“And he (John the Baptist) will go on before the Lord, in the Spirit and power of to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Although I lived in the Old Testament era, I am mentioned 28 times in 6 N.T. books. Of all the prophets, only Moses is mentioned more often and in more books than I, yet I did not write a book. I am renowned for my faithfulness and willingness to speak the truth—no matter how much it was against the prevailing attitude of the day. Because of this, John the Baptist is compared or confused with me nine times, and Jesus Christ four times. When Jesus, who was dying on the cross, called out, some thought that he was calling for me. How absurd because his brother describes me as being a “man just like us.” My name means Jehovah is God. Who am I?

My name means “timid” in Hebrew, but my actions contradict my name. I am King Saul’s head shepherd. One day as I was traveling through Judah, I was “detained before the Lord at Nob.” David was also traveling through the area and stopped there. Then Ahimelech the priest gave David showbread to eat, Goliath’s sword, and inquired of the Lord for him. Later when Saul ordered the priest Ahimelech to be killed, the officials would not raise their hand against the Lord’s anointed. But since I am an Edomite, I raised my sword and killed Ahimelech and 84 priests of the Lord, and then destroyed all ofNob “the men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys, and sheep.” What wicked man am I?

Luke 1:17; James 5:17; I Sam.21,22

LCDR Glenn P. Palmer’s address is 453 Warley St., Portsmouth, RI 02871.