In "Sinners in the hnads of an angry God" Jonathan Edwards reveals how God has omnipotent power and howhe uses it to punish sinners. Jonathan Edwards proves what God is capable of causing through imagery, alliteration, and similes.
Jonathan Edwards utilizes imagery to show sinners what will become of them in the hands of God. It is mentioned, " That world of misery, that lake of burning brimestone, is extended abroad under you." This gives the reader an idea of what will one experuence if they were to disobey God. By Edwards using "misery" it shows the seriousness of disobediance and the effect it will cause you.
In addition, Edwards implements alliteration to prove that God is not clowning. Edwards mentions "The wrath of God", This
His use of imagery to influence was, Paragraph 4 “O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in; it is a great furnace of the wrath, a wide and bottomless pit full of fire of wrath , that you are held over in the hands of that God.” Edwards is getting an emotional(pathos) reaction from society itself and his congregation that he is talking down to, because of their sinful ways it has now gotten them in the hands of God over a pit of fire and nothing can be done except that he won't let you fall because of his patience is being held within. Persuading them with fear of being thrown into fire to get them to change not only for living a righteous life but for God, so he won't have to leave you and hell also for you and your change of heart
In his speech, Jonathan Edwards describes God's wrath as being "great waters" that will overflow with his anger, and reassures them that it is only "the mere pleasure of God that holds the waters back". This provides an image that the congregation is able to imagine. Edwards then describes how they are "treasuring up more wealth" and God may open the floodgates of a "fiery flood" that would ultimately destroy everything. The imagery of the great waters and flood forces the congregation to comprehend a terrifying image and reinforces his main idea. He uses this image in his speech to describe how they affect and provoke God's anger.
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a religious speech which Jonathan Edwards gave out during his sermon in Connecticut as an appeal to sinners to recognize the sins they were committing. Readers can also identify his oration as a jeremiad, for the speaker’s regular integration of passion and the indication of an imminent destruction of society renders this text as a powerful form of a lamentation. From the very beginning of his verse, Jonathan Edwards states that within his sermon “is threatened the vengeance of God,” reiterating his firm belief that there are significant issues regarding the Puritan faith. He lists out four implications to clear off any misunderstandings from his audience, and builds up credibility by citing various
“the fiery floods of the fierceness and the wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power”. The alliteration is attention-grabbing and provokes a feeling of fear. Also, God’s power is demonstrated in this imagery. The phrase “rush forth with inconceivable fury” shows power since flood waters wipe out everything in its path. The idea of God’s power is further demonstrated in the phrases “inconceivable fury” and “omnipotent power”. There are black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your head, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder;” Edwards stirs fear by creating a dreadful image of a storm. The image of black clouds and thunder over their heads is fearful. People are often fearful of storms and natural disasters. This metaphor compares a large storm to the size of God’s wrath. This provokes the audience to also fear God’s wrath. Also, the metaphor makes God’s wrath comprehendible to the audience.
Jonathan Edwards, a famous preacher in pre-colonial times, composed a sermon that was driven to alert and inject neo Puritanical fear into an eighteenth century congregation. This Bible based and serious audience sought after religious instruction and enlightenment. Through the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards offers a very harsh interpretation to humankind. Edwards utilizes various rhetorical techniques to evoke an emotional response in his audience and to persuade the members of his congregation that their wicked actions will awaken a very ruthless and merciless God.
Just as effective as language manipulation is Edwards's use of language transformation; indeed, his skillful employment of descriptive language adds a visual dimension to his message. Even if the foundation is misinterpreted, these transformations allow any listener to mentally "see" Edwards's overall direction. For instance, God's wrath is referred to as "great waters that are dammed", "a glittering sword", and a "drawn arrow". These terms indicate powerful and deadly forces. On the other hand, sinners are likened to "worms of the dust", "miserable creatures", and "loathsome insects"; consequently, these labels are receptors of God's wrath through the forces Edwards introduces. Although these conceptual images appear basic, Edwards's frequency and placement throughout his delivery produce a clear and precise overview to even
In his sermon, “Sinners In The Hands of the Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards, uses figurative language and dictation to bring about an emotional reaction from his Puritan audience. He successfully manipulated his audience by the use of imagery.
