Chapter 15: We Three Kings of Philippines Are?

We three kings of orient are Bearing gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, Moor and mountain, Following yonder star. –John Henry Hopkins, Jr., 1857. General Convention for the US Protestant Episcopal Church [265]

When he wrote “We Three Kings of Orient Are” in 1857, is it possible John Henry Hopkins, Jr. knew where they originated? Not only is it possible, but definitive as this was not the only song he composed on the topic. These next lyrics from another song written by Hopkins will enlighten.

WHEN FROM THE EAST THE WISE MEN CAME 1 Led by the Star of Bethlehem, The gifts they bro’t to Jesus were Of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 2 Bright gold of Ophir, passing fine, Proclaims a King of royal line; [265]

Essentially, Hopkins knew that the Orient he was talking about was the Orient of the Far East, the true orient and not the modern creation which includes Babylon. Even the song above, “Epiphany,” identifies these as “eastern sages.” Hopkins knew that these Kings came from Ophir and we know that to be the Philippines.

However, he may not have been so wise necessarily as all he had to do was read Psalm where King David tells us exactly where these kings would originate.

Psalm 72:10-15 KJV The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

This is King David’s prophetic prayer of his coming lineage but he is far more detailed than given credit if one simply reads the passage. When you read this chapter in the Catholic Bible, it begins with brackets boxing in a false paradigm from the start reading “[Of Solomon].” We take major issue with such thinking as it is proven wrong multiple times in context easily. King Solomon never had all kings nor all nations serve him. Only the Kings of Arabia paid him tribute (1 Kings 10:15) not the whole world in any sense even the known world of his day. Solomon could not “save the souls” of the needy nor could he “redeem their soul,” those are Messianic qualities reserved exclusively for the Son of Yahuah

God. Prayer is not being made for Solomon continually as he’s dead but Messiah and only Messiah is praised daily not Solomon. In other words, there is absolutely nothing about the passage which identifies Solomon. This is Jesus(Yahusha). Where do these kings originate who will bring Messiah gifts after His birth? Tarshish, the isles (Ophir, isles of the East), Sheba and Seba. Seba has a derivative in Hebrew in Saba or Sabah now in Malaysia but formerly part of the Philippines or really, Sheba. [61] By definition, Seba is assimilated as a territory, in this context, by Sheba. We now know where these lands are as all of them identify the modern Philippines. Ophir is Luzon, Sheba is Visayas with Seba as it’s territory or Sabah, and Tarshish is Mindanao. It was the Land of Creation named Elda, rebranded Havilah after Havah’s curse of childbirth and after the Flood, the land of gold. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh just as the Queen of Sheba brought the same when she gave to the Temple project and these are the ancient elements used in Adam’s very first sacrifice which is why they matter specifically. Certainly, the Philippines qualifies as the land of gold which we have already supported. However, some would challenge that frankincense and myrrh only originate from Ethiopia and Yemen. That is a false paradigm. We already showed you the Philippines as a tropical rainforest has literally every Biblical spice in scripture including extrabiblical books. We have tested them all and only one is unknown as a lost reference in connecting it to modern spices thus no ones knows, but otherwise, it is one hundred percent. The Philippines has multiple cousins to frankincense and myrrh and in Bible times never once is the word frankincense ever used as it is Old French.

Greek: λίβανος: Libanos: frankincense (2X). [266] Hebrew: lĕbownah: הנוֹבל: frankincense(15X), incense(6X). [267]

Notice, six times, this word translates more generally as spices or incense not as specifically the modern frankincense which is assumed. There is no debating this Hebrew word originates in the word laban which is Hebrew for white. However, to claim frankincense as the only white incense is simply untrue. The very word frankincense is of Old

French origin so let us not pretend that a language that did not exist until long after the Bible was written indicates the origin of this Bible word in use for thousands of years. The assumption of the Rabbis is this only refers to a tree that originates in Ethiopia but Adam did not fly to Ethiopia after exile from the Garden and return to the Far East. In fact, he acquired frankincense from the skirts of the Mount of the East. Thus it was native to the Far East and it is to the Philippines. Once we locate that land, and we have, then, we identify the spice. Otherwise, that would be backwards reasoning. We wonder if ancient Filipinos were not aware of this false claim of the Rabbis in declaring frankincense only derives from one tree from Ethiopia and no where else. The reason is the Filipino word for frankincense is kamanyang and very strangely the word chaman in Hebrew has a possible appropriate application.

