Questions From Readers
● Is the “heat by the shade of a cloud” (Isa. 25:5, AS) a reference to the destructive heat and cloud accompanying explosion of an atomic bomb?—M. E., Illinois.
The answer to this question is definitely No! By trying to apply in this way this Bible expression as found in the American Standard Version one is taking it out of its context. Note how Isaiah 25:5 (AS) reads in full: “As the heat in a dry place wilt thou [Jehovah] bring down the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shade of a cloud, the song of the terrible ones shall be brought low.” What is Isaiah’s prophecy here doing? Not calling attention to the heat to be found under the atomic-explosion cloud of mushroom shape, but showing how Jehovah God in this “time of the end” would reduce the heat of trial and persecution upon his witnesses by the cloud of his presence and protection. On a hot day a cloud gives welcome relief by its shade; it brings down or reduces the heat. Jehovah God does likewise by his “cloud.”
Here it is appropriate to quote from The Watchtower of October 15, 1943, which comments on Isaiah 25:5:
“By the cloud of his presence with them, bringing divine approval and blessings for their faithfulness under stress, he has overshadowed them and made the heat of religious ferocity endurable. The Son of God [Jesus Christ] at the temple is with them in the furnace of fire. (Dan. 3:19-25) Their understanding that the primary issue of God’s universal domination is bound up with their holding fast their integrity toward him enables them to stand up immovable against the stormy blast of the religious, political, judicial and commercial conspiracy beating incessantly against them. The noisy demonstration with which the Babylonish tyrants start out their campaign of warfare against Jehovah’s witness work is brought down to a murmur of bitter disappointment as their fight against God comes to nought. Well did the prophecy [Isaiah 25:5] say: ‘The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low’; or, better translated: ‘the song of tyrants become low’ (Roth.); ‘the singing of the terrible is humbled.’—Young.”
● Speaking of those who partake of the Lord’s evening meal unworthily, the January 15, 1956, Watchtower said on page 60, paragraph 18: “So let him benefit by the corrective, disciplinary judgment that Jehovah gives him. Let him discern what he himself is, and reform. If he has been at fault, yet he should obey the command and eat the Lord’s evening meal, but do so discerning the Lord’s sacrificed body and asking forgiveness for his sin. Then let this celebration strengthen him to follow Christ’s steps more closely during the coming year.” Does this mean a disfellowshiped person should partake of the loaf and wine at the Lord’s evening meal?—M. P., Germany.
This has no reference to persons that are in a disfellowshiped condition, but to only those who are continuing in the body of Christ but who are yet subject to sin and who therefore commit sins for which the sacrifice of Christ provides the basis for forgiveness. A disfellowshiped person is no member of Jehovah’s congregation and may not be served the emblems by those serving at the celebration of the Lord’s evening meal. Jesus did not serve Judas the emblems but sent him out of the house before instituting the Lord’s evening meal.—John 13:21-31; Matt. 26:20-25; Mark 14:10-21.
If a disfellowshiped person desires to partake of the Lord’s evening meal he should show full repentance by going to the service committee of the congregation from which he has been disfellowshiped and let them examine him as to the sincerity of his repentance and his willingness to be put on probation. If he satisfies this service committee, then they may reinstate him and put him on a period of probation, and they will so advise the congregation. If he shows good deportment during the time of his probation and up to the celebration of the Lord’s evening meal, then he may be served the emblems at the celebration with sincere appreciation of God’s forgiveness through the things symbolized by the emblems. Then his participation in the Lord’s evening meal should strengthen him to continue on conducting himself properly through the rest of his probation period and onward after it has ended and the reinstatement is full and complete, no longer qualified by any probationary restraints.