Sinners In The Hands Of The Angry God Analysis

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a sermon written by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a theologian and philosopher in the British Colonies of America. He was raised as a puritan in Connecticut and grew up to be one of America’s most influential protestant revivalists of that time. He delivered many sermons, the most well-known being “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards gave this sermon on July 8, 1741 in Northampton, Massachusetts. The main purpose of this sermon was to convey to the audience the reality of hell, the need to change their wicked lives, and, ultimately, that they should fear the wrath of God. Edwards does this to motivate the audience to live their lives as perfectly as they can in order to not anger God and to avoid Hell.

In the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edwards displays controversial viewpoints and ideas concerning heaven and hell. As Edwards speaks to the congregation he warns them of the misery and suffering they will face if they do not repent of certain sins. He also describes God as angry which probably struck fear into the hearts on many. To illustrate his own point that hell is unenviable without repentance Jonathan Edwards creates the idea of an angry God using intense similes, a harsh tone, and strong emotional appeal in “Sinners in the hand of an Angry God”.

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.

He depicts God as frightening, and authoritative over human fate. Furthermore, Edwards believes this so strongly he wants sinners to change their horrible ways. Although Edwards acknowledges God is in control of fate, humans can stop themselves from going to hell through one way. If humans stop sinning God, will be less likely to have further reasons to want to send them to hell. Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God creates this view through several elements in the recorded sermon. Firstly, the text is interactive for both the readers and audience. Edwards’s persistent use of the word you especially make the text personal. Secondly, several literary devices in Edward’s text create a well-written and frightening warning to sinners. As well, it emphasizes and reminds the readers or audience that God is in charge of eternal fate. Overall, Edwards’s beliefs on providence and afterlife stay with the readers due this. The sermon provides vivid clear images for its

    Hell is said to be the worst place to ever exist, and it is greatly feared about on earth and in the minds of people. “Hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them and swallow them up,” this illustrates personification in giving the flames of hell the live ability to hold and swallow us. It portrays how we will be consumed by our own sins if we do not act on them to better ourselves. If we let our sins pile up they will weigh us down and we will eventually be brought down to hell to pay for our wrong doings.

You never know when you’re going to fall in the pits of hell. The last example provided is the place of hell. “…dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God…” If he wanted to say hell, he would’ve say hell but he didn’t. Instead, he described it even further but using adjectives and repeating “the wrath of God” to frighten us. Jonathan Edwards not only used imagery. He used figurative language.

Furthermore, Jonathan Edward says, "...hell is gasping for them..." Giving his audience a visual picture of hell gasping its "mouth" open to those who anger the god. God becomes the hand that holds the people from the fiery pit of hell, of someone where anger the god, he would remove his hand for the persin to fall into hell. Edward gives this visualization to scare them before the people start to sin and get sentence to hell.

In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", Jonathan Edwards uses pathos, imagery, and analogy to persuade his audience in his speech.

In the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards he uses allusion, similes, and personification to persuade the audience on the beliefs of the Puritans and how