Hebrew: Chaman: נמח: From Habakkuk 1:2: Chaim Ben Torah “…the idea of wealth or pleasure that is obtained through violence, oppression, theft, etc. Includes predatory lending, ponzie schemes, corrupt businessmen who put others out of business to enhance their own. Ultimately, it carries out the idea of enhancing your own power, wealth and/or pleasure at the expense of another person.” [268]

Hebrew: סמח: châmâç: violence; by implication, wrong; by metonymy unjust gain. [269]

Did ancient Filipinos know when using this name for this spice, that there was a back story that this representation was taken from their land and given to another? We cannot prove this but it is probable. The Philippines has species in the same Burseraceae family as frankincense and myrrh even labeled as frankincense in fact.

“Manila elemi, from Canarium luzonicum, one of the best known and single largest source of the world’s supply of elemi.” [271] Philippine frankincense and myrrh: Burseraceae family (same as frankincense and myrrh) Gum Elemi (Manila Elemi) (soft): Canarium commune

“From the Philippines. Elemi produces a bright lemony, woody fragrance with a hint of fennel, frankincense and grass. Elemi is a cousin to myrrh and frankincense (Boswellia carterii) and is often referred to as “the poor man’s frankincense,” as it is a bit easier on the pocket.” [270]

Pili (Manila Elemi) (soft): Canarium genera, Canarium ovatum, Canarium luzonicum From the Philippines. Cousin to Myrrh and Frankincense. [271] “The elemi tree is related to frankincense, myrrh and opoponax, all belonging to the Burseraceae family. When lacerated, the bark yields a sharp, green, and pungent, white or yellow oleoresin. Elemi has properties and uses similar to Frankincense; ergo, also referred to as “Poor Man’s Frankincense.” France has been the largest single market, followed by Germany, and increasingly by Japan.” –Godofredo U. Stuart Jr., M.D.

Notice the differentiation in scientific names yet these are both the Pili tree which is likened to frankincense in properties and uses but because it is cheaper (not blessed by the Rabbis), it is known as “Poor Man’s Frankincense.” In other words, it is frankincense. Let us not be fooled by semantics. Chemically this is just as much a candidate for the Biblical frankincense as Ethiopian frankincense especially since the word frankincense is Old French not a Bible word. This is another case of Western infusions leading to misunderstanding. Dr. Stuart delineates this perfectly though not attempting to connect to the Bible.

Philippine Frankincense Manila elemi, Pili Canarium ovatum “Poor Man’s Frankincense”

“Both Canarium luzonicum and C. ovatum are locally known as pili. The Manila elemi of commerce is derived from both species. There is a confusing sharing of common names and scientific names between Canarium ovatum (pili) and Canarium luzonicum (sahing).” –Godofredo U. Stuart Jr., M.D. [271]

The scientific varieties of Pili tree represent that at some point in history, these were considered separate as both frankincense and myrrh. Nine of seventy-five known canarium species are found in the Philippines. [271] These originate in the Land of Creation where Adam lived not Ethiopia where he did not. It’s Hebrew name likely unveils this in a miraculous way literally.

