Haile
Selassie I Visual Studies
Haile Selassie I (1892–1975)
was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Rastafari say that
he will lead the righteous into creating a perfect world called Zion. Rastafrari
believe that Haile Selassie is the messiah.
The future capital city of Zion is sometimes put forward as the New Jerusalem (Lalibela, Ethiopia) and the very
Habitation of the Godhead (Trinity) creator, Ras Tafari. Prophetic verses of
the Hebrew Bible (such as Zephaniah 3:10 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers, the daughter of My dispersed ones, shall bring my
offering") have been interpreted as subtly hinting that the messianic king
will be in Ethiopia and the people will come from all over world beyond its
rivers.
Rasta say that Haile Selassie I's coming was prophesied from Genesis to the Book of Revelation. Genesis, Chapter
1: "God made man in His own image." Psalm
2: "Yet I set my Holy king on My Holy hill of Zion." Psalm 87:4–6 is
interpreted as predicting the coronation of Haile Selassie I. During his
coronation, Haile Selassie I was given 38 titles and anointments taken from the
Bible: "King of Kings," "Elect of God," "Conquering
Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Author of Mankind," "the Power of
Authority," etc. He also received acclaim from various Christian and
Muslim leaders and clergy for the work he performed towards establishing world
peace and the brotherhood of mankind — this being one of the primary reasons
his followers hold him as a God incarnate. Rastas also refer to Haile Selassie
I as "His Imperial Majesty" (or the acronym HIM) and "Jah
Rastafari."
According to tradition, Haile Selassie I was the 225th in an unbroken
line of Ethiopian monarchs of the Solomonic
dynasty. 
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