Waco Revisited

Richard J. Mouw reviews Kenneth Newport’s book, The Branch Davidians of Waco: The History and Beliefs of an Apocalyptic Sect, in Books & Culture, March/April 2007, pages 29-31. Newport proves that the Branch Davidians have a highly nuanced and coherent theological system and is composed of intelligent, upper class, and theologically astute people and not just weird, gullible and ignorant people. He traces their beginnings back to the Seventh Day Adventists and the teachings of Ellen White and one of her later interpreters Victor Houteff, who founded a splinter group built around the concept of the “Shepherd’s Rod” that was later simplified to “Davidian” since the role of the Davidic Covenant was central to their theology.

When Houteff died, his wife Florence took over leadership, and she predicted the events of the End Times would begin on or about April 22, 1959. When this prophecy failed, she said it would take place in March, 1962. When this failed, the community in Texas was disbanded. A group remained loyal to Victor Houteff’s teachings, flourished in Riverside, California, and then returned to the abandoned compound outside of Waco, Texas and adopted the name “Branch Davidian” based on a prophecy in Zechariah 6:12.

The Branch Davidians see the Davidic Kingdom as a temporal-physical reality that pointed forward to the future end-time kingdom of Christ, the Son of David. They believe that in the last days God will raise up an anti-type of David who would assume a kingly role. Victor Houteff claimed that role for himself, as did David Koresh.

While the FBI and ATF are responsible for the fire that broke out in the Waco compound, mainly due to their ignorance of Koresh’s beliefs and goals, Koresh and his followers actually expected, and wanted, a conflagration. This desire for a fiery end was a vital part of their eschatology and they saw themselves as acting out the end-time prophecies, such as those in Isaiah 66:15-16, which states, “For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.”

Newport believes that Koresh and his followers started the fire themselves because they saw it as necessary for the purification of the community. While the evidence goes against this theory, it is evident that the idea of a baptism by fire was seen as essential for the Branch Davidians. The followers were not mindless fanatics, but they were highly educated and deeply committed to their beliefs and were ready and willing to die for their faith.



You can read this article at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2007/002/15.29.html