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I ask that all things be considered when reading this article and add that if you do not like the subjects of this article, save yourself the time by simply not reading it.
Every year in Miami, Fl a Parade is held on the 6th of January in honor of Los Tres Reyes Magos (The Three Magi Kings). It is a tradition from a much older Christian European tradition aligned with the original date for Christmas and the Epiphany. But who were the Magi? Why is so little spoken about them on Christmas? Why all the mystery? What reasons would modern Christians have to fear their history when it so intricately fits into the old and new testament? The Magi are perhaps the most enigmatic and important people of the Bible with a religious tradition going back since before the time of Christ. To know these things, one must open mindedly search for the truth among not only the ancient records, but the modern mages of today to know the whole story. The story of the Magi is the mostly unexplored history of today's Magicians.
Tradition holds that the Magi were Pagan Kings of Persia (Iran), India, and Babylonia (sometimes Arabia rather than Babylonia). Their names were Gaspar, Balthazar, and Melchior. But there are all manner of contradictory information on the Magi not only from religious tradition but by secular and Biblical scholars alike. Some scholars believe they all came from Persia and were Priests of the Medes. Some scholars even claim much to the shock and disgust of Christians, that the Magi who visited Christ were a secret sect created by the Prophet Daniel during the time that Hebrews were enslaved in Persia.
His apprentice was a Pagan Prophet named Baalam in some sources, who continued the lineage of Hebrew Polytheism (Paganism) inside the Persian Polytheist lineage. It should also be noted that the word Magi from Persian Magus once also was used for a Median tribe. (*) Whatsoever the history, Magi were and are still real as even today there are Kurds who claim to descend from the original Magi and the title is still used by magical priests in other countries and in Pagan traditions including solitary Pagans unaffiliated with lineages. Though tradition mentions the names of only Three (possibly the leaders), they were most likely attended to by larger groups of Priests and possibly Priestesses, apprentices, scholars, philosophers, and many more including warriors. The belief that there were only three Magi comes from their names being revealed in tradition.
Possibly because they were very well known in their day and so when the story of Yeshua would be read or told everyone knew who they were. However their names were not revealed until later centuries though in Folklore (the history of the people themselves carried by generations) the same three names almost unchanged except for being translated, appears over and over again.
Even in the Bible, the number of Magi is never mentioned. They were Mages or Magicians (hence the term Magi), Masters of Witchcraft who knew the Arts well and who were able to foretell things by looking into the Stars (Astrology). The original translation of the word Magi originates from the Indo-Persian 'Magh' which means powerful, wealthy, and gifted.
The reason behind this is simply because they were powerful or gifted in the magical arts and also because they were so commanding politically and culturally that they became their own class of Nobles. They were slightly more powerful than regular nobles as they had the ability later on to choose the King in power in Persia. However, modern Mages have expressed to me that they were not exclusively Persian because a Mage can be found in any religion under various names and in the Middle East, at that time, they say the religious world was so interconnected that Magi were found in different countries. Though Persia was obviously where they were the most powerful, Babylonia was a close second. Baalam recorded the legend of the Messiah from Daniel to pass it down to new generations of Magi for them to prepare for the worship and discipleship under Christ.
So for all we know there may have been Magi in the ranks of Yeshua's own followers. Others argue the tradition is correct and that they all came from three different countries. The sign of the Hebrew God sending down the Messiah was seen by all three in their perspective countries (or same country). But we know from history records that people in many countries saw the phenomenon.
This phenomenon leads them to embark on a quest across the lands and countries of the middle-east to find the Jewish Messiah (1). They would have needed enough supplies to last them for many days to travel so far and reach Yeshua. This journey may have taken several months. One thing of note here is that scholars today will argue that they were not real Kings; they may have been called Kings because they were Enlightened Masters, living as Saints on Earth such as the Buddhas, Gurus or Saints of the Sikhs and are today regarded by many as Ascended Masters in Heavenly realms. Conversely, if Magi were already a more powerful class of Nobles then the Magi being called Kings may have been a sign that they were at the top of the hierarchy of their order. Scholars now think they were Zoroastrians, the early forefathers of modern day Gnosticism. Other scholars think they evolved from an off shoot of Zoroastrianism. This would further explain why they were interested not only in meeting Yeshua but in worshipping him.
