Commentators explain that God's commissioning of a 'lying spirit' is a form of divine judgment. Scholar Charles Ellicott connects this to other passages like Ezekiel 14:9 and 2 Thessalonians 2:11, where God is shown to hand people over to deception as a consequence of their own rebellion and rejection of truth. This demonstrates God's sovereignty in judging those who have already hardened their hearts against Him.