What is the story of the three magi?

This is the story of the three humble Magi who were chosen to welcome the glorious Child, and do homage to the Prince about to be born into the world—

Heaven's faithful servants, I, the Angel of the Most High, command you to take each one his staff and at once depart for Judea. There a great and glorious event is about to take place. There the Christ is to be born—He, the long-promised, long-expected one, who is to bless the world with the knowledge of God—to reveal unto men His true character, is about to be born into the world, and ye are chosen to go and bend yourselves in holy reverence before this Holy Child, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

This was the message, and when the words were spoken, I rose to my feet, and with bent head, thus I spoke—

My God, as it is Thy will that we go forth to hail the advent of him who hath been so long desired, we are ready, and not only to do Thy will in this matter, but to lay down our lives in Thy service. But where shall we, Thy servants, find the holy babe? Shall we seek for him in the courts and palaces of Jerusalem?

Nay, said the glorious one, ye will not find him thus. But I shall be your guiding star by night and a felt presence by day. There will not be three on the holy mission but four, for I myself will lead you to the sacred spot. And now, within this holy altar, there are treasures, which ye will take with you, as gifts to be presented to the newborn King.

Treasures! I cried, how came they here. They are the products of earth and air. Take them. They are there for you. I know that ye are poor and unable to provide such costly gems, but doubt not. Take them and carry them to the father and mother of the Holy Child, for they are poor and they will yet need such gifts.

On coming out from the sacred grove to the light of day, we were greatly astonished to see the assembled brethren fleeing from our presence. We knew not the cause until we heard the voice of the Spirit bidding us veil our faces, which had become so dazzlingly bright that our friends imagined we were spirits and not mortals.

At length, they set out on their journey to Judea, and as they travelled, they felt the presence of their heavenly guide. When they rested at night, they became subject to the most glorious spiritual impressions in which they beheld, as it were, the heavens opened, and the beatified hosts of the spirit world hovering over the place where the Holy Child was laid. 

While journeying, they encountered many perils, both from wild animals and from robbers, but with such a guard and guide as they had, they felt secure. For, not only did they have their spirit guide, but those spirit warriors, the glorious band in burnished armour, were there to do battle against all that might seek to injure or hinder them in their way. 

On drawing near to the city of Jerusalem, they resolved to enter and seek for the Holy Child. 

Forgetful of that which had been told them, they sought amongst the palaces, and were rebuked by their Guide for their inattention. 

He was not, he told them, to be found amongst the rich, the learned or the proud, but with those humble ones whom he came to raise.

The King of Judea got knowledge of their presence and the object they had in view, and endeavoured to get information from them concerning the birthplace of the child. They could not tell him but promised to let him know when they themselves had discovered the place—thinking, as they then did, that he was sincerely desirous to do homage to the Promised One. But before retiring to rest, while at their devotions, their Guardian Spirit appeared to them in all his heavenly glory. He was clothed in bright robes and his face shone like the sun in his strength so that they could not look upon him. 

The heavenly messenger said he had come to warn them that this king, who had professed a desire to do homage to the Expected One, only purposed to destroy the child, who would, according to prophecy, become a king and dispossess him of his crown and kingdom. 

Such were the ideas entertained by the Jews. But though the King of kings, he would have no earthly crown.

Such a nation as that of the Jews at the time was not one that was likely to be chosen to the universal empire—they were at about the lowest ebb—the flowing tide had become but a muddy stream—bloodshed and robbery prevailing throughout the land, from the king to the meanest of his subjects.

They were at length guided to the place where the Holy Child was born. He was found in an adjoining lowly cattle shed to the wayside inn. There, smiling on the lap of his mother, lay the babe. 

There were others there who had also received intimation of the birth and were directed to the place. 

As the Magi approached, they bent themselves in homage and presented those costly gems that had been so wondrously furnished from beneath the Altar in the Grove—these they gave to Joseph and Mary to assist them in their poverty in the upbringing of the Blessed Child.

Their hearts burned within them, as they gazed on the infant and pondered on the course laid out for him in the ancient oracles. 

Yet to the outward eye, he was but a poor, helpless, unconscious babe—nothing different from others—nothing like to a god, but just a man-child. 

But they knew, and rejoiced in the knowledge that over this young babe, the Divine Spirit hovered, and that as he developed, so would he become more and more like a Divine Being on earth, giving health to the sick and sight to the blind—unstopping the ears of the deaf and loosing the tongue of the dumb—making the lame to walk, and blessing all by his words of truth and his deeds of kindness. 

But little did they think, as they gazed on the little one, that he was to be persecuted and hated, even doomed to a bitter death by those whom he came to save—or that they should one day become his followers and be dragged to prison and to death for his cause.

Hafed, Prince of Persia—His Experiences in Earth Life and Spirit Life