Threshing Floor Tabernacle

Do not doubt – Only Believe. Reach here your finger and reach here your hand. The hole in Jesus side was so large that Thomas was able to put his hand into it!  Reaching is a step of faith when we reach for what we cannot see. Thomas reached for what he could see and that was the foundation of his faith. He was called Didymus not because he had a twin brother or sister, but because he was a twin within himself. He had two minds, two opposing views. Thomas was so wrapped up in what he saw (at the Cross) that He couldn’t see/believe what the disciples were saying – Jesus Is Alive! He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. He could not take their word for it.

Today we might call him “Bipolar” – FORMAL: involving two completely opposing parts or groups. The same with Peter: from “I will die with you” to “I don’t know the man.” A double minded man is unstable in all his ways according to James 1:8. Tradition has it that Thomas was sent to India to proclaim the Gospel. He at first resisted but Jesus appeared to him in a vision. “Thomas was at first reluctant to accept this mission, but the Lord appeared to him in a night vision and said, “Fear not, Thomas. Go away to India and proclaim the Word, for my grace shall be with you.” But the Apostle still demurred, so the Lord overruled the stubborn disciple by ordering circumstances so compelling that he was forced to accompany an 'Indian' merchant, Abbanes, as a slave to his native place in northwest 'India', where he found himself in the service of the Indo-Parthian king, Gondophares. According to the Acts of Thomas, the apostle's ministry resulted in many conversions throughout the kingdom, including the king and his brother.” [Source – Wikipedia]

Tradition also has it that Peter in trying to escape martyrdom had this encounter with Jesus: “The apocryphal Acts of Peter is also thought to be the source for the tradition about the famous phrase "Quo vadis, Domine?" (or "Pou Hupageis, Kurie?" which means, "Where are you going, Master?"). According to the story, Peter, fleeing Rome to avoid execution, asked the question of a vision of Jesus, to which Jesus allegedly responded that he was "going to Rome to be crucified again." On hearing this, Peter decided to return to the city to accept martyrdom.” [Source – Wikipedia]

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah could see their deliverance but they had to go through the fire to get it. Daniel could see his deliverance but he still had to go into the lions’ den in order to receive it. Joseph saw his reign as leader over his family but he had to go into the pit, sold into slavery, lied on, and thrown into prison before it came to pass. Jesus could see our redemption but He had to go to the Cross in order to obtain it. Christ Encounter: Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed. See the unseen.