We Three Kings
One of my favorite things about Christmas is the very special songs we call carols that point to the most significant aspect of Christmas which is the birth of our Savior. One the most poignant carols of them all is We Three Kings of Orient Are. In this beautifully written carol, we have the gospel message proclaimed. Let’s examine how special the message is in this classic Christmas carol.
* We three kings of Orient are bearing gifts we traverse afar
In verse 1, the song says that wise men from the East came bearing gifts.
1. Who are the Wise Men and where did they come from?
2. How many were there?
Traditionally, we have always said there were 3 Wise Men which originates from the types of gifts they brought, but there could have been many more. Because of the mystery and the unanswered questions, great legends grew up about them. They were more than likely from Persia (Iran) which is east of Jerusalem as Matthew 2 : 1 says.
These Magi were the professors and philosophers of their day. They were brilliant and highly educated scholars who were trained in medicine, history, religion, prophecy, and astronomy. The important fact for us to know is that they were highly influential in Persia. They were in fact advisors to the king.
* O Star of wonder, star of night Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding Guide us to thy Perfect Light
What can we say about the STAR? This STAR of wonder. This star was so magnificent that these trained astronomers were very keenly aware that this STAR was pointing to something very special. The Wise Men were students of the sky. That means they would not be frightened or put off by anything unusual that suddenly appeared to them. It also helps to know that in those days it was not uncommon to associate the birth of a great ruler with unusual heavenly phenomena.
This “star”, however, was not a natural phenomenon at all, but rather was a light placed by God in the atmosphere especially for the Magi to see. There are many theories as to what this STAR was, but I am going to tell you this STAR was the shekinah glory of God. At certain points in history God revealed himself as a bright light in order to guide his people.
Exodus 3: 1-5
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So, he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn. 4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”
This STAR was like the burning bush to Moses. Moses was attracted to the brilliance of the bush. The Magi were attracted to the brilliance of the STAR. In both cases, GOD’s glory is casting a glow of extraordinary greatness. The song says, “GUIDE US TO THY PERFECT LIGHT.” That ought to excite us all. The Magi were on a path that was leading them to the perfect light, the perfect SON of GOD. A star alone would not tell the Magi all they needed to know. They knew enough to come to Bethlehem to seek a baby born king of the Jews. They didn’t get that from the skies. So, here’s the bigger question: How did they know the star meant anything at all? We know that the Jews and Persians had intermingled for at least 500 years. Daniel was considered as one of their own. Since the time of Daniel (Belteshazzar), the Persians had known of the Jewish expectation of a Messiah. What they did not know was the exact time. When they saw the star, they knew the time had come.
* Born a King on Bethlehem's plain-Gold I bring to crown Him again-King forever, ceasing never-Over us all to rein
Gold relates to the Baby JESUS’ Kingship. Gold is for royalty. As the song says, Jesus is King forever, ceasing never. Praise God for Jesus the King. When gold was discovered in California in 1849, people sold everything in order to pay for a trip West to strike it rich while digging for gold. People fought, robbed, shot, and died for it. This valuable mineral that has caused so much distress in the world was given by the Magi to the KING. The gold was worthless compared to the KING forever, ceasing never. The gold referred to JESUS as KING.
*Frankincense to offer have I-Incense owns a Deity nigh-Pray'r and praising, all men raising-Worship Him, God most high
Frankincense was brought as a gift because it is a reference to the KING’s Deity. JESUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN I AM. When Jesus lay in the manger, HE was still GOD. There are people that teach and preach that Jesus did not become GOD until the Spirit descended upon him like a dove at his baptism. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Jesus was God in the beginning. Jesus will be GOD in the ending. JESUS has always been God.
Genesis 1:26
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness……
Now I don’t know about you, but at Holice Powell, we were taught that our meant more than one, and Linda said the same about Bradford schools too, but Bruce does not know what they said at Trenton schools, and that makes him “livided.” JESUS was there when God said “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” The frankincense brought by the Magi refers to JESUS deity. I don’t believe the Magi blindly chose these gifts. I believe they were guided by the Great I Am to bring these gifts. The gold was for his KINGSHIP, and the frankincense was for his DEITY.
* Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume-Breathes of life of gathering gloom-Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying-Sealed in the stone-cold tomb
Myrrh refers to Jesus’ humanity. JESUS is the KING, He is DEITY, and He was human. JESUS was tempted like all human beings. Matthew 4 describes it for us, but unlike us, Jesus was able to resist the tempter, and because of that, He lived perfectly on this planet without sin so He could be the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb without blemish, to die for the sins of mankind. If Jesus had not been Man, He could not have been man’s sacrifice.
Jesus suffered. He experienced the same agony and pain that you and I would have suffered.
John 19: 1-5
1 So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. 3 Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. 4 Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” 5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”
The KING born in the manger to redeem mankind was now being punished for man’s sins.
They scourged him which means they beat him with a whip that had 9 to 10 leather braids. Twisted into the braids were pieces of bone, rocks, etc. Can you imagine what that did to KING’s skin? They shoved a crown of thorns on his head. Have you ever picked up a branch off of a rose bush.? Have you been pricked by one of those thorns? They placed a purple robe on him. Purple was the color of royalty. What the Magi recognized as JESUS kingship, the Jews mocked and ridiculed
Then Jesus came forth. Can you imagine the humility? Can you imagine the pain? Can you imagine the blood? Can you imagine the laughter? Can you imagine the mockery? Can you imagine the agony?
Mark 15:34
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
This JESUS born in a manger. This JESUS KING at his birth. This JESUS, GOD at his birth. This JESUS forsaken by his FATHER at his death. As the song says, “SORROWING, SIGHING, BLEEDING, DYING, SEALED IN THE STONE COLD, TOMB” As JESUS KING, JESUS GOD, AND JESUS BLAMELESS SACRIFICE was dying the universe was shaken.
Finally, the King surrenders His life. The Romans could have never killed Jesus. He gave up His life, or as the Bible says, He gave up the ghost. He willfully surrendered His life because that was the only way.
Mark 15: 37-38
37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
As he dies, the veil of the temple was rent in twain. This veil was so strong that a team of oxen could not pull it apart. The veil that separated man from God. Only the priest could go under the veil to be the intercessors. With the KING’S death, we needed no veil.
*Glorious now behold Him arise-King and God and Sacrifice-Alleluia, Alleluia Earth to heav'n replies
Amen!! The JEWS thought they had solved their problem.
SATAN was dancing in the streets, BUT……
GLORIOUS NOW, BEHOLD HIM ARISE, KING AND GOD AND SACRIFICE
Matthew 28: 2-6
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone [a]from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Jesus was not there. The KING was not in the grave. Death and the grave could not keep our Lord and Savior. The MAGI had recognized by the STAR, that this baby was a KING and now this KING had arisen. This STAR brought the MAGI to the KING. THE KING BRINGS US TO GOD’s SAVING GRACE!!!!
O Star of wonder, star of night Star with royal beauty bright
Nothing says Christmas like Christmas carols. These carols preach the best sermons that ever could be preached. The message of We Three Kings is simple. JESUS is KING. JESUS is the sacrifice for our sins. JESUS won victory over the grave. Have you accepted the KING as your SAVIOR?