All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.
Comment: Paul is saying to the Jews ‘You know the truth of the facts that I am quoting to you!’ It is true that for some their religious faith is pretty ignorant and blind. But here Paul calls his listeners to consider what is known from the past and he will go on to give them present day, ‘modern’ to them, recent history and call on them to act appropriately. I have an adopted son who will not eat mushrooms because in his native language they are called ‘hyena droppings’. I know people who just as illogically reject the Bible as myth but have never read or really listened to its space/time presentation. We’ll see what happens in this case over the next few days as we read on.
Prayer: Help me to listen hard when You are speaking to me, O God.
As I read it! 