64:1-6 God’s appearance is so intense that it is like a consuming fire that burns everything in its path. If we are so impure, how can we be saved? Only by God’s mercy. The Israelites had experienced God’s presence at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19). When God met with Moses, there was a thunderstorm, smoke, and an earthquake. If God were to meet us today, his glory would overwhelm us, especially when we look at our “filthy rags” (64:6).
64:6 Sin makes us unclean so that we cannot approach God (6:5; Romans 3:23) any more than a beggar in filthy rags could dine at a king’s table. Our best efforts are still infected with sin. Our only hope, therefore, is faith in Jesus Christ, who can cleanse us and bring us into God’s presence (read Romans 3).
This passage can easily be misunderstood. It doesn’t mean that God will reject us if we come to him in faith, nor that he despises our efforts to please him. It means that if we come to him demanding acceptance on the basis of our “good” conduct, God will point out that our righteousness is but filthy rags compared to his infinite righteousness. This message is primarily for the unrepentant person, not the true follower of God.