consideration of Ezekiel’s prophecy led to an adjustment in our understanding. The Watchtower explained that the title Gog of Magog refers, not to an invisible spirit creature, but to a visible human enemy​—a coalition of nations that will fight against pure worship. Before we review the basis for such a conclusion, let us first examine two clues in Ezekiel’s prophecy that indicate that Gog is not a spirit creature.

5, 6. What in Ezekiel’s prophecy suggests that Gog of Magog is not a spirit creature?

5 “I will give you as food to all kinds of birds of prey.” (Ezek. 39:4) The Scriptures often use the idea of birds of prey devouring a carcass as a warning of divine judgment. God gave such warnings to the nation of Israel as well as to non-Israelite nations. (Deut. 28:26; Jer. 7:33; Ezek. 29:3, 5) Note, though, that those divine warnings were given, not to spirit creatures, but to flesh-and-blood humans. After all, birds of prey and wild beasts eat flesh, not spirit. So this divine warning in Ezekiel’s prophecy suggests that Gog is not a spirit creature.

6 “I will give Gog a burial place . . . in Israel.” (Ezek. 39:11) The Scriptures do not speak of spirit creatures as being buried on earth. Rather, Satan and his demons will be abyssed for 1,000 years, and later they will be hurled into the symbolic lake of fire, signifying their everlasting destruction. (Luke 8:31; Rev. 20:1-3, 10) Since Gog is spoken of as being given “a burial place” on earth, we may conclude that he is not a spirit creature.

7, 8. When will “the king of the north” come to his end, and how is this similar to what will happen to Gog of Magog?

7 If not a spirit creature, then who or what is Gog, the enemy who will launch a final attack on pure worshippers? Consider two Bible prophecies that help us to identify Gog of Magog.

8 “The king of the north.” (Read Daniel 11:40-45.) Daniel foretold the march of world powers from his day down to our time. The prophecy also mentions rival political foes​—“the king of the south” and “the king of the north”—​each of them having changed identity over the centuries as various earthly nations have fought for supremacy. Regarding the final campaign of the king of the north in “the time of the end,” Daniel said: “He will go out in a great rage to annihilate and to devote many to destruction.” Jehovah’s worshippers are the primary target of the king of the north. But like Gog of Magog, the king of the north comes “to his end” after failing in his attack on God’s people.

9. What similarity is there between what happens to Gog of Magog and what happens to “the kings of the entire inhabited earth”?

9 “The kings of the entire inhabited earth.” (Read Revelation 16:14, 16; 17:14; 19:19, 20.) The book of Revelation foretold an attack by “the kings of the earth” on the “King of kings,” the heavenly Jesus. But unable to reach into the heavens, the rebels attack the earthly supporters of the Kingdom. The kings of the earth then find themselves on the losing side in the battle at Armageddon. Notice that they come to their end after attacking Jehovah’s people. This is similar to what is said about Gog of Magog.

10. What may we conclude about the identity of Gog of Magog?

10 In view of the foregoing, what may we conclude about the identity of Gog? First, Gog is not a spirit creature. Second, Gog refers to earthly nations that will attack God’s people in the near future. Those nations will undoubtedly form a coalition, that is, they will band together somehow. Why? Since God’s people are found earth wide, the nations will need to be united in purpose and action to attack them. (Matt. 24:9) Make no mistake, Satan will be the evil mastermind behind the attack. He has long influenced worldly nations to oppose true worship. (1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:17) But Ezekiel’s prophetic words about Gog of Magog focus on the role of the earthly nations that will attack Jehovah’s people.