It was 1999 and the cable network was venturing into its own programming, unwilling to rely upon re-running movies that had already premiered in movie theaters. The cable network was Home Box Office or as it is more popularly known as HBO. With “The Sopranos”, HBO found a mega hit. During this heady time, several of my friends told me that if I didn’t subscribe to HBO, I should do so simply to watch “The Sopranos”. Since that epic breakthrough hit, HBO has created many popular series but this was the first, the one that put them on the road to their current success with original programming.
Many successful companies can trace their current success to one breakthrough hit product. Coca Cola. Dove Soap. Many families are the same. The actions of one person may also begin the success for successive generations. The Bible cites the example of Phinehas who took a bold stand for God. It was a dangerous time in the early history of Israel. Led by Moses and wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites were seduced to worship the false gods of the Midianites. God sent a plague to punish them, killing 24,000. At the height of the plaque, an Israelite brazenly brought a Midianite woman into his tent to have sexual relations with her, all in plain view of Moses and the leaders of Israel. The sheer audacity and outrageousness of this Israelite’s actions ignited a righteous anger in Phinehas. He grabbed a spear, entered the tent, and killed both of them. His action stopped the plague. God recognized the courageous action of Phinehas.
Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger. Now tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him. In this covenant, I give him and his descendants a permanent right to the priesthood, for in his zeal for me, his God, he purified the people of Israel, making them right with me.
Numbers 25:11-13 (NLT)
This single act of faith led to a special blessing from God for Phinehas and his descendants for generations. It is recorded in the Bible so thousands of years later, we may still be inspired by the action of Phinehas. The breakthrough hits of the world may lead to success for a few years or decades. When the actions of one person leads to a breakthrough of faith, God recognizes and blesses their actions ensuring their success will be recognized for eternity!
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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