“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1 NKJV).

The date of posting of this article suggests its theme. It is “April Fool’s Day” for those who are so inclined to recognize it. It occurs to me that the Bible has a great deal to say about fools and their folly, and perhaps we would be wise to consider some of those sayings.

At the heart of foolishness is the denial of the Eternal One who is our creator, our guardian, and our savior. Psalm 14 goes on to label those who reject the reality of God as corrupt, filled with abominable works, and incapable of good. They lack knowledge and are known for their injustice and the harm they bring to others. Denial of God — unbelief — is more than just a philosophy or world view; it is a moral and ethical issue involving preference for lies over truth and for evil-doing over righteousness (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Romans 1:18-32).

Solomon lists many characteristics and consequences of folly in the book of Proverbs. They include:

• Failure to obey commands (Proverbs 10:8)
• Spreading of slander (10:18)
• Rejection of wise counsel (12:15)
• Delight in “silliness” (12:23)
• Persistence in wickedness (13:19)
• Unjustified pride (14:3)
• Deceit or a lying tongue (14:8)
• Hasty responses (18:13)
• Instigation of quarrels and conflicts (20:3)

Many more examples of the nature and results of folly could be added from Proverbs and other Scripture. However one of the greatest forms of foolishness is the subject of several prophetic oracles — that is idolatry.

Isaiah describes this folly as follows:

“Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?” (Isaiah 44:9-10).

The prophet then goes on to describe a craftsman who cuts down a tree, uses some of it for firewood, then carves the remainder into an image and calls it “god.”

“And the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, prays to it and says, ‘Deliver me, for you are my god’” (Isaiah 44:17).

Such idolatry is without knowledge or understanding.

Idolatry is not just the worship of some form of image in the belief that it is divine. In the New Testament covetousness is termed idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Any being or thing which one exalts before God becomes his or her idol. These may be people, recreations, occupations, or possessions.

And all such idolatry is folly. There is one God, over all, all wise, all loving and merciful. He is worthy of our love and worship. To reject him is to practice foolishness.

Michael Brooks, link to original article