Gnostics believe that all religions were once one religion (originally a spiritual science handed down to humanity by the Gods), and that in this ancient faith, all Gods were worshiped and all magic was practiced. They believe in supreme Gods known as the Godhead. They further believed that Yahweh also known as Bythos the Creator of all other Gods and creatures was one of the Highest Deities of the Godhead. Zoroastrians identified this Deity as Ahura Mazda (The Wise Lord); the same God as Yahweh or Allah in Muslim tradition.
If these are the forefathers of Gnosticism then they more than likely held similar beliefs. Thus the Messiah was considered to be the Messiah for all religious groups, not just the Jews but even for at least some of the Pagans of the time. This is not surprising as Pagans in many cultures had Messiahs that ranged from; Horus, Dionysus, Mithra, and many others.
Even some Buddhists view Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha) as a type of Messiah brought to free the world from Samsara. This new Messiah was just the most recent in an already long established line of saviors. Clearly, the story of the Hebrew Messiah was also well known to other parts of the Middle East. Because they were Zoroastrian mages, they would've been well educated about many Gods and magic and therefore knew the Christ God was coming to Earth. All followers on both sides who claim that Paganism and Christianity do not mix, must reevaluate in lieu of this information and remember that God sent Pagan Mages and Priests to bestow gifts and worship Christ as a newborn child. He then revealed the signs in the sky to lead them to the newborn child.
Would Yahweh really send people he would view as 'ungodly' or 'blasphemous' to visit his son? To me, that just doesn't make any sense. That's like God sending Devil Worshipers to give Yeshua gifts. He also displayed signs that any Magician would recognize as mystical. That confirms his support for Astrology. Nowhere in the Bible does Yahweh ever say he does not approve of them.
The Magi's original trip was cut short when Yahweh entered their dreams and warned them of King Herod's attempts at trying to Kill Yeshua as a newborn. They stopped the journey in the home of Herod, the Roman appointed King of Israel (2). This is a testament to their importance. Either they were real Kings or they were Kings in their own right for being Magicians and Enlightened Masters. Only someone of that level of importance could have entered the Palace of Herod.
When they communicated with Herod that the Messiah would be born he feared for his rule. The Messiah had to be of pure Royal blood according to the Prophecy. Furthermore, a divinity sent by Yahweh himself would already have more power than the Roman appointed ruler. Herod however was crafty and he told them "When you find the Messiah, please inform me of his whereabouts so that I may worship him along with you."
His ultimate plan was to murder the Messiah and prevent him from ever being a threat. But when Yahweh warned them in dreams, of Herod's plot, they split up and hid for two years so that Herod would not follow them to Yeshua. Here we have a Dream Interpretation that God participated in. If using Magic and Interpreting dreams is a 'sin' that would mean Yahweh participated in a sin willingly. The fact that God did this is proof sorcery is not a sin.
The idea that this activity might be a sin springs from Emperor Constantine when he rewrote the Bible. But I digress. The Magi did not find Yeshua until two years later when he was in his toddler years. When Herod found out the Magi had vanished he flew into a rage and demanded that every newborn male child in Jerusalem had to be killed. The Archangel Gabrielle (Hebrew) or Jibriel (Arabic) warned Josef and Maryam (3) of the slaughter and they moved away to a land called Nazareth.
There they stayed in Nazareth until the holy archangel told them to return. Finally, when they did, the Magi found them. An important thing to note is that scientists think the Star of Bethlehem phenomenon may have happened more than once. There are even ancient records to prove it. Could another such phenomenon created by Yahweh have led the Magi Kings back to Yeshua? Perhaps someday we will know for sure.
Mystical Christians today have formed the Eternal Order of the Magi, where they train and teach disciples for enlightenment. The idea of the Magi and their pre- Gnostic teachings are passed down through initiation and discipleship into the Order.
You can join the society if you are interested. In Europe, Cunning Folk or Witches would advise people to draw the initials CBM near doors and windows to keep out evil spirits as a warding amulet. These initials, CBM represent the following; Caspar (the Anglicized name of Gaspar), Balthazar, and Melchior. In NOLA Hoodoo this is done before or after New Years to prevent bad spirits from entering. I can personally testify to the great power that ensues by using and invoking their names in magic. I have even called on the Magi in several of my magical workings and when I took an apprentice for the first time; I realized my student had a strong connection to the Magi when she prayed, but that is a story for another Yule.
