The Hey Eddy! Podcast

In this episode, Cousin Michael takes kids through 1 Samuel 24, where Saul hunts David with three thousand soldiers near En Gedi. In a stunning coincidence, Saul steps alone into the very cave where David and his men are hiding. David's men urge him to kill Saul, insisting God has handed him over, but David only cuts off a corner of Saul's robe and even feels guilty about that, refusing to harm "the LORD's anointed." After Saul leaves, David bravely calls out to him, bows low, and holds up the piece of robe as proof that he could have killed the king but chose mercy. He declares, "May the LORD judge between you and me, but my hand will not touch you." Saul weeps, admits David is more righteous, and acknowledges that David will surely be king. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit start2finish.substack.com

In this episode, Cousin Michael takes kids through 1 Samuel 23, where David, still on the run, does the job Saul should be doing by rescuing the town of Keilah from Philistine raiders. Using the ephod the priest Abiathar brought, David asks God for guidance and learns that the very people he saved will hand him over to Saul, so he escapes before Saul can trap him inside the city walls. Day after day Saul hunts him, but God does not give David into his hands. Jonathan risks everything to find David in the wilderness and strengthen his faith, in what becomes their final meeting. When the Ziphites betray David's location, Saul's army surrounds him on a mountain, but at the last second a messenger reports a Philistine raid, forcing Saul to leave. Kids learn to seek God's direction, encourage their friends, and trust that God's timing is perfect. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit start2finish.substack.com

In this episode, Cousin Michael gently walks kids through 1 Samuel 22, one of the Bible's darkest chapters. David hides in the cave of Adullam, where his family and four hundred distressed, indebted, and discontented men gather around him as their leader. He takes his aging parents to safety in Moab, thanks to his great-grandmother Ruth's Moabite roots, then obeys the prophet Gad's call to return to Judah. Meanwhile, a paranoid Saul accuses everyone of conspiring against him, and Doeg the Edomite reports that the priest Ahimelech helped David. Though Ahimelech is innocent, Saul orders the priests killed. His own soldiers refuse, but Doeg slaughters eighty-five priests and the entire town of Nob. One priest, Abiathar, escapes to David, who takes responsibility and promises, "You will be safe with me." Kids learn that evil is real but never wins, and God always preserves his people. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit start2finish.substack.com

In this episode, Cousin Michael takes kids through 1 Samuel 21, where David, alone, hungry, and unarmed after saying goodbye to Jonathan, flees for his life. He goes to the priest Ahimelech at Nob and tells a half-truth about being on a secret mission for the king. Ahimelech gives him the holy bread of the Presence, a moment Jesus later pointed to when he taught that people matter more than rituals. But one of Saul’s men, Doeg the Edomite, sees everything. David then asks for a weapon and receives Goliath’s own sword, a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness. Desperate, David runs to Gath, Goliath’s hometown, where the Philistines recognize him. Terrified, he pretends to be insane, scratching at doors and drooling into his beard until King Achish sends him away. Kids learn to turn toward God in desperate times, remember what he has already done, and be careful with the truth. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit start2finish.substack.com

In this episode, Cousin Michael tells the story of David and Jonathan from 1 Samuel 20, the greatest friendship in the Bible. With Saul trying to kill David, the two friends devise a test: David will skip the New Moon feast, and Saul’s reaction will reveal his intentions. Jonathan, the crown prince, acknowledges that God has chosen David as the next king, and the two make a covenant before the Lord to protect each other’s families forever. When Saul explodes in rage, insults Jonathan’s mother, and even hurls a spear at his own son, Jonathan uses a prearranged arrow signal to warn David to flee. The friends then share a tearful goodbye. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit start2finish.substack.com