The Golden Crown

“Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign”

In the song “We Three Kings,” in the first verse on the gifts of the Magi, we hear of the gift of gold for the newborn Jesus. From the moment of Christ’s conception, He was God, King of kings and ruler of all. His birth in a lowly manger was significant, for by it God lowered Himself down to mankind. In ancient cultures, gold was regarded as the most precious of materials, often representing kings and divinity. By bringing the baby Jesus this gift, the Magi are proclaiming the divine kingship of the newborn Jesus. But Christ’s kingship was not like that of earthly kings. It was not material, or demanding of political power and grandeur. It was not the kingship that the Jews, in their misguided interpretation of scripture, were expecting; it was not a kingship of military might and liberation from earthly oppression. Rather, it was a kingship of humility, servitude, and love. A kingship that freed all people, Jew and gentile, from the oppression of sin.

The gold verse of “We Three Kings” also reminds us all of the eternity of Christ’s rule, and can help us remember that He will come again. I am reminded of a verse from the Book of Revelation:

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords. (Revelation 19:14-16, KJV)

Thus, we know that Christ will come again in glory, and will establish His kingdom on Earth. This verse from Revelation reminds us of his second coming, affirming Christ’s authority as eternal king, complementing the lines from the song, “King forever, ceasing never / over us all to reign.” While Christ’s Kingship began at His birth, the fullness of it will be brought to bear when He comes again.

The Kingship of Christ is the crucial thing to remember as we enter Advent. This season can often be frenzied, full of a joyousness that can distract from the true importance of the season. “We Three Kings,” and this verse, can remind us not only of the meaning of Christmas, but also of our role in it and how we can carry that forward into the rest of the year. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:1-2, KJV).

The Magi were not from Bethlehem, they were not from Judaea, they were likely not from within the bounds of the Roman Empire, and yet they responded to the call to make a great journey to bring gifts and to worship Jesus, the King of the Jews. In many ways, we can see ourselves like the Magi that brought a gift of gold to the newborn Christ. Just as the Magi brought a gift of gold to recognize Christ as King, we are called to offer ourselves to Christ, giving our lives as a gift to Him, crowning Him Lord of all, as we await His return. Similarly, in our own lives, we should make the metaphorical journey to Christ, bringing the gift of our devotion to Him and His Kingship, as we await His second Coming. At Christ’s birth, people had been waiting for the Messiah for centuries, for the prophecies of the Old Testament to be fulfilled.

Now, in our time, we await His second coming, for the prophecies of Revelation to be fulfilled, and for the Kingdom of God to be at hand. As the season of Advent begins, we must all reflect on how we might make our own journey to Christ so that we may devote ourselves further to him, bringing peace and compassion to the world, as Christ did. The peace of the Lord be with you always, Amen.