Edwards tone and use of vivid imagery and similes targets his audience's fears. Edwards knows that emotion is a substantial component of religion, so instead of bombarding his audience with tedious information, destined to be ignored and overlooked, he overwhelms them by targeting their fears and anxieties. He creates this trepidation with his negative, urgent tone and descriptions of “God [holding] you over the pit of hell”. His vivid similes of God’s wrath being “like great waters that are dammed”, also help to support his impactful use of pathos. Throughout his sermon, Edwards targets his audience's fears, making them revere God’s wrath and in turn achieve his
A metaphor Edward uses to describe God's attitude is "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow mad ready...". He shows that God has his arrow trained at your heart and he can end you in one swift motion. He has mercy on us even though we are always sinning and deserve to die. He uses this metaphor to compare his power to an arrow how he can shoot your heart and kill you and how he's the true power. Edward uses a volume of metaphors to compare things to how God feels towards sinners. Edwards uses a second metaphor and it states “If God should only withdraw His hand from the floodgate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God…”( Paragraph 4). He uses this metaphor to describe his attitude towards sinners that they make God so mad that he wants to release the floodgate and kill everyone, he's trying to scare people into repenting their sins and live a righteous life. He compares God's wrath to a floodgate and how he will unleash his wrath on everyone for what they have done. Metaphors are used heaps of times from beginning to
Edwards also discusses God’s providentialism by writing another comparison: “There are the black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God it would immediately burst forth upon you” (24-29). This frightening description of a vicious storm emphasizes how helpless any person is when compared to God. The daunting tone of this dreadful storm expresses the idea of providentialism while making any readers or listeners intimidated by God’s absolute power. God has full control of our lives, and He can send us to hell with ease. By putting the fear of God into others’ minds, they are intimidated by His providential supervision and what He can do if one does not correctly
With a calm demeanor Edwards painted a horrendous and frightening picture of hell for his audience. “(The Devil)... stands waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it...” (725). His words made hell seem like a real, terrifying place. “The use may be of awakening to unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ. That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of: there is nothing between you and hell but the air; 'tis only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up” (728). Edwards felt that his presentation was a success, although he was not even able to finish his sermon because of the ruckus caused by fear in the audience. The residents of Enfield were filled with the spirit of Edwards’ sermon and felt as if they were dangling over the pits of Hell. “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked”
On the other hand, Jonathan Edwards produced sermons such as Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. In this sermon, he paints a picture in which the listener is suspended above “Hell’s wide gaping mouth” solely by the “mere pleasure of God” like a spider held above a fire. (Edwards,
Additionally, it is not only true that God wishes to inflict punishment which is inconceivable without the reference provided by Edwards, but that God loathes the sinners within a deep and profound standard, projected by the dramatically detailed metaphor promoted by Edwards. In his metaphorical message to the “unconverted” sinners, fit for the “pits of hell”, Edwards clarifies God’s hatred toward these accusers, stating that “his wrath towards you burns like fire...he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince” (Edwards 2). This comparison of hatred to the extreme, and agreeably odious actions and creatures, effectively describes the rivalry between God and those who commit acts of sinning.
Edwards uses visual imagery by using the feelings of emptiness, abandonment and pain. He begins by presenting the denial of visual senses. For example, he mentions how Puritans once relied on God but he will turn his back on them forever. Edwards uses the threat of abandonment to relate to the psychological fear as a deterrent for sinful behavior (Steele 245). Next, he relates to the sense of sight again using the image of God holding a helpless spider, the sinner, over fires of hell. This image of God holding the helpless sinner over hell while the flames swallow him is a demonstration of God’s strength and wrath (Lukasik 222). Another example of visual imagery is presented as the picture of a sword hanging over the head of “natural men.” Edwards uses the phrase “natural men” to relate to sinners and he compares their judgment as the sword over their heads. The justice will come when the sword falls in the unrighteous at the time of judgment. Finally, Edwards uses images of God as a merciful and unstoppable force of dark clouds, dammed waters and bow, ready to strike down the sinners without hesitation. Edwards describes an angry God at the height of his wrath, completely unforgiving and hatful towards those that betray his will. Edwards introduces this image as the last means of terrifying his audience to deter their sinful behavior. The tactile sense is the most basic of all the senses and the most relatable (Gallagher 211). By focusing on this sense of sight and the emptiness, abandonment and pain: Edwards is able to appeal to the psychological and emotional feelings of Puritans he is trying to
Edwards uses tools such as predestination to scare his listeners by saying “They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell.” He repetitively mentions the fact that “it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.” His use of long sentences that drag on and on, creating a mood of depression and frustration although he