Isaiah 57:6
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
ISAIAH 57:6
This line continues the indictment of spiritual adultery, contrasting Israel’s supposed “portion” with genuine devotion. The “smooth stones of the stream” are ceremonial objects or perhaps idols polished for offerings. The people pour out drink offerings and meat offerings to these stones, signaling that their worship is directed toward lifeless things rather than the living God. The rhetorical question, “Should I receive comfort in these?” exposes the absurdity of seeking solace from what cannot fulfill. In Isaiah’s time, alliances with foreign powers, moral compromise, and ritualistic generosity toward idols denoted a people searching for security apart from the Lord. The imagery of pourings and offerings to stones personifies idolatry as hollow and self-defeating.
Theological core: true comfort and reciprocity come from God, not from finite objects or manufactured rituals. The verse challenges the belief that religious activity, detached from loyalty to God, can yield genuine consolation. It underscores the principle that worship must arise from a heart oriented to the Lord; mechanical offerings cannot transform a heart aligned with idols. It also rejects the idea that God is bribed or pacified by external acts. Theological themes include covenant faithfulness, divine-human relationship, and the critique of ritualism without repentance.
We may face forms of “comfort” we try to buy or perform: status, sentimentality, or consumeristic spirituality. If you attend church, attend small groups, or give generously but harbor a heart divided by fear, greed, or idolized security, ask: is God receiving the chief allegiance of my life? Practical steps: assess where you turn first in crises (God or resources, people, or status). Replace hollow rituals with heart-driven worship—time in Scripture, honest prayer, and acts of mercy that reflect God’s heart. If you’ve built a life around “smooth stones” of comfort, renounce them in favor of dependence on the God who invites you into companionship with him, especially in the vulnerable places of life.
Cross-References: Psalm 4:6–8; Psalm 115:4–8; Jeremiah 10:3–5; Habakkuk 2:18–20; 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10.