יאלפ: pili: wonderful, incomprehensible, remarkable, secret, miraculous. [240]

We continue to encounter Hebrew throughout the Philippines encompassing the archipelago and this time this ties perfectly to the gift given to Messiah, the wonderful, incomprehensible, remarkable, miraculous one and the gift matches the land even from which it came – the Land of Creation. Both frankincense and myrrh must originate in the Land of Creation as Adam used them both in the first sacrifice, the Queen of Sheba brought them to Jerusalem for the Temple and these “Three Kings” (six) brought them all from the same area of ancestry. It is the reason they have significance to Yahuah and there is no inserting Ethiopia into any of these narratives in backwards reasoning because Rabbis named a tree there frankincense and in Yemen myrrh as if they have a clue as to the actual ancient Biblical spices. You do not begin this kind of research with the false narrative that boxes in reason. You locate the Land of Creation and then, determine the true origin of the elements in the story which does not include Ethiopia. Therefore, to claim these essential oils must only emanate from trees there is the exact type of rationalization that has lead to losing Ophir. It came from Havilah not from Ethiopia nor Saudi Arabia/Yemen and nothing in the Bible ever says otherwise but fully identifies Havilah, Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish and the Land of Creation in the East as the Philippines. That is

likely why in Bukidnon, Mindanao there is a rich agricultural area called Libona with the same sound as the Hebrew Lebownah. We would be remiss, however, in not acknowledging the Philippines has a second name for c. luzonicum as “sahing.” Could this also be Hebrew?

shachah: ההשׁ: to bow down [372]

The Ancient Hebrew form of this name is “sahah” really not “shachach” which employs Yiddish rules and is not actually Hebrew. Adam, Sheba and the Wise Kings all bowed down in reverence as they offered these divine gifts. One gift bore the meaning of “wonderful, miraculous” and the second “to bow down.” We cannot dream of a more appropriate Hebrew connotation in this instance. Analogous to the Hebrew is the Tagalog meaning where “pili” means “chosen” and “sahing” is defined as “tree sap,” which is spice, thus “chosen spice.” It is assumed that Ethiopian frankincense has a concurrent history as the Biblical frankincense. We do not find that to be established especially since this Old French word did not exist until 300 A.D. or later meaning it is not a Bible word. Add to that, Jeremiah combines frankincense with sweet cane or sweet calamus from Sheba which both originate in the Philippines but neither in Ethiopia as we already proved (Ch. 7). The Biblical frankincense was not settled to originate in Ethiopia but was known as elemi as historical fact and one cannot overlook this.

“After the Middle Ages the resin from the Boswellia frereana tree, a Somalian variant (Maydi) of the genus that gives as frankincense, was referred to as “elemi.” Its inclusion in Coptic incense (i.e. the incense used by the Coptic Christian church of Egypt), helped the confusion, as elemi is frequently a participant in incense blends.” [373]

The Middle Ages ended in the 1500s and Ethiopia’s white incense was still confused as “elemi” just as the Manila Elemi. That would be because elemi is frankincense. The Biblical frankincense is not the Ethiopian variety though it is a fine substitute in use. It is not from Havilah and the Land of Creation so though it may have perceived value, Pili or Manila Elemi instead has far greater value to Yahuah and He says so. We’ll take

His Word. Elemi is also myrrh in application and archaeology.

“Elemi’s use in embalming, found in sarcophagi buried in ancient tombs has been celebrated through the ages. The ancient Egyptians championed elemi in the intricate embalming process...” [373]

The famous Biblical funeral ritual oil was myrrh used in Egypt as well. Archaeology confirms the Egyptians were using “elemi” because it is the Biblical myrrh as well and it originated in the East. In fact, the Wise Men came from the East. Yemen is hardly East. However, even today, the Manila Elemi has been rediscovered though you do not hear much on international news. Did you know major luxury brand perfume manufacturers from Europe and the U.S. are utilizing Manila Elemi in their perfumes, colognes, skin creams and other products?

“No less than international luxury brand Chanel now carries pili, internationally known as the Manila elemi tree (Canarium ovatum) in its newest product, the Ultra Correction Lift for facial skin rejuvenation.

The product advertisement reads: “At the heart of the Pacific Ocean, the island of Luzon holds the secrets of a tree with moisturizing properties: the Manila elemi.” –Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2011 [374]

It is rather ironic that pili in Hebrew means secret. It is quite the suppressed spice and the perfume companies know this and benefit as Manila Elemi is much cheaper than the Rabbi-blessed Ethiopian frankincense. They can mix it in as frankincense.

