Charles Spurgeon Commentary Isaiah 27:9

"Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, [so that] the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more." — Isaiah 27:9 (ASV)

By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin.

When one of the old Puritans was afflicted with a very painful disease, – perhaps the most painful to which flesh is heir, – he kept crying out, "The use, Lord? The use, Lord? Show me the use of it." This should be the point at which the Christian should always aim.

When he makes all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.

You see, the Israelites had piled up stones, and held them in veneration, but when God brought them back to himself, they regarded those stones as nothing more than common chalkstones of the valley.

It is a good thing for us when our sins bring us no pleasure, when they are only like common stones of the street. When we break our images, and dash down our idol-gods, we show that we prize them no longer. May the Lord make this the outcome of all our trials! Then will we bless him for our troubles just as for our chief mercies.