Isaiah 64:6

Unclean thing. Heb. tame’, an adjective meaning “unclean.” Standing by itself, as here, it may refer either to an unclean thing or to an “unclean person.” Tame’ is the word that appears repeatedly throughout Leviticus describing ceremonial uncleanness. Left to himself, man cannot wash away the impurity of sin — he remains unclean.

Filthy rags. Literally, “as a menstruous garment.” Man’s best efforts produce, not righteousness, but imperfection. Only the robe of righteousness that Christ has provided will fit man to appear in the presence of God (see Gal. 2:16; COL 311).

Fade as a leaf. A leaf separated from a tree soon withers and dies. The same is true of a man without Christ. The effect of sin is death (Rom. 5:12; 6:23; James 1:15).

Like the wind. As the wind tears a leaf from a branch and carries it farther and farther from the parent tree, and thus from its source of life, so sin sweeps man farther and farther away from God and hurries him on toward death and destruction.