“In 2003, 361,386 kg of the resin valued at $528,336 was exported to France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United States, the Philippine Forestry Statistics showed.”

“Manila elemi is evident as fragrance component in other luxury perfumes, such as Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme, Dior Homme Sport for Men, Marc Jacobs Bang for Men, Donna Karan DKNY Women,

Revlon Pink Happiness for Women, Ralph Lauren Extreme Polo for Men and dozens more.” –Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2011 [374]

This Who’s Who List of luxury brands is elite company for the Philippines. Most Filipinos and much of the world probably have no knowledge of this. If this were a spice of far lesser quality, would posh lines carry it and mix it with the highest quality of spices? Of course not. It is an endorsement that pili ranks fairly with these other optimal products.

“In the world’s perfume industry, the pale yellow Manila elemi oil is often used as middle note because of its medium aroma strength that blends well with lavender, rosemary, frankincense, sage, myrrh, patchouli, vetiver and other international fragrances.” [374]

This would not be in such company if it was not of like properties and quality. The only reason the Philippine frankincense is called “Poor Man’s Frankincense” is because it is lesser expensive. When they mix it with frankincense one must wonder how much they might use as they may well replace almost all of the frankincense with Manila elemi.

Therefore, short of being chemists and declaring the Ethiopian frankincense and the Philippines the same exact, which is not necessary, we vehemently suggest that the Canarium ovatum (pili) and Canarium luzonicum (sahing) are the only appropriate candidates as the Biblical frankincense and myrrh which must originate from the land of Adam and Havah – Havilah. Adam offered these two elements in the first atonement offering and they are the original. The Queen of Sheba journeyed from this same land to offer these same spices to the Temple project. Now, the Three (really 6 or more) Kings emulate these tantamount oblations of paramount implication. We know they brought frankincense, myrrh and gold not from Ethiopia but from the East in what the passage describes as a two-year excursion. This time, the Red Sea port was still broken up as it was in the days of Jonah and they would have travelled all the way around Africa to the Mediterranean Sea to get to Judaea. They did not need to divert a layover in Ethiopia to trade for frankincense as they already had the true, authentic spices of scripture as their gold of the correct Queen of Sheba from the Brother of Ophir. The real question is how did we all miss this for so long? We even know the Philippines had the ships. With this in mind, we can now read Matthew’s account of the Wise Men and understand whom they were. They were not Magi from Babylon who are those who would likely wish to murder the Son of Yahuah God as they attempted with Daniel whom those same theologians claim Daniel redeemed them. They ignore that Daniel moved to Persia even before Babylon was conquered and the Magi did not like him and he did not retire a Babylonian but a Persian. He was in Susa in the Palace of Darius and he died there in Susa not Babylon. So the claim that Daniel trained Babylonian Magi to look for Messiah is occult thinking. In fact, consider when the wise men came to Herod on their way to Bethlehem, Herod inquired as to the time in which the star appeared in the East sky. Yes, the East sky meaning the sky in the East in Ophir, Philippines. They told him but Matthew does not report the time until Herod is outraged when they did not return and he sent his men to kill all two years of age and below. In other words, he had been told that the star appeared about two years previously. Messiah was a toddler when they arrived. Consider however, that you are a Babylonian Magi

