Isaiah 64 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Isaiah 64 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,

2 As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

"We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."
Every noble human act, every act of love, courage, and kindess is "an unclean thing", "a filthy rag" to God. (I'd stay away from him, if I were you.)
Is anyone good?
Has anyone ever done anything good?
Has there ever been a righteous person?
The most holy God is the standard by which we are judged. And none of us is free from sin. If God asks the most perfect righteousness, can we produce it? Will our most noble acts atone for our past sins? Isaiah here does not comment on single acts, but on a person's life, weighed in the balance. But read also John Gill on this verse.
The questions the author of the SAB asks, can be answered with yes, Jesus Christ. On has anyone ever done anything good, see also John 5:29.

7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.

12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?