These powerful spiritual beings who rule this time of year, The Magi, are among the sacred Lords of Yule/Sol Invictus/Saturnalia/Christmas. They are known for bestowing blessings upon the needy (4) , ensuring that through the dark time of the year the dead can visit their loved ones (5), and allowing those who must leave this realm to cross over.
The Day sacred to the Magi is January 6th, also known as the Festival of the Three Kings, The Festival of the Magi, or the Festival of the three Magi Kings is celebrated by Christian Witches and by the Cuban Christian community (both by Catholics and non-Catholics) both in North America and Cuba.; Christians Witches are also known as Mystical Christians. In Miami, Florida, the Cuban people have a great Festival with men dressed as the Magi Kings in the streets, reenacting the events of the Magicians finding Yeshua. The festival in tradition does not end until January 11th. Both 6 (Hexagram, Star of David) and 11 (The Master number) are important numbers in numerology. The feast was clearly an important one for many of the European Magoi. One wonders if they ever suspected the prominent spiritual role they had in store for them 2000 years after their deaths.
Notes:
(*)
I've come to suspect that many tribes started out not as nations or tribes but as spiritual orders. The Gypsies, for instance, claim St. Sara the Egyptian (or Sara La Kali who is a Gnostic Christian Saint and Priestess) is their direct blood ancestor. The Gypsies started out as Christian Hebrews and Egyptian Christian converts who followed Sara and her mother Maryam of Magdala (Mary Magdalene) along with St. Marta and St. Lazarus who Gnostic legend says came to France where they were greeted by Pagan Shamans and became respected members of the community. Centuries later the Jett people from Northern India and Pakistan came to Europe to escape the war between Afghanistan and their own country. They mixed with Shamans who by that time were descended of both Europeans and Sara's people. Because she had come from Kemet or Egypt they were later called Gypsies.
The most prominent genetic marker of all Gypsies is the one linking them to the Jett people. Of course to be fair, Sara and her people were a minority that was quickly absorbed by the French Pagan majority. Jett refugees came in untold numbers, to Europe, based on the genetic evidence from the Gypsies/Rome/Romany. They could actually really be descendants of Egyptians and Hebrews as well. Quite simply, the Jett gene is easier to prove because they absorbed the original two groups.
The point is, we saw how two religious groups merged into one tribe which then merged with another group of people. The reason why some of the Medes may have been called Magi could be due to the possibility that they all started as Magicians who then formed a tribe and became a Magician tribe like the original Gypsies (though many Gypsies of today have turned their back on their Folk Faith and don't even want to be called Gypsies instead preferring Rome).
(1)
The majority of the Jewish community does not believe Yeshua of Nazareth was the Messiah. Although smaller groups known as Messianic Jews or simply "Jews for Jesus" do acknowledge him as the Christ. They practice a type of revival of Yeshua's original Judeo-Christian version of his teachings; although some are more original to the source than others. See Gnostic Christianity, Esoteric Christianity, and the Kabbalah.
(2)
The Romans had conquered Syria Palaestina, or Palestine as we call it today, (there were many Kingdoms in this land including Israel, the whole country was not Israel) they set up a brutal military occupation (much like Palestine today) and brutalized the population. This continued to the extent of performing mass executions of anyone deemed a rebel. Herod, a noble, who saw his opportunity to seize control appealed to Emperor Octavian, the first Emperor of Rome, convincing him that under his leadership Israel would bow down to the Romans and to their Emperor. Augustus Octavian agreed and placed Herod as the false King. In reality St. Josef, Yeshua's human Father, was a direct descendant of the Kings of Israel. He had the true claim with scrolls in the Hebrew Libraries proving his Royal lineage.
Because he was St. Josef’s foster son (or real son if you do not believe in his divinity) Yeshua would have had the true claim to the throne. This lineage is the reason Herod wanted him dead. Herod wanted to eliminate the competition. The initials I.N.R.I. are on the Cross of Christ for this reason; The Romans put it on the cross. In Latin the words of each initial are Iēsus Nazarēnus, Rēx Iūdaeōrum or "Yeshua of Nazareth, King of the Jews."
(3)
In this post I am using the actual historical names of the figures and places. Not the Anglicized or modern names; this is to avoid further stealing the people and their significance from their culture. See, Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Misappropriation.