who just saw the star of the Son of Yahuah appear in the sky and so excited that you wait two years to take what would be less than a one month journey to Bethlehem. You would not be very motivated to see the Messiah would you? Instead, imagine this two-year journey at sea from Ophir, Philippines around Africa and through the Mediterranean Sea to get to Judaea. This is the reason it took two years for the Wise Kings, yes they were Kings according to David, to travel to Bethlehem. That makes far more sense than unmotivated pagan priests who would have no right to be notified in the first place. We observe the illustrations of the Wise Men arriving on camels which are not Biblical as they usually depict them arriving at Messiah’s birth erroneously and no camels mentioned. Even if it was in scripture, there is no reason to believe they would take any other land transportation from the port in which they landed but a camel in those days. Just as with the Queen of Sheba, some jump to assumptions that just are not in the text. Finally, this journey would also require the star just as in Revelation in the narrative of the seven churches to be an angel not a star. We are fully aware of the theories out there arising out of a software program predicting star patterns. The problem is the supposed alignment they discuss did not occur for 20 minutes whether alone two years as the angel led them all the way to Bethlehem where it changes directions multiple times and then stopped over the head of toddler Jesus(Yahusha). There is no star which can do that and no star pattern that could possibly fit. Ultimately, there are those who use this software program to attempt to identify the birthdate of Messiah. However, we have proven from scripture especially Luke’s very brilliant writings that Messiah was born on the Biblical Feast Day of Covenant Renewal called Shavuot in Hebrew and Pentecost in Greek. Watch our “When Was Jesus Born” videos for the full evidence and you will find we narrow it down to the year, the month and then, the exact day. However, that Feast Day occurs in early June or so each year no where near December 25 which is the infamous birth and rebirth season of the sun god in history. We encourage all to research that. This passage also addresses the number of Wise Kings, yes kings, who

came after Messiah’s birth. With the list provided in David’s prophecy in Psalm 72, we know that there were more than three kings however. There were at least six kings total. So, why would Hopkins narrow that down to three in his song? Actually, this fits the precedent established in scripture as ancient Ophir was divided into three territories just as it is today – Ophir as Luzon, Sheba as Visayas with Seba/Sabah and thirdly, Tarshish as Mindanao. Thus, the commentaries claiming this theologian was unaware there were more than three kings are likely lacking context as well as those claiming the Bible never defines these as kings when David most certainly did. This in no way conflicts with Matthew’s use of the Greek word Magos translated as the “wise men” in Matthew 2:1, 2:7, and 2:16.

Greek: μάγος: Magos: a Magian, i.e. Oriental scientist; by implication, a magician -- sorcerer, wise man. [273]

Daniel’s “Wise Men” were not Magi and that is false. In Daniel 5:8, they were identified as:

Hebrew: םיכח: chakkîym: Wise Men (Aramaic origin). [274]

However, the problem with this in scholarship is even the Greek Septuagint renders Daniel 5:8 in Greek and this was well circulated in the day of Matthew even in the Dead Sea Scroll community. Here is the rendering in Greek:

σοφός: sophós: Wise Men. [275]

Many already know Sophia is wisdom in Greek and it is obviously not the same word as Magos. The word is just not there. Thus the use in Matthew does not reconcile this but is clearly not Babylonian magicians. This originates in a false paradigm of scholarship where one will only look at the English word from the Hebrew Old Testament and they compare that only in English to the same translation from Greek in the New Testament. Then, they go backwards and apply that assuming the

“wise men” in Hebrew in Daniel must be the “wise men” from the Greek in Matthew as if Matthew was referring to Babylonian Zoroastrian Priests. The problem is it is backwards reasoning. Upon further testing, if it were the same Babylonians, it would have the same Greek word as is used in the Greek Septuagint for Daniel 5:8, yet it does not. This term for Babylonian wise men is used 12 times in Daniel and never is it indicated the same in the Greek as Matthew. Thus, they cannot be the same application. We can vet this further as Matthew uses the word Magos other times.

