Contemplative Bible Reading

Isaiah 19:13-14 (New Living Translation)

13 The officials of Zoan are fools,
and the officials of Memphis are deluded.
The leaders of the people
have led Egypt astray.
14 The Lord has sent a spirit of foolishness on them,
so all their suggestions are wrong.
They cause Egypt to stagger
like a drunk in his vomit.

Human governors were suggesting things to people that were just plain wrong. These wrong suggestions caused the people to “stagger like a drunk in his vomit.”

Why the wrong suggestions? God had sent a spirit of foolishness on them. Gasp. To me, this has to be one of the worst punishments God ever sent on anyone. These suggest-ers were full of foolishness and that came from God. They couldn’t think straight. They couldn’t ask anyone, “Hey, is this a bad idea?” They were overcome and acted like fools.

Why do some people do some things on some occasions? Perhaps it is simply foolishness sent as a punishment. Please God, remove that spirit of foolishness. We as people struggle enough as it is. We cannot overcome extra foolishness. Help me in my unbelief.