Kelvin Cochran, the Atlanta fire chief who was ousted over anti-gay comments, called his firing “God-induced suffering,” compared himself to Jesus and other biblical figures and predicted that God would vindicate him “in such a way that everybody will see it.”

In a self-published book titled Who Told You That You Were Naked, Cochran described gay people as “unclean.”

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed fired Cochran after serving a 30-day suspension without pay.

“This is about judgment,” Reed said in explaining his decision. “This is not about religious freedom. This is not about free speech. Judgment is the basis of the problem.”

Reed said that the chief did not properly consult city officials before publishing his book, a claim that Cochran denies. The mayor also said that Cochran had opened Atlanta to possible discrimination lawsuits.

During a recent sermon at a Cartersville, Georgia church, Cochran reiterated his claim that he was let go because of his faith and called his firing “God-induced suffering.”

“That's what this experience is for me and my family,” he told congregants. “This is not as a result of something that I didn't do that God is chastening me for. This is something that God has chosen [me] to do because of his purpose and design for not just me and my family but for a greater cause for the kingdom of God.”

He explained that “God reminded me that I'm in pretty good company.”

“He reminded me, brothers and sisters, that Job was just minding his own business, being a faithful husband, taking good care of his children, minding his flocks in his fields and God volunteered him for an unimaginable God-induced suffering. God blessed him twice as much as all that he had prior to the suffering.”

“Then he reminded me of the ultimate suffering servant, Jesus Christ, who suffered, bled and died, rose again on the third day and because of his suffering he has the name that is above every name, God blesses always during suffering.”

Comparing his “suffering” to that of Daniel's, Cochran suggested that Reed would pay a high price.

“[Daniel] was so faithful and so successful, [King Darius] was thinking about putting him [in charge] over the whole territory,” he said. “The other two presidents and some princes put up a plot against Daniel and they said, 'The only way we're going to get Daniel in trouble, because he's so efficient, is through his faith.' So they made the King sign a decree that nobody could pray to anybody but the king for guess how long? 30 days. Daniel says, 'As faithful as I am to you oh king, I'm going to sustain my prayer life,' and he kept right on going. His friends caught him praying, he ended up in the lion's den, the punishment for praying to anybody besides the king. The king was brokenhearted. He loved Daniel, he prayed and fasted all night and ran to the lion's den the next morning and realized that Daniel's God had saved him from the lions. He made a decree that nobody could worship any other God in this kingdom but Daniel's god and threw the plotters, the schemers against Daniel and their families, in the lion's den and they became food for the lions.”

Cochran ended his sermon by predicting his full vindication.

“I found out there are worldly consequences for standing for righteousness, but what God is about to show everybody is that there are also kingdom consequences for standing for righteousness. And he's going to vindicate me in such a way that everybody will see it and everybody will know that it's nobody but the most high God who is vindicating me.”