Matthew 23:34 KJV Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men (Magos: μάγος), [273] and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

Are we really expected to believe Jesus(Yahusha) said he sent Babylonian magicians and sorcerers equated to the prophets and scribes to minister as messengers to His people? Do you know any sorcerers and magicians called by Him nor being persecuted and killed for His sake? Ridiculous and unscholarly by any measure, this is a slap in the face to Matthew who wrote this as well as the prophets whom these “wise men” are likened. This is a definition that has been very confused by the doctrines of men over the years and it is time we fix it because the “wise men” of Matthew do not originate from Babylon as David told us they would be kings who originate from the Philippines. Those men who came from there were righteous as they are equated to prophets and scribes not only in Matthew but in prophecy coming also demonstrating Ophir’s righteousness. Wow! Having said that, we keep finding traditions in the Philippines which predate Catholicism and do not originate there. For instance, there is the blessing of the elders where you place the back of your hand against their forehead in blessing. That does not appear Catholic in origin and it looks to us more the tradition in which Jacob and his sons blessed. Has anyone else noticed the high rate of circumcision in the Philippines? Also, this is not a Catholic tradition and let’s not pretend the nation

was ever truly penetrated by Islam because that fits no history we have reviewed and still only about 5% are Muslim today so how do you get 93% of males who are circumcised? You would not. This seems Biblical. This is a residual part of the ancient Ophirians who learned the practice from Israel likely at the time of the Queen of Sheba and continued since. When the Lost Tribes of the Northern Kingdom left Assyria for the Philippines, they took an oath of rechabite, righteous priests, to live in temporary housing such as tents or in the Philippines, nipa huts would become a much more practical way of housing that would adhere to the oath. Then, we find a tradition like Bayanihan where some Filipinos relocate their houses with the help of their neighbors as they are temporary in a sense. Is this a residual custom of the ancient Ophirian? It certainly is not of Catholic origin. In fact, the King of Zubu (Cebu) who was first to convert to Catholicism is recorded by Pigafetta as turning against his successor after Magellan was killed by Lapu Lapu. Knowing he turned against and even killed Duarte Barbosa at that time, this was a scathing rebuke of the Spanish and all of their trappings including Catholicism especially. Thus, ancient Filipinos rejected Catholicism. Certainly, the lines sounded good as Magellan explained Jesus because the ancient Ophirian wellknew it was their ancestors who brought Messiah gifts after His birth. However, follow this through logically a little further and you will realize the Philippines already knew Jesus(Yahusha) long before the Roman Catholics or really, Holy Roman Empire came. No wonder Jesuits changed the Bible to attempt to obscure this meaning which is very obvious when we just read it. Just look at their deceptive rendering of the Three Kings, Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar (all names made up in 500 A.D.) originating in Persia and Arabia leading to the wrong places away from the Philippines. Yet somehow, we are supposed to continue to follow this false tradition and others from those who conquered and stole from the Philippines over what the Bible actually says. We hope you will decide to follow the Bible instead. In fact, has anyone ever wondered why the Philippines has the longest Christmas celebration on earth at over three months? That, too, predates Catholicism as we already established Ophirians knew Jesus(Yahusha) personally and directly from the time He was two years of age as the

Kings brought Him offerings. When one looks at the actual birthdate of Messiah which we prove to be the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost known as the Day of Covenant Renewal in basically early June, you will notice a pattern here. That is the culmination of the Spring Feasts of the Bible which begin in the first Hebrew month with the Passover season and end in the Feast of Shavuot, the birth of Messiah. Though they are celebrating the wrong time of year thanks to Catholicism, Filipinos appear to continue this tradition of a three-month celebration ending with the Birth of Messiah when their ancestors observed the sign in the sky of the Star of Bethlehem. This is also why we believe this practice is likely rooted in the Spring Feast celebration of three months. Further support for this comes from the parol, a giant five-pointed star, which is the center of the Filipino celebration and not the Christmas Tree which Jeremiah 10 rebukes as pagan along with it’s six or eight-pointed star of Remphan. It would be no surprise the land of the Wise Kings would have the longest celebration of Messiah’s birth even commemorating the three kings in the very end. This celebration may have been Catholicized over the years but it is not Catholic in origin and actually appears to have truly Biblical ancient roots. Process my friends as we transition to the next chapter which will make your brain explode as all this research merges to interpret prophecy not from us but Messiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel. All these years, we did not understand whom they were foretelling and now we can reveal this people because they specify these same three lands. Three Kings from Ophir, Sheba and Tarshish. Filipino men from Boxer Codex 1590. [299]