As a Elder of Rastafari, I’m often asked this question. To answer it properly, we first need to understand the roots of Rastafari.
The Origin of Rastafari
The movement we now know as Rastafari began with Leonard P. Howell. His inspiration came after the coronation of Ras Tafari Makonnen—crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, the 225th monarch in the line of King Solomon and the biblical David. He was given the titles: King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God.
Howell’s Revelation
Raised Anglican, Howell recognized Haile Selassie I as Christ in His Kingly Character, a truth he found confirmed in Revelation 5:1–5. The scripture speaks of a sealed book no one could open—except the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David.
“Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book…” (Revelation 5:5)
Howell turned to the Bible to understand and proclaim who Selassie I truly was. The Bible, to Howell and early Rastas, wasn’t just scripture—it was history. Black history. And it validated the throne of David, upon which His Imperial Majesty sat.
A Life Guided by the Bible
Haile Selassie I wasn’t just a monarch—he was the Defender of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Faith. He spoke often about the power of the Bible, not as empty ritual, but as a path to truth and rebirth:
“Man must realize that the Bible is his refuge… Unless he accepts with clear conscience the Bible and its great Message, he cannot hope for salvation. For my part, I glory in the Bible.”
Selassie I encouraged reading the Bible with humility—as a child. He recommended reading one chapter per day, from Genesis to Revelation, without skipping. Why? Because salvation is found in the Word, through Yahashua Hamashiach (Jesus the Messiah), revealed by the Holy Spirit.
From Physical to Spiritual Consciousness
Rastafari teaches that during the dark ages, some books were removed from the Bible. Still, what remains is enough to save a soul. The practice of reading one chapter a day is more than routine—it’s a transformation. A shedding of the world’s conditioning and an awakening to the ways of the Father.
As Selassie I put it:
“We in Ethiopia have one of the oldest versions of the Bible… But however old the version may be, in whatever language it might be written, the Word remains one and the same. It transcends all boundaries of empires and all conceptions of race. It is eternal.”
Selah.