Today is the fourth day of July. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today.

It's a special day. It's July 4th. For those of us who live in the United States, this is Independence Day.

So it's like a very major national holiday for us.

Those of you who are in other parts of the world may not be observing Independence Day for the United States.

Ah, but freedom. Especially freedom in Christ is something to celebrate every day.

But it's not just a national holiday here in the United States. It's a special day here around the Global Campfire as well.

Today is my wife Jill's birthday. She was born on the 4th of July.

And that is something certainly to celebrate. I certainly rejoice.

But since this nation is celebrating its birthday, that's kind of usually got a lot of fanfare, celebration, feasting, um, fireworks, all that kind of stuff.

So Jill, she just has to sit back and enjoy it at all. And so happy birthday to Jill.

For real that we can be together here around the Global Campfire today.

As we gather for the purpose of taking the next step forward together.

A step forward in the Scriptures.

And a step forward in our lives and a step forward in this year.

And so let's dive in.

We have been navigating our way through the Book of Second Kings for a little while.

Today we will finish that journey and conclude the Book of Second Kings by reading the last part of Second Kings, which happens to be chapter 23, verse 31,

through 25, verse 30 today.

Jehoaz was 23 years old when he became King. And he ruled in Jerusalem for three months.

His mother's name was Hama Tal, daughter of Jeremiah from Libna.

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord like all that his fathers had done.

Pharaoh Niko imprisoned him in Libla in the land of Amath so that he could not rule as King in Jerusalem.

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