where does it even say three kings came? everyone i've ever read says wisemen

Why wouldn't God use the stars to communicate long term messages of importance to us?

The Maji were known in those days as 'kingmakers'. Their arrival in Jerusalem frightened Herod, which probably explains the slaughter of the innocents. They didn't just have three camels. They came with a fully equipped army. And yes, they did follow the directions given by the stars, including the conjunction of several major planets. One modern astrologer found a horoscope for a 'great king' who would be born in the vicinity of Israel in the year 4 BCE. It's on the Internet if you care to look it up.

Yes I knew that. They were astrologers. Not only were they following these symbols but they were also expecting a sign, since it was prophetized by Daniel in chapter 9 verse 24-26. And your point is?

First the Bible never said that it was 3 kings. They were wise men or Magi. The number of these Magi is never given. However they did bring 3 different gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. At this time of year, astronomers, historians and scholars, (those who think they know), like to tell us their naturalistic explanations for the Christmas Star. Some say that the star was some bright planets all together on the sky, or perhaps it was an "exploding star," a supernova. These scholars suppose they are doing a service by "explaining" the Christmas Star, so the public will not cling to superstition. So, the question is, "was the Christmas Star something astronomical; that is, explainable by natural law; or was it a miracle of God?" We can either hold to naturalism, which trusts in nature and discounts God; or we can recognize the miraculous hand of God at work showing a notable sign. Many people, not just astronomers, would prefer not to believe in miracles. The relevant Scripture is in Matthew, ch 2, verses 1 - 12. Our first key to these Scriptures is verse 9. "When they had heard the king they departed; and, the star which they saw in the East, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." So the Scripture makes clear, that star "went before them," implying motion, and a continuing action in leading them. To actively lead them, the star had to change direction as they moved on the ground, as they followed the road over the hills of Judea toward Bethlehem. The star had to always direct them towards Bethlehem. No astronomical object or grouping of planets could go before them, pointing the way, as the Scripture describes. Astronomical objects can not change direction reacting to our motion on the ground. Astronomical objects follow the same path as the stars, rising in the east and setting in the west, as the Earth turns. (Planets move only slowly against the background of stars, the name planet meaning "wanderer"). Astronomical objects don't point in the same direction for many hours or days at a time, they rise, come to maximum altitude, and then they set. The only astronomical object that can stay fixed on the sky is the north star, Polaris. But Bethlehem is not to the north as you leave Jerusalem, and the wise men were clearly not so foolish as to follow the north star. Since the Scriptures tell us that the star "went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was," and no astronomical object could have gone before them as the Scripture says; we are therefore forced to either accept the supernatural, or to discount or modify the Scriptures to obtain agreement with a naturalistic model. Suddenly there was a change in the stars' motion. Again in verse 9 we read that, the star "stood over where the young child was." The description is of a clear change, from leading and going before them, to lead the way; to standing still, and by standing affirming that they had found the child, which they had traveled so far to see. An astronomical or astrological object can't point to a particular place on earth as you propose with your scenario. To point to a particular house within the village, by standing over the house as the Scripture says, the star when seen from different locations inside the village would have to change position against the background of stars. For this to happen the Christmas star had to be within the Earth's atmosphere and close to the ground, perhaps only a few hundred meters up. This requires a genuine miracle, like the pillar of fire and of smoke which led the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. In conclusion, you either believe in the Christmas Star miracle or you do not. Sorry but your whole Orion's Belt, Sirius, astrological symbolism doesn't hold water. My passion is Astronomy and Astrophysics and you have very little to no no claim to the truth with your assumptions and opinions. By the way, it is spelled "Son" not sun.

There are too many amateur anthro/archeo dabblers who insist on making Egypt the cradle of everything mystic. There is another person like this who makes up some kind of Q, draws people in, then broadcasts personal version of genesis. This is neither an atheist, nor a christian. This is a new age tahtah follower of the indiana jones sort.

The idea that there were three of them stems from the fact that three gifts are mentioned. People kinda assumed that one brought gold, one brought myrrh and one brought frankincense. They were changed to kings because the idea of kings worshipping this baby implied more grandeur than pagan priests doing the same. The magoi were a Zoroastrian cult with a lot of emphasis on astrology, so when they "followed a star" they weren't literally walking towards a star in the sky, but interpreting their astrological star charts.