Arms Opened Wide

When I think of Jesus, I think of a pitiful man on the cross whose arms are spread wide. They're outstretched to receive the nails. However, those arms were always outstretched and the Romans adapted punishment by death to accommodate Jesus. That is to say that crucifixion was invented so that Jesus would die in his normal position: with outstretched arms! God had a secret plan for mankind and mankind adapted to that secret. Even evil men were used for the good of all!

Revelation 2:7b "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

This verse should be crystal clear to those who seek clarity! For those who "overcometh" (have enduring faith), they will be rewarded; "eat of the tree of life". Since salvation is through Jesus alone, and salvation is the Christian's reward, then "the tree of life" is symbolic of Jesus Christ. To validate that conclusion, the tree of life is in the midst of "the Paradise of God" (heaven) and was in the midst of paradise (Eden). It's the same  and only tree!

 Genesis 2:9 "And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Therefore, it's necessary for the Christian to understand since Jesus was there in the beginning (John Chapter 1), he had to be somewhere, and that "somewhere" was in the midst of the garden!  Why was he there? God had a plan!

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

That plan is "a hope". Not just hope, but A HOPE!

1 Timothy 1:1 " Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;"

The tree was in the midst of the garden was symbolic of Jesus who is "The Word" and was with God, and Jesus, The Word, is our hope!  God's plan all along was that Jesus would die for the sins of all mankind! How was he to die? With outstretched arms!

Exodus 17:11 (NIV) "As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning."

Moses, through the power of God, was the "savior" of the Hebrew people from the hands of the Egyptians. Upon approaching Canaan, Moses "saved' the people again with the raising of his hands. When his arms were outstretched the battle went in favor of the Hebrews. This signifies that by faith in the coming savior that the people would be saved. The outstretched arms were symbolic of Jesus whose arms were always lifted high welcoming his children to approach!

As I close my eyes, I can see Jesus as he ministered to those around him:

Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

I'm sure that he had those arms opened wide and outstretched as they would be on the cross! As he died his death was saying "Come unto me... I will give you rest!"

Jesus's arms weren't opened wide because he died on the cross. The cross was used to crucify Jesus because his arms were always outstretched!

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica the first record of crucifixion was by King Darius I of Persia in 519 B.C. This was before the Roman Empire was even founded in 27 B.C. As history reveals, crucifixion was invented as a means of capital punishment 482 years before the Roman Empire even existed.  In turn the Roman Empire used this type of punishment for criminals. However, an innocent man died on that cross instead of all of us! The cross was invented to accommodate the outstretched arms of Jesus. God knew how Jesus was to die way back when, and it was his plan that it was by the cross!

Jesus' arms opened wide beckoning all who will to come unto him, was the plan all along. Romans were merely were pawns in God's plan. The cross was made for Jesus!