“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.” Proverbs 25:21-22.

How many of us are guilty of praying that blessing on our enemy just so the Lord would “heap coals of fire upon his head”?  The heap of coals referred to is actually likened to the heap of coals taken from the Brazen Altar to the Altar of Incense.  The coals going from the Brazen Altar to the Altar of Incense were diverted from the judgment altar to the mercy altar.  The Incense offering always took place after the Brazen Altar offering, which was the atonement offering, where reconciliation with God was made possible.

So when we are blessing our enemy we are indeed pouring those heaping coals of fire upon their head, praise God.  We are diverting judgment and showing mercy which God has given us.  How many of us actually thought we were cursing our enemy by praying for them?  On the other hand, how many times have we thought a blessing was a curse?

“Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” Psalms 141:2.