Editing Branch Davidians (section)

=== As a spiritual leader ===
Howell, who acquired the position of spiritual leader from Roden, asserted it by changing his name to [[David Koresh]], suggesting that he had ties to the biblical [[King David]] and [[Cyrus the Great]] (Koresh is the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] version of the name Cyrus). He wanted to create a new lineage of world leaders.<ref name="melton1"/> This practice later served as the basis for allegations that Koresh was committing [[child abuse]], which contributed to the siege by the [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives|ATF]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/publications/waco/report-deputy-attorney-general-events-waco-texas-child-abuse|title=Report to the Deputy Attorney General on the Events at Waco, Texas: Child Abuse {{!}} DOJ {{!}} Department of Justice|website=justice.gov|access-date=May 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511015541/https://www.justice.gov/publications/waco/report-deputy-attorney-general-events-waco-texas-child-abuse|archive-date=May 11, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Interpreting [[Revelation 5|Revelation 5:2]], Koresh identified himself with the Lamb mentioned therein.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Branch-Davidian#ref700562|title=Branch Davidian {{!}} religious organization|last=Melton|first=John Gordon|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.bible.com/bible/111/REV.5.NIV|title=Revelation 5, New International Version (NIV) {{!}} Chapter 5 {{!}} The Bible App {{!}} Bible.com|website=bible.com|access-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> This is traditionally believed to symbolize [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]]; however, Koresh suggested that the Lamb would come before Jesus and pave the way for his [[Second Coming]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bible.org/seriespage/14-when-all-heaven-breaks-loose-revelation-51-14|title=14. When All Heaven Breaks Loose! (Revelation 5:1-14)|last=Krell|first=Keith|work=Live Like You're Leaving: Revelation|access-date=May 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111052810/https://bible.org/seriespage/14-when-all-heaven-breaks-loose-revelation-51-14|archive-date=January 11, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="melton1"/>

By the time of the 1993 Waco siege, Koresh had encouraged his followers to think of themselves as "students of the [[Seven seals|Seven Seals]]," rather than as "Branch Davidians." During the standoff, one of his followers publicly announced that he wanted them to thereafter be identified by the name "Koreshians".<ref>"Mr. Ricks [FBI negotiator] said today that Ms. Schroeder had told him that members of the sect, a renegade offshoot of Seventh-day Adventists, henceforth wanted to be known as Koreshians." By Robert Reinhold, Published: March 15, 1993, ''New York Times'' [brackets added].</ref>