Praise God I came across this verse!! One verse to make me understand!!

[misszoolander]

"On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

After countless passages that spoke to me about UR, this one did it for me. I am convinced, I am freed. If I was to read this months ago, I would have thought "Oh me doing something kind to an enemy will torture them like fire, for they will see how much nicer I am compared to themselves" No. In reality if I was to do this to an enemy, to feed them they will think twice about me and approach me with kindness. I now realize the meaning of the coals - Isa 6:6-7 NIV "Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." The Angel did not take away Isaiah's sin, the coal did! What often represents God? Fire. By treating our enemies with kindness we are forgiving them of their sins towards us. Is this not what God does to us? Are we not his enemies? Because of Christ we are ALL saved. Even if I did not believe Christ died for me, who is to say he will not give me the bread of life if I hunger for it in this age or the next? Or thirst for the stream of life? Him giving me these things "will heap burning coals" on my head! His awesome holy fire will purify my soul, he will put his spirit in me, and give me a new heart. Praise God!!

[Molly]

wow.  Very well put.   

[reFORMer]

Things like this make me feel so wonderful I think I could almost explode!!!

[ded2daworld]

Great verse.
When I was ET I would think, "the nicer you are to "bad" people, the more they will "deserve" hellfire. The nicer you are the more coals, the hotter, the more torment you can cause someone. Is that sick thinking or what? It sure wasn't love.

[sheila]

 and He shall baptize you with Holy spirit and fire......and a rushing wind came in and the Holy spirit as

  tongues of fire that seperated and came to rest on each of them.

   the appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire

   for if you forgive men when they tresspass against you...your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

[micah7:9]

I read somewhere, don't remember where, but that heaping coals on the head, was a gesture of kindness, because some folks did not have fire(coals) to cook with and by giving the coals was just as giving food or water Like the adage rather than give a person a fish teach the person how to fish.
Don't mean to muddle the posters gathered benefit.

[lomarah]

Things like this make me feel so wonderful I think I could almost explode!!!

Me too reF!!

Welcome misszoolander! 

[Lazarus Short]

Universal Reconciliation is all about forgiveness, which we can do.

Eternal Torment is all about vengeance, which God claims as His own - we are warned against it.

The often-overlooked Jubilee principle indicates which is correct (hint:  not ET).

The light came on for another believer!   

[scarletwren]

I heard something quite similar awhile back which I always liked.  Families in smaller villages, or perhaps just communities, would take turns getting up early and starting a fire for cooking and heating water throughout the day.  One of the children in the family would carry some of the burning 'coals' to the other houses so that they could start their fires easily.  So to me this saying was something like when you do something nice for one person, many more will benefit from it.

I like the reference to the coal on the lips too.  Much to ruminate upon.

I read somewhere, don't remember where, but that heaping coals on the head, was a gesture of kindness, because some folks did not have fire(coals) to cook with and by giving the coals was just as giving food or water Like the adage rather than give a person a fish teach the person how to fish.
Don't mean to muddle the posters gathered benefit.

[marie glen]

"On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

After countless passages that spoke to me about UR, this one did it for me. I am convinced, I am freed. If I was to read this months ago, I would have thought "Oh me doing something kind to an enemy will torture them like fire, for they will see how much nicer I am compared to themselves" No. In reality if I was to do this to an enemy, to feed them they will think twice about me and approach me with kindness. I now realize the meaning of the coals - Isa 6:6-7 NIV "Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." The Angel did not take away Isaiah's sin, the coal did! What often represents God? Fire. By treating our enemies with kindness we are forgiving them of their sins towards us. Is this not what God does to us? Are we not his enemies? Because of Christ we are ALL saved. Even if I did not believe Christ died for me, who is to say he will not give me the bread of life if I hunger for it in this age or the next? Or thirst for the stream of life? Him giving me these things "will heap burning coals" on my head! His awesome holy fire will purify my soul, he will put his spirit in me, and give me a new heart. Praise God!!

How excellent!! This verse has always been a mystery to me.. I didn't really think about it (avoided it) but I suppose I assumed something like "me doing something kind to an enemy will torture them like fire" ! Which actually, as you say, totally makes no sense at all! The cross-reference clinches it for me.. the angel and the coal.. And how much more sense this makes, QUOTE: "By treating our enemies with kindness we are forgiving them of their sins towards us. Is this not what God does to us?" --- Amen!! it surely is!!

[shawn]

"On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

After countless passages that spoke to me about UR, this one did it for me. I am convinced, I am freed. If I was to read this months ago, I would have thought "Oh me doing something kind to an enemy will torture them like fire, for they will see how much nicer I am compared to themselves" No. In reality if I was to do this to an enemy, to feed them they will think twice about me and approach me with kindness. I now realize the meaning of the coals - Isa 6:6-7 NIV "Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." The Angel did not take away Isaiah's sin, the coal did! What often represents God? Fire. By treating our enemies with kindness we are forgiving them of their sins towards us. Is this not what God does to us? Are we not his enemies? Because of Christ we are ALL saved. Even if I did not believe Christ died for me, who is to say he will not give me the bread of life if I hunger for it in this age or the next? Or thirst for the stream of life? Him giving me these things "will heap burning coals" on my head! His awesome holy fire will purify my soul, he will put his spirit in me, and give me a new heart. Praise God!!

