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What did Haile Selassie say about Jesus Christ?
August 29, 2007, 2:03 pm
Filed under: Christ, Christianity, Faith, God, Jesus, Orthodox, evangelism, missional, rasta, reggae, religion

In 1892 Tafari Makonnen was born in Harar, Ethiopia to a royal family that claims descent from King Solomon and Queen Sheba. In 1930 Ras Tafari (that is Prince Tafari) ascended the royal throne to become Emperor Haile Selassie. At his coronation he was renamed Haile Selassie to reflect his faith. The name means “Power of the Trinity.” Selassie was an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and a devout follower of Jesus Christ. The imperial crest on the royal Ethiopian flag has a lion holding a cross. The image represents the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

selassie.jpg

Many Rastafarians claim that Selassie is the Christ or that he is the Second Coming. In a radio interview in 1967 Selassie said, “I have heard of that idea. I also met certain Rastafarians. I told them clearly that I am a man, that I am mortal and that they should never make a mistake in assuming or pretending that a human being is emanated from a deity.”

In his famous speech commemorating the Bible Selassie said, “No doubt you all remember reading in the Acts of the Apostles how Philip baptized the Ethiopian official. He is the first Ethiopian on record to have followed Christ, and from that day onwards the Word of God has continued to grow in the hearts of Ethiopians.”

THE GOOD NEWS

At a conference in 1966 in Berlin titled “One Gospel, One Race, One Task,” Haile Selassie opened the event with these words: “The love shown by our God to mankind should constrain all of us who are followers and disciples of Christ, to do all in our power to see to it that the message of salvation is carried to those of our fellows for whom Christ our Savior was sacrificed but who have not had the benefit of hearing the good news.”

lionflag.jpg

What is the good news? The good news is the promise and hope of salvation that Jesus provides for the people of all nations. Jesus says, “The time has come. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15. When you repent you are changing the direction of your life from being self-centered (or earth-centered or politically-centered or any life that is centered in something other than God) and turning towards a life centered in the Lord God Almighty. When you repent you must also confess your sins to God. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:9.

THE STONE THE BUILDERS REFUSED…

“So this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation, and the one who trusts in him will never be dismayed,” Isaiah 28:16.

“It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12.

Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” John 14:6. You cannot save yourself, neither can Haile Selassie save you. It is Jesus Christ who suffered and died on the cross and rose from the dead three days later so that you might have faith in him and be saved. Jesus says, “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven,” Matthew 10:33.

Following Christ is a way of life. And the only way to the Kingdom of God is the way taught by Christ. There is no better time than the present to repent of your sins and confess Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you are ready to follow Christ, turn from following the way of the world and put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn away from living according to the standards of men and put God as your holy standard.

A PRAYER FOR YOU
Father in Heaven, you are holy. I pray that the person who is reading this prayer will be blessed by an encounter with you. I pray that the eyes and ears of their heart are open to your Living Word so that they might have salvation through your son Jesus Christ. Bless this person even now.

In Jesus’ name, amen.


18 Comments so far
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I have never heard the history of this Ethiopian King! Guess I need to do some history reading! I also read your next post about the gospel tract. Can you send me a copy? http://www.livingwaters.com is a great site on evangelizing and they have some neat tracts for sale too.

Comment by shanti September 1, 2007 @ 9:53 am

Jason we would love to have a copy of the tract as there are quite a number of Rastas here in Portland. Along with just about everything else alternative and occult!

I was in Ethiopia the last year before Selassie’s fall from power with my mother and have quite the memories.

I really love your heart and enjoy your blog. oh, and Thanks for touching base with ai!

Blessings to you!

Comment by faithwalk September 4, 2007 @ 2:04 am

I just sent you the tracts. Every blessing.

Comment by storbakken September 7, 2007 @ 1:40 pm

This is great.
people have commented that this is a “tract”.
WOW. I am in the process of studing Rastafari my self. I am a Folower of Jesus Christ. A Christian, but I really like reggae, specifially Roots reggae and Dub. This is a great post.
I will be putting a link to it on my blog.
http://www.questfortafari.wordpress.com

keep up the good work.

Comment by Quest September 19, 2007 @ 7:11 pm

[...] Haile Selassie I, what did he say about Jesus? Read this Blog http://morefire.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/what-did-haile-selassie-say-about-jesus-christ/ [...]

Pingback by Haile Selassie I, what did he say about Jesus? « Quest for Tafari September 19, 2007 @ 7:13 pm

king selassie is the rightful ruler of earth and he still reigns from mt.zion. haile selassie is god in the flesh. i resent the evil comment made by sistwer faithwalks. for her to call rasta occult is not surprising.her being of the white race which historically is a race of hate and violence toward the different or not christian.u people are the reasons why many find christianity distasteful.it is her ideology that leaves history tainted with violence towards blacks.luckily sister rasta is not for you. it is for us who have been brainwashed by the likes of yourself.selassie lives forever.

