The Deeper Read

The Deeper Read: S2E5 - The Binding of Isaac


Listen Later

Genesis 20–22 is Abraham’s wildest arc yet.He dusts off the old “She’s-My-Sister” routine for King Abimelek, triggering a divine dream sequence where God threatens the wrong man, spares him anyway, and still makes him pay Abraham—the guy who lied to him. It’s less scripture and more traveling con act.

Meanwhile, Sarah steps fully into her power: Isaac is born, Ishmael is cast out, and God backs her decisions with startling consistency. The covenant is shifting—and Sarah is quietly steering it.

Then comes the mountain.

The Binding of Isaac unfolds like a psychological thriller: the wood, the knife, the lie, the last-second intervention. But the real twist? Isaac isn’t spared because Abraham passes a test—he’s spared because the story needs two sons, two nations, two futures to set the stage for everything that follows.

A family drama becomes geopolitics. A test becomes strategy. And Abraham stops running the con…and becomes the mark.

Read the full essay here.

The Cut Continues: Get future episodes, deep-dive essays, and access to The Vault. Subscribe now to join the investigation.

🎬 Continue the Series

← Previous Episode: Negotiating With God→ Next Episode: The Heir Apparent📂 Full Episode Guide: Cold Open

Think something got left on the cutting room floor?Add your notes below—we’re still editing in real time



Get full access to Lisa Writes Now at lisawritesnow.substack.com/subscribe
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Deeper ReadBy Lisa T.