An additional reason why the Lord was willing to suffer on the cross
was that by doing so he would come to be acknowledged in the heavens
as the Savior of both worlds. Every aspect of his suffering meant some-
thing related to the desecration of the Word. When people in the church
understand these aspects in physical terms, angels understand them in
spiritual terms.
The following passages make it clear that the Lord was the ultimate
prophet: “The Lord said, ‘A prophetis nowhere less honored than in his
own country and in his own house’” (Matthew 13 : 57 ; Mark 6 : 4 ; Luke
4 : 24 ). “Jesus said, ‘It is not right for a prophet to die away from
Jerusalem’” (Luke 13 : 33 ). “Fear took hold of them all. They were praising
God and saying that a great prophethad risen among them” (Luke 7 : 16 ).
They called Jesus “that prophetfrom Nazareth” (Matthew 21 : 11 ; John
7 : 40 , 41 ). It says in Deuteronomy that a prophetwould be raised up from
among his brothers and sisters, and they would obey his words (Deu -
teronomy 18 : 15 – 19 ).
The prophets represented their church’s condition relative to its 130
teachings from the Word and its life according to them, as the following
stories from the Word make clear:
Isaiah the prophet was commanded to take the sackcloth off below
his waist and the sandals off his feet and go naked and barefoot for three
years as a sign and a wonder (Isaiah 20 : 2 , 3 ).
Ezekiel the prophet was commanded to represent the state of the
church by making travel bags, moving to another place before the eyes of
the children of Israel, taking out his bags from time to time, going out in
the evening through a hole in the wall, and covering his face so he could
not see the ground. In this way he would be a wonder to the house of
Israel. He was told to say, “Behold, I am your wonder. As I have done, so
it will be for you” (Ezekiel 12 : 3 – 7 , 11 ).
Hosea the prophet was commanded to represent the church’s condi-
tion by marrying a promiscuous partner, which he did. She bore him
three sons, one of whom he called Jezreel, the second No Mercy, and the
third Not My People. At another point he was commanded to go love a
woman who already had a lover and who was committing adultery, and
buy her for himself (Hosea 1 : 2 – 9 ; 3 : 1 , 2 ).
One prophet was commanded to put ashes over his eyes and let him-
self be beaten and whipped ( 1 Kings 20 : 35 , 38 ).
Ezekiel the prophet was commanded to represent the condition of
the church by taking a brick and sculpting Jerusalem on it, laying siege to
§130 the lord the redeemer & redemption 181