The Hey Eddy! Podcast

Episode 43: The Ark Fights Back

In 1 Samuel 5:1–7:1, the Philistines capture the ark of God and place it in the temple of their god Dagon as a trophy of victory. But the next morning, Dagon has fallen face-down before the ark—and the morning after that, his head and hands are broken off like a defeated soldier. God then sends plagues of tumors and rats on every Philistine city the ark visits: Ashdod, then Gath, then Ekron. After seven months of disaster, the Philistines send the ark back to Israel on a cart pulled by two mother cows who walk straight toward Israel instead of returning to their calves—proving God was behind everything. But even the Israelites at Beth Shemesh learn that God’s holiness is serious when seventy men die for treating the ark carelessly. The big takeaway? God doesn’t need anyone to defend Him—He fights His own battles and always wins. Sponsor: This episode of The Hey Eddy! Podcast is brought to you by DAGON’S SUPER GLUE: Because SOMEBODY keeps knocking your god over, and it’s definitely not a coincidence! 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 [https://start2finish.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 42: The Day the Glory Left

In 1 Samuel 4, Israel loses a battle to the Philistines and comes up with a plan: bring the ark of the covenant to the battlefield, and God will HAVE to save us. They were trying to use God like a lucky charm. But it backfires horribly—Israel is crushed, thirty thousand soldiers die, the ark is CAPTURED by the enemy, and Hophni and Phinehas both die on the same day, exactly as God predicted. When old Eli hears the ark is captured, he falls backward, breaks his neck, and dies. Phinehas’s dying wife names her newborn son ICHABOD—meaning “the glory has departed.” The big lesson? You can’t treat God like a magic object you control. He’s a Person you have a relationship with. Religious stuff without a real heart for God is empty—and it doesn’t work. Sponsor: This episode of The Hey Eddy! Podcast is brought to you by THE LUCKY ARK KEYCHAIN: It won’t work because God isn’t a good luck charm you can carry around. 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 [https://start2finish.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 40: Two Paths

In this episode, Cousin Michael walks kids through 1 Samuel 2:11–36, contrasting two very different paths. Eli's sons Hophni and Phinehas were priests who stole the best meat from God's sacrifices, bullied worshipers, and ignored their father's weak warnings. Meanwhile, young Samuel quietly and faithfully served God at the Tabernacle, growing "in favor with the LORD and also with man"—language the Bible later echoes about Jesus Himself. Eli knew his sons were corrupt but never stopped them, prompting God to send a prophet with a devastating message: "Why do you honor your sons more than me?" God declared that Eli's family would lose their priestly line and that both sons would die on the same day, but He also promised to raise up a faithful priest who would do what was in His heart. Kids learn that small choices lead to big destinations, doing nothing is still a choice, and God always honors those who honor Him. 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 [https://start2finish.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 39: The Prayer That Changed Everything

In this episode, Cousin Michael introduces kids to 1 Samuel 1:1–2:10 and the story of Hannah, a heartbroken woman who desperately wanted a child while her husband’s other wife Peninnah mocked her year after year. At the Tabernacle in Shiloh, Hannah pours out her soul to God in silent prayer, promising that if He gives her a son, she will dedicate him back to God’s service for life. The priest Eli mistakes her for a drunk but then blesses her, and Hannah leaves in peace, trusting God heard her. God answers, and Hannah gives birth to Samuel—whose name means “asked of God.” She keeps her promise, bringing young Samuel to serve at the Tabernacle, then sings a powerful song praising God as the great Reverser who lifts up the lowly and brings down the proud. Kids learn that God hears even silent, tearful prayers and that His timing is always 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 [https://start2finish.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Episode 38: Sunday Morning!

In this episode, three women—Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome—head to the tomb at sunrise on Sunday to anoint Jesus's body with spices. They worry about who will roll away the massive stone, but when they arrive it's already moved. Inside, a young man in a white robe tells them, "He has risen! He is not here," and sends them to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee. Mark's Gospel ends surprisingly with the women fleeing in fear and silence—yet the good news clearly spread, because we're still telling the story two thousand years later. The episode walks through what the resurrection means: Jesus really died, really rose, and kept every promise He made. Kids are challenged with the question Mark leaves for everyone: now that you know Jesus is alive, what will you do with this news? 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 [https://start2finish.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]