(4)
Santa Claus is really a mixed concept. There is no such thing as just one Yule Lord. Different people expect different beings to arrive to them on this time of year. Some believe it is the Magi and others still think it is La Befana (The Giver of Gifts) their friend who was a Roman Hedge witch. In China they have their own version of a spiritual being that looks upon the sinners and the virtuous and reports what they have done to the Divine Emperor for either rewards or punishments. The Norse Heathens who worship the Aesir (Heavenly Gods) and Vanir (Earthly Gods) believe Odin and Thor are the ones who comes forth baring gifts to the faithful. For Christians, it is St. Nicholas of Myra (Bari) who does this. For Greek worshipers of the Theoi (Gods) it is Poseidon.
Sometimes the Magi or someone else will be the one to bestow the Gifts. Also, the 'gifts' are not to be taken literally. The Yule Lords bestow gifts spiritually. For a witch it may be magic, for a poor family it may be prosperity, for a lonely person it may be love, and for a sickly person it may be health. The Yule Lords, including Nicholas never really gave physical gifts. That tradition of receiving physical gifts comes from giving a person a gift of cloths on Yule to ward off the Yule Cat: a Demonic Black Cat as big as a horse in some stories that preys on the poor. It's a Demonic familiar of a Hag (demon witch) named Frau Percha.
The act of having a physical gift brings prosperity which wards it off. It also comes from a group of Nuns from France who in the 1100's were inspired by the story of St. Nicholas and the destitute daughters, and chose the 6th night of December (coinciding with Pagan celebrations still celebrated on this day) to feed the poor by leaving them food in their used stockings. These are things humans do, not spirits. These are the origins of the Christmas stockings still used today.
(5)
The Dark Time of Year, starts from October and does not truly end till February. Modern peoples of the world think that the Veil closes after Samhain (Halloween). This is far from the truth. Samhain is where it truly begins. The Interdimensional doorways do not close until the festival of Imbolg in February. The Dead remain with us until then and scores of other worldly creatures remain on Earth until then as well. These remaining creatures range from Faeries, Angels, and even Demons to name but a few. This includes Human souls and the occasional alternate universe creature; not a spirit but an entity such as an animal that does not truly belong in this Universe. There are even stories of people from our world venturing off into other worlds through these unseen boundaries. Sometimes they come back with a hell of a story to tell and other times they simply vanish never to return. This is the time of year ruled by the Winter Court or Dark Faeries.
Read also "Why ghosts haunt England at Christmas but steer clear of America" at
http://theconversation.com/
Bibliography:
Indiana University, “Star of Bethlehem may have been planets Jupiter and Venus”
Article distributed by Indiana University News Room, http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/
Pravmir.com - Orthodoxy and the World, “Feasts. Calendar; The Magi”
Article distributed by Pravmir.com - Orthodox Christianity and the World, http://www.pravmir.com/
D.M. Murdock/Acharya S, “The Star in the East and Three Kings”
Article distributed by Stellar House Publishing, http://www.
Original Christmas Gift, “The Magi”
Article distributed by OriginalChristmasGift.com, http://www.
Jeanne K. Hanson, “The Star of Bethlehem: The History, Mystery, and Beauty of the Christmas Star”
Book distributed by Jeanne K. Hudson, Published by: Hearst Books Published, October 1, 1994
Bishop Katia, “Mages – The Magi in the Bible”
Article distributed Katia, Published by: Katia’s Esoteric Christianity Blog; Inner Christian Teachings and Mysteries, http://www.northernway.org/
Bishop Katia, “Day of the Magi, January 6 has Esoteric Meaning”
Article distributed Katia, Published by: Katia’s Esoteric Christianity Blog; Inner Christian Teachings and Mysteries, http://www.northernway.org/
CBS Miami, “Three Kings Parade”
Articles distributed CBS Miami, Published by: CBS Miami, http://miami.cbslocal.com/tag/
"History of the Medes, (Magi and Enchanters of Old)”
Article distributed taroscopes.com, Published by: taroscopes.com, http://www.taroscopes.com/
Chuck Missler, “Who Were the Magi?”
Article distributed Chuck Missler, Published by: L. Dolphin/Koinonia House Ministries http://www.ldolphin.org/magi.