Comment by sis khadijah November 29, 2007 @ 10:51 pm

sis khadijah,

Unjust hatred, whether it is directed at the white, black or any other race, is satanic. Babylon is a system that oppresses the poor, despised, outcast, immigrant and lonely, regardless of color. Zion is a just kingdom that is counter cultural to this world. Unfortunately, there have been false churches (and false christians) propped up in the name of Christ who emphasize hatred, slavery and enforce unjust social systems. But the true Church is the living body of Christ and Haile Selassie was part of that body. He confessed that he was a sinner and that Jesus is the only way to The Most High God.

The Bible, whether it is translated from Ge’ez into Amharic or from Greek into English, says the same thing–Jesus Christ is the Living God and when he returns every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that he is God.

Jesus Christ is not black or white. He was born into the semitic race. And he died that all might be reconciled unto a holy God. Selassie was devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Like Selassie said, the message of Jesus Christ needs to be carried to those for whom Jesus died but yet do not know him as Lord and Savior. I am praying for Rastafarians and the West Indian community that the Holy Spirit works mightily in those communities, renewing them and revealing the Living Word to them.

More fire!

Comment by storbakken November 30, 2007 @ 10:32 am

Blessed Greetings to all Children of Light!

All praises due to the Holy One, I am that I am that I am, Oh Most High! Millions of names, faceless and nameless to some. I agree that there is no other way to get to Zion unless u are a follower and disciple of YAHSHUA the Christ as stated by the WORD of Life into and thru H.I.M. Emperor Haile Sellassie I, King of Kings of the Earth and Defender of the True Faith of Christ.

Titles are titles and respect is earned not bought. The Most High despises fights over names, these millions of names, yet still One Beloved Sustainer of Life…bless! For our ultimate goal is to lead others to this light. It’s love in any language.

But when we speak, we must instruct in the truth and speak in blunt terms of right and wrong. H.I.M. Words states there will never be world peace unless we see no more color of race.

We know that the King James, satanic version is used widely in the churches. Time is the master who holds the keys to the doors that unlock vast revelation. Jesus was the name of a slave ship. It was an impure named tagged to our Lord and Saviour THE Christ to pollute the surface that ones who are conscious would refuse to even dive deeper. White Supremacy is satanic and so is any other thing that oppress and deceive ANYONE!

We can agree that Our Lord and Saviours name is not Jesus Christ for the letter “J” was not in existance until the 16th - 17th centry. The early Greek used to write it Ieosos, Yesus, Yahshua, etc., are just names people call this Perfect Nazarene with Deep Bronze skin and Locks who never ate for kill and still…some may think the color of Christ is not important but it is.

For he is REAL, and looks like a MINORITY but is indeed the MAJORITY and if no one learns this thing he will remain DEAD in Christ and their Holy Ghosts…and another thing, how can ghosts…the dismembered body of a DEAD thing be holy?

Here begins the REVELATION OF CHRIST

prophecy is fulfilling
the armageddon is not war for I
for the battle and the war is
already won. it’s only for us
to know that and recognize the
truth to be so and allow the
Holy Spirit to melt our heart
with love and show us how to
relax in peace and be joyous
as innocent children. (S)/HE just
wants to love us and make us
prosper.

We must DEFEND Yes, I agree there is a road traveled and the journey long, but I find that the name Jesus is a pollution to the original name of Yahshua or Immanuel, the son of YAH.
Many know this and ignorant curse the name and
ONE behind the name. It’s like throwing the baby
out with the bath water. Yes, the name Jesus is
polluted but the ONE referred to by the name is PURE.

Comment by Fan'aye SunLight February 22, 2008 @ 11:24 am

Fan’aye SunLight,

You claim “The Most High despises fights over names…” Then you start, what some would deem, a fight over a name. Yeshua haMoshiach is closer to Jesus Christ’s real name, but then again if we are to be even closer we should not use Western script. We should write in either Hebrew or Aramaic. How far do we take this?

Jesus said, “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’”

Jesus never mentions pronunciation or articulation. It is deeper than simply calling Jesus Yeshua. It is following him and extending the grace to others that he has extended to us. It is following his Way in truth and in spirit.

Lastly I would like to know why you call the King James Version “satanic” when the Tawahedo (Ethiopian Orthodox) translation does not differ one tit nor tat from the KJV in regards to the translation of the books from Genesis to Revelation.

