The Lord has an indictment against Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways, and repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he tried to supplant his brother, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed, he wept and sought his favour; he met him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him. The Lord the God of hosts, the Lord is his name! (Hosea 12: 2-5)

Each morning I read a bit of text written 80 generations ago or more and try to discern its contemporary meaning. What does it say of the human condition? What does it say of divine intent? What does it mean for me?

The only reason we can read Hosea is because it was preserved by the priests and scribes of the southern kingdom of Judea. As above, I perceive that scattered throughout the text is evidence of their inclination to find and apply the relevance of Israel's experience to Judah.

Analogies can be wonderful. They are also potentially dangerous. The key to an effective analogy is to dig beneath superficial similarities of form and find common structures and functions. Fundamental to making meaning of Hosea is our shared relationship with God.