David Koresh
David Koresh was the religious name of Vernon Wayne Howell, leader of the Branch Davidians from 1987 until his death during the 1993 Waco siege.
Branch Davidians: A religious group that emerged from the Seventh-day Adventist tradition and became associated with David Koresh in Waco, Texas. Koresh led the group and developed its apocalyptic teachings.
Seventh-day Adventist Church: A Protestant Christian denomination that observes Saturday as the Sabbath and emphasizes the imminent return of Jesus. The Branch Davidian tradition developed from Adventist teaching.
Seven Seals: Seven symbolic seals in the Book of Revelation whose opening reveals events leading to divine judgment. Koresh taught that he had a distinctive role in interpreting these prophecies.
Waco siege: A 51-day standoff in 1993 between federal agents and Branch Davidians at Mount Carmel near Waco, Texas. Koresh led the group during the confrontation that ended with a fire and mass deaths.
Waco siege controversies: Disputes about responsibility, tactics, and evidence surrounding the 1993 Waco siege and fire. Competing accounts of the siege often center on Koresh’s decisions and the government response.
Lois Roden: A leader of the Branch Davidians who headed the group after her husband’s death. Her leadership preceded Koresh’s rise within the movement.
Victor Houteff: A Bulgarian-American religious leader who founded the Shepherd’s Rod movement, a precursor to the Branch Davidians. His movement established the lineage from which Koresh’s group emerged.
Book of Revelation: The final book of the Christian Bible, featuring visions of judgment, conflict, and a transformed world. Its imagery supplied the central language of Koresh’s prophetic teaching.
ATF siege of Mount Carmel: The February 28, 1993, raid by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms on the Branch Davidian compound. The raid began the armed confrontation between federal agents and Koresh’s followers.
Ruby Ridge: A 1992 federal law-enforcement standoff in Idaho that ended in deaths and intensified scrutiny of federal agencies. Its earlier confrontation is often compared with Waco in debates about federal force.