Comment by storbakken March 6, 2008 @ 11:54 am

The first time I listened to Haile Selassie I first radio interview about people worshiping him, I had a change of life and I would wish if Rastafarian around the world could have the same change and listening to that interview cos it has a lot of things to offer. Let us stop worshiping Haile Selassie I cos he was mortal and he himself said we should not make a mistake in assuming or pretending that the human being is emanated from a deity. Let also remember that we can still remember him for his good works but not worshiping him

Comment by Fiifi Adinkra March 10, 2008 @ 12:13 pm

Thanks for the comment, Fiifi. Every blessing in the Most High.

Comment by storbakken March 10, 2008 @ 2:42 pm

sis khadijah, you could never be rasta,you have too much hatred and bad mind within you,take a look at SELASSIE,he is niether black or white, his features are niether negroid nor european,you are an insult to HIM name,look around you, wicked ness and violence is not of colour, so stop your ignorance,death to all black and white down pressers,rasta meens love, oneness, unity get it

Comment by sista p March 12, 2008 @ 7:05 pm

Hey where can I get tracts that address the rasta movement.

Blessings,

Follower of Jesus the true and only Messiah

Comment by OnlyJesus April 5, 2008 @ 3:30 pm

Eternal life is only offered to us through Jesus Christ of Nazereth. I read that Ras Tafari said that any one who does not know Jesus is lost. So if Ras Tafari lives forever, then Jesus Christ of Nazereth gave it to him. This is eternal life, that you would know the one true God and the one whom he sent, even Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ of Nazereth was carried up into heaven unto the right hand of God. He had flesh and bones and was not a ghost. Ras Tafati’s birth date is known, Jesus was a man when he left earth an went into heaven and he is still a man. I have seen baby pictures of Ras Tafari so he couldn’t be Jesus Christ of Nazereth. Peace in Jesus’ name.

Comment by Steven April 11, 2008 @ 6:48 pm

JE-ZUES G-ZUES, whatever him name was, he is the son of god. But the the only son, God has many woman in every cosmic realm known to us tiny human beams. Become etheric and fly with Malichi. Know thyself and know HIS Imperial Majesty. The only true King in our Generation, We will see by the year 2012. They said his remains was found under a toilet–hahaha, just like they crusified Emmanuel. Those romans love to degrade the rightful rulers of the earth. LOVE. El Magnifico.

Comment by El Magnifico April 14, 2008 @ 4:35 pm

TO all…

A great amount of inspiration iv drawn from all the comments and am encouraged to see that so many are striving to realise the truth.. “Seek and ye shall find” life is a pursuit to perfection and happiness which we will never reach giving us the opportunity to live forever.. Striving to emulate the livity of the son of The almighty should be the objective for all human beings in this dispensation.. Revelation 5Vs5. “Behold…”

Isnt it great to have salvation thru the eternal sacrifice.. God created i n i in his image to glorify and magnify his name and holy habitaion.. What a privelige an honour for humanity.. Thank you for life love and all things thru your mercy..

The only thing in the Lords kingdom without measure!

The mercy seat…

God bless us all never ending thirst for the Lifewaters of perfection thru The ‘Power Of The Trinity’..

Comment by Asher South africa May 1, 2008 @ 12:05 pm

More Perfect Love,

It is wonderful to grow daily and be encouraged. True, we don’t need to fuss and fight over the countless names of the All Mighty. I site the true name of The Creator like a sound which resonates pure love.

It’s like when you hear the lion roar, or the whale moan or the dolphin squeak, it’s all the same for me. Sometimes I commune so sweet, all I can do is moan, groan…site?

For soul preservation, we must ALLOW the All Mighty to utilize us by every means necessary..

If someone who is deaf and mute observes a person for just a week, they can figure out what that person is all about…site?

So I begin to think, yes true. I give thanks for Revelation, don’t you? I give thanks for all the words that go forth so that sword can sharpen sword.

Only righteousness shall exalt this Nation. The Davidic Throne MUST be SEEN Restored here on earth and NONE caan stop it.

I think, yes! Nothing is hidden, only revealed in time for those in need who desire and chant it.

If I was being observed free, open and clear to the public and one who is deaf and mute, watches over my actions and reactions, I would be made known. So I look into myself and check myself, yes indeed.

All is well to those who do not become part of the battle and still remain a part of the strong defense force. HIS children know HIS voice.

For no one can touch the physical flesh or shake HIS children off balance who keeps the peace within. Light eliminates darkness…site?

One Perfect Love and Light
to all Children of Peace!

Comment by Fan'aye SunLight June 2, 2008 @ 1:21 pm

Selassie was a great man and he woke up the people of the lands to know who the almighty father is and that whom the world called jesus christ is the only way.Selassie was gods elect to go n spread the message.I cry 4 my people that get lost in man worshipping .people need top wake up n realize the truth

Comment by NRC June 8, 2008 @ 2:54 pm



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