David Koresh

David Koresh (born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993) was an American cult leader and preacher who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect, Koresh claimed to be its final prophet. His apocalyptic Biblical teachings, including interpretations of the Book of Revelation and the Seven Seals, attracted various followers.

• The ones who believe the seventh seal believe in Cyrus to deliver them from captivity. The message of Cyrus, the angel that ascends from the east, that same person who is also compassed with iniquity and infirmity, that same person is going to be able to stand before Christ and explain to Christ why we are so bad the way we are. That’s why in the message of Revelation 18:1, Babylon is fallen, is fallen.
  • "The Identity of the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man", 1985, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 87

• These prophecies, which have been for so many years in discrepancy with one another were not designed ever to be fulfilled in the days of these prophets.... Today the prophecies remain dead because people of today are not honest with themselves to read a passage of scripture, and then come to the proper conclusion of what this prophet is saying
  • "Study on the Assyrian", 1987, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 86

• [W]e are entering into a period of time where the Bible is going to be understood by somebody
  • "Study on the Assyrian", 1987, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 85

• There's a hidden secret. God today has a plan contrary to any human planning. It's a plan to destroy mankind in a way that they've never known, a way that he can save them, and we're privileged to break down the walls of human wisdom
  • "Study on the Assyrian", 1987, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 85

• [W]e're in this period of time now, aren’t we? But any day it could be cut short in righteousness. No one knows when it will be. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, you see? It could be next week
  • "Study on the Assyrian", 1987, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 85

• It's true that what I teach is the true interpretation of the Bible. It's so true that people for the first time in their life can understand the complexity of scripture. That's my work and that's my mission
  • "Vernon's Dream", 1989, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 85

• [R]epeating, repeating, again and again His ultimate wisdom through many different facets. This is the way God teaches. As we've been learning the prophets over and over again, every different prophet is saying the same thing
  • "Vernon's Dream", 1989, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 86

• If you don’t follow the truth you['re] going to hell! Psalms 90! You'd better start fearing God, 'cause he’s going to burn you in the lowest hell! His love! He's trying to show you he’s gonna kill you! If you don’t listen! Listen to [the] Lord! You don’t know his fear now. You don't know his terror yet! You haven’t seen his anger. But you go ahead and dare Him! ... Do you hear?! Do you understand? It's war. These governments of this world are coming to an end. The minds of men are going to be focused on a fact! Go ahead and laugh! Go ahead and muse in your minds. And see what happens to you, fools!
  • "The Foundation", 1989, quoted in Gallagher 2000, pp. 90–91

• [N]ow go contrary to that revelation of truth, and I guarantee you I'll kill you one day.
  • "The Foundation", 1989, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 91

• I'll prove who I am, by showing you who God is.
  • "The Foundation", 1989, quoted in Gallagher 2000, p. 91

• Look, this is life, this is life and death ... theology really is life and death.
  • Talking to Larry Lynch, February 28, 1993, quoted in Gallagher 1999, p. 27, Gallagher 2000, p. 82

• What if God was trying to offer you a way out of a ... present oncoming disaster of this nation, what if God has a witness to this nation because God is ready to deliverate [sic] his people ... from the bands and the rulerships of all nations, and what if God is really going to set up his kingdom like they did in ancient times. ... and what if God is ready to judge the nations ... as foretold by these prophets?
  • "Tape 68", March 6, 1993, quoted in Gallagher 1999, p. 27–28

• I know you don't want to talk religion, but that's all I am is religion.
  • March 15, 1993, talking to a negotiator during the siege, quoted in Gallagher 1999, quoted in Walliss 2004, pp. 80, 90

• Now there's a bunch of us dead and a bunch of you guys dead. Now, now, that's your fault.
  • Negotiating with McLennan County Sheriff Larry Lynch during the siege, quoted in Walliss 2004, p. 100

• We will serve God first. Now, we will serve the God of the truth. Now, we were willing, and we've been willing all this time to sit down with anybody.
  • Negotiating with Lynch during the siege, quoted in Walliss 2004, p. 101

• I am presently being permitted to document, in structured form, the decoded messages of the Seven Seals. Upon the completion of this task, I will be freed of my 'waiting period'. I hope to finish this as soon as possible and to stand before man to answer any and all questions regarding my actions.
  • A letter to his laywer on April 14, 1993, quoted in Walliss 2004, pp. 116–117

• Speaking the Truth seems to have very little effect on man. I was shown that as soon as I am given over into the hands of man, I will be made a spectacle of, and people will not be concerned about the truth of God, but just the bizarrity of me in the Flesh. I want the people of this generation to be saved.
  • A letter to his laywer on April 14, 1993, quoted in Walliss 2004, pp. 116–117

• We are standing on the threshold of great events!
  • A letter to his laywer on April 14, 1993, quoted in Walliss 2004, pp. 116–117

• Then I can spend all my time in jail, and people can go ahead and ask me all the stupid questions they want — cause they're not gonna ask me about the seals. They're gonna say "Ah, do you molest young ladies?" "Ah, have you eaten babies?" "Do you sacrifice people?" "Ah, do you make automatic weapons?"
  • April 16, 1993, talking with the negotiator, quoted in Walliss 2004, pp. 117–118

• Constructing or adopting a belief system in which one is either God's prophet or God himself inflates the ego to monstrous proportions. Koresh was more deeply concerned with religion, Jim Jones with racial equality and an egalitarian society. But both compensated for isolation and lack of love in childhood by becoming infatuated with power, and both ended up with delusions of their own divinity.
  • Anthony Storr, Feet of Clay; Saints, Sinners, and Madmen: A Study of Gurus (New York: Free Press Paperbacks, 1997), p. 18