Certainly, we must interpret this in a figurative sense. God had not physically blinded their eyes. This must speak of not being able to understand through their imagination. NKJ 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, We must control our thoughts. Although bad thoughts will come, we must not accept them or embrace them as our own.
Imagination is part of meditation.
We should meditate on God's Word. Imagination affects your future actions. For a person to change, their thinking has to change. Reality is more than what you can perceive through your physical senses. Every scientist believes that.