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The scholars made a particular point of addressing Koresh's teachings about the seven seals, which they identified as being particularly important.

Koresh's preaching over the previous weeks had made it clear that he believed the fifth seal had been opened when the ATF had attempted to raid his compound.

He had phoned a radio station on the night of February 28 and told the station manager, ''We are now in the fifth seal.''

The station manager hadn't understood what he'd meant, but Arnold and Tabor knew exactly what it signified.

In the Book of Revelation, when the fifth seal is opened, its writer John sees the souls of martyred Christians who were persecuted and killed due to their loyalty to God.

The souls cry out, asking how long it will be until justice is done.

God tells them to wait a little longer until more of God's plan unfolds.

Koresh, however, interpreted the fifth seal as pertaining specifically to his followers.

The Christians crying out were the Branch Davidians killed during the ATF raid and now they were in their waiting season, pausing until God revealed what the next step was.

From Koresh's perspective, surrendering early would mean disobeying God.

Arnold and Tabor addressed the fifth seal at length in their second radio interview, encouraging Koresh to wait as long as he needed, while pointing out that he didn't have to remain at Mount Carmel to do so.

Paul, the most famous of Jesus' apostles, had continued his ministry after being imprisoned.

Koresh could surrender peacefully and it wouldn't mean he was betraying God, it might actually expand his influence and audience.

They cited a passage in Revelation that instructed its narrator to prophecy again before many peoples and nations, something Koresh couldn't do as long as he was holed up inside his compound.

As they didn't know whether or not Karash and his followers would have heard the radio interview, Arnold and Tabor obtained a taped copy of it and began thinking of a way to send it in to Mount Carmel.

Another person eager to make contact with Koresh was an attorney retained by Koresh's mother ten days into the siege.

Dick DeGaran was a renowned Texas criminal defense lawyer who would go on to defend some of the state's most infamous cases.

DeGaran drove with Koresh's mother to Waco and attempted to enter Mount Carmel, but was blocked at a checkpoint.

After petitioning both the courts and the FBI, de Guerin was finally permitted to visit Koresh on Monday March 29, just over a month into the siege.

He rode up to the compound in an armoured Bradley vehicle driven by an FBI agent.