Amen!

The burning coal is a symbol of purification.

[shawn]

Great verse.
When I was ET I would think, "the nicer you are to "bad" people, the more they will "deserve" hellfire. The nicer you are the more coals, the hotter, the more torment you can cause someone. Is that sick thinking or what? It sure wasn't love.

I love how honest you are about your previous thoughts and insights.  What we believe truly changes who we become.

[shawn]

I heard something quite similar awhile back which I always liked.  Families in smaller villages, or perhaps just communities, would take turns getting up early and starting a fire for cooking and heating water throughout the day.  One of the children in the family would carry some of the burning 'coals' to the other houses so that they could start their fires easily.  So to me this saying was something like when you do something nice for one person, many more will benefit from it.

I like the reference to the coal on the lips too.  Much to ruminate upon.

I read somewhere, don't remember where, but that heaping coals on the head, was a gesture of kindness, because some folks did not have fire(coals) to cook with and by giving the coals was just as giving food or water Like the adage rather than give a person a fish teach the person how to fish.
Don't mean to muddle the posters gathered benefit.

Ooh, this just gets better.  The purifying fire in our lives, built in our home...taking that to our enemy so that purifying fire may be built in their home.  Notice that kindness, love, doing good for our enemy is what help build this fire.  Great stuff.

[micah7:9]

"On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

After countless passages that spoke to me about UR, this one did it for me. I am convinced, I am freed. If I was to read this months ago, I would have thought "Oh me doing something kind to an enemy will torture them like fire, for they will see how much nicer I am compared to themselves" No. In reality if I was to do this to an enemy, to feed them they will think twice about me and approach me with kindness. I now realize the meaning of the coals - Isa 6:6-7 NIV "Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." The Angel did not take away Isaiah's sin, the coal did! What often represents God? Fire. By treating our enemies with kindness we are forgiving them of their sins towards us. Is this not what God does to us? Are we not his enemies? Because of Christ we are ALL saved. Even if I did not believe Christ died for me, who is to say he will not give me the bread of life if I hunger for it in this age or the next? Or thirst for the stream of life? Him giving me these things "will heap burning coals" on my head! His awesome holy fire will purify my soul, he will put his spirit in me, and give me a new heart. Praise God!!

 

[mplsfitter539]

I have been meditating on this verse all day today and still haven't yet figured out why.
Psalm 145
5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
 

[misszoolander]

I remember posting this when I first came across UR, have not looked back since.. Praise the Lord, keep heaping those burning coals ! 

[eaglesway]

In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.
(Eze 1:13-14)


The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning, flashing from the east to the west. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

[marie glen]

In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning.
(Eze 1:13-14)


The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning, flashing from the east to the west. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

  

[legoman]

Great thread! 

[rjohnson741]

Great thread! 

Hi Legoman. We really miss you posting on CARM. Blessings.

[eaglesway]

I heard something quite similar awhile back which I always liked.  Families in smaller villages, or perhaps just communities, would take turns getting up early and starting a fire for cooking and heating water throughout the day.  One of the children in the family would carry some of the burning 'coals' to the other houses so that they could start their fires easily.  So to me this saying was something like when you do something nice for one person, many more will benefit from it.

I like the reference to the coal on the lips too.  Much to ruminate upon.

I read somewhere, don't remember where, but that heaping coals on the head, was a gesture of kindness, because some folks did not have fire(coals) to cook with and by giving the coals was just as giving food or water Like the adage rather than give a person a fish teach the person how to fish.
Don't mean to muddle the posters gathered benefit.

Heaping coals on the head :o) Another perspective is this. The coals are living stones gathered together within the wheels beneath the living creatures. The lightning flashing back and forth between them is the LIVING WORD- rhema fo God. (Exhort one another while it is still called "TODAY" to love and good works). Isaiahs "lips" were made clean and his iniquity forgiven because the "coal" of the prophetic word touched them- his speech was no longer his own. "You are all clean because of the word that i have spoken to you"- Jesus.

When we bless those who curse us and pray for those who despitefully use us we are showing forth the "lifting up" of jesus till he comes. The words that fell from His lips in the moment He was "lifted up" were, "Father forgive thenm they don't know what they are doing". When we feed our enemies, dress the wounds of our persecutors- returning kindness for injury and blessing for insult, we heap "coals of living word" upon them- opening their minds to the goodness of God and the truth of our gospel.

"If anyone receives not our gospel it is because the god of this world has blinded their eyes that they might not see the light of the knowledge of THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST"(2 cor 4)

When the veil is torn the light shines through. As we fill up in our bodies the sufferings of Jesus Chrsist, He is lifted up in us, we are lifted up into the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, the "living word" touches our lips and we become ministers of reconciliation.

Woe unto me, for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the Lord of glory.

Lo (behold, understand, see) this coal has touch your lips and your sin is forgiven

"Who will go for me".....

I will go for you. "Here I am(acceptable offering Ro 12 broken and contrite heart Psalm 51). Send me(releasing ones own life, dreams, goals to the will of God)."

If anyone would be my disciple let them pick up their cross and Come, Follow Me.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart and you will find rest for your souls."