“All of us are like someone unclean, all our righteous deeds like menstrual rags; we wither, all of us, like leaves; and our misdeeds blow us away like the wind.” (Isaiah 64:5 (6), Complete Jewish Bible)
This is a pretty telling description of what God thinks of self-righteousness. Even for Job, “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1), his own righteousness was not enough. “Though I were in the right, I could not speak out, but I would plead for mercy with my judge.” (Job 9:15, Tanakh) “Though I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me; though I were blameless, He would prove me crooked.” (Job 9:20, Tanakh) Until Job lost everything, he relied on his own righteousness. God wanted Job to rely on Him.
Job lamented about his need for an arbitrator. “Even now, my witness is in heaven; my advocate is there on high. With friends like these as intercessors, my eyes pour out tears to God, that he would arbitrate between a man and God, just as one does for his fellow human being.” (Job 16:19-21, Complete Jewish Bible) “But I know that my Redeemer lives, that in the end he will rise on the dust;” (Job 19:25, Complete Jewish Bible)
After defending his uprightness to his friends, God spoke at length about how small Job was compared to God. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? Speak if you have understanding. Do you know who fixed its dimensions or who measured it with a line?” “Have you penetrated the vaults of snow, seen the vaults of hail, which I have put aside for a time of adversity, for a day of war and battle?” (Job 38:4-5, 22-23, Tanakh)
“Would the wild ox agree to serve you? Would he spend the night at your crib?” “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk grows pinions, spreads his wings to the south?” (Job 39:9, 26, Tanakh)
“Take now behemoth, whom I made as I did you…” “He is the first of God’s works; Only his Maker can draw the sword against him.” “Can you draw out Leviathan by a fishhook? Can you press down his tongue by a rope?” “Lay a hand on him, and you will never think of battle again.” (Job 40:15, 19, 25, 32, Tanakh)
Job, this ‘upright and blameless’ man, was humbled. “…Indeed, I spoke without understanding of things beyond me, which I did not know.” “Therefore, I recant and relent, being but dust and ashes.” (Job 42:3, 6, Tanakh)
There is an interesting text in Isaiah 65 that references the salvation of Gentiles. “I responded to those who did not ask, I was at hand to those who did not seek Me; I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not invoke My name.” (Isaiah 65:1, Tanakh) The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible cross-references the word ‘nation’ with Romans 9:30, so it is clear that the interpretation of this scripture is referring to Gentiles. Just four verses later, after describing the people as “rebellious…who follow their own inclinations” (Isaiah 65:2, Complete Jewish Bible), Isaiah prophesies about these people, “They say, ‘Keep your distance, don’t come near me, because I am holier than you.’…” (Isaiah 65:5, Complete Jewish Bible)
The NIV reads, “I am too sacred for you.” and the accompanying note states, “Those who engage in pagan rituals believe they are superior to others (cf. The attitude of the Pharisees in Mt 9:11; Lk 7:39, 18:9-12).” Pharisees were hardly considered pagan, although they considered themselves righteous in their own eyes, as do some members of the modern-day church. The parable in Luke 18, referenced in the NIV note, best illustrates this point.
“Also, to some who were relying on their own righteousness and looking down on everyone else, he told this parable: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Parush [Pharisee] and the other a tax-collector. The Parush stood and prayed to himself, ‘O God! I thank thee that I am not like the rest of humanity – greedy, dishonest, immoral, or like this tax-collector! I fast twice a week, I pay tithes on my entire income,…’ But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God! Have mercy on me, sinner that I am!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home right with God rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14, Complete Jewish Bible)
Paul understands the absolute grace and compassion of God through Christ, his Son. “But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain;…” (I Corinthians 15:10, Complete Jewish Bible).
“For the Messiah himself died for sins, once and for all, a righteous person on behalf of unrighteous people, so that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but brought to life by the Spirit;” (I Peter 3:18, Complete Jewish Bible)
“It is his [God] doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He has become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well!” (I Corinthians 1:30, Complete Jewish Bible)
Christ is the sacrifice for our sins and mediator of the new covenant. We can only be reconciled to God through the righteousness of Christ. Our own righteousness is as filthy (menstrual) rags.