Three Kings or Three Commandos? The Military Mission Behind the Magi Story

Introduction: The Secret Mission

“...when one side goes against the enemy with the god’s gift of a stronger morale, then their adversaries, as a rule, cannot withstand them”

— Xenophon

Herod’s decree unleashed a wave of violence that rippled throughout the land. His paranoia, a dark echo of Canaanite Tophet rites revealed the ruthless heart that pulsed in his chest. The slaughtering of Bethlehem’s innocents to thwart a prophesied rival had begun. Hellbent on mercilessly maintaining his grasp on power, his cruelty outdone only by his hubris.

Moving quickly and quietly, 3 men opposed the dark will of the king. Theirs was a heroic journey readily undertaken. Having given their souls to God, they swore an oath of loyalty to one another. Now their bodies were vessels filled with a spirit ablaze, like a blade fresh from the forge, hot like divine wrath. These men were highly prized for their valour, for their cunning, for their faith. All were born into turbulent times, where seaways and alleyways alike were plagued by violence, piracy, and robbery. They had faced danger many times, yet nothing would compare to the evil intent and menace of a wicked king in a land where elites were no strangers to child sacrifice.