“Shake yourself from the dust and rise;” These stirring words from Isaiah 52 continue a powerful call to prepare the way of the Lord and act on what He has commanded— to publish peace and bring good news of salvation— even in wilderness seasons when the future is unknown. 

Abraham from Burkina Faso looks at the Dead Sea and surrounding hills as he studies the Word in Hebrew, part of his training to multiply full Bible translations around the world. 

Back in the Land of the Bible, our student translators have been spending time in the desert learning about God’s presence in the wilderness— The Lord revealing himself to Samuel at Shiloh, the Tabernacle built for the Ark of the Covenant, the establishment of the kingdom and line of David, and the prophecies all revealing Jesus, the Messiah.

These students walk the paths of the Bible and learn in its language because they believe in the power of the translated Word of God to transform their communities. They are committed to publishing peace and news of salvation for those who have not yet heard. Like the disciples, they will take the Word from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. 

Tabernacle in the Wilderness 

The word Shiloh appears 33 times in the Original (Old) Testament.

The translated meanings of the word Shiloh denote authority, a coming Messiah and kingdom, and rest/peace.  

The Ark of the Covenant (God’s presence) was in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and moved with the people of Israel. Soon after the Israelites entered the land until the time of Samuel, the Ark of the Covenant remained in the Tabernacle at Shiloh. Shiloh became the central place for offerings and worship and was where Hannah offered her poetic prayer. 

Please pray with us in this new year for: 

• Blessing and safety on these translators and consultants who are working on new full Bible translations in their communities around the world 
• Strength and perseverance for those studying in Jerusalem 
• Open hearts for those receiving the OT in their language for the first time 

Also, continue to pray with us for peace in this land, provision for those deeply impacted by the war, and that God’s purposes would be accomplished for all nations through the power of His whole story. 

Thank you for sharing the Word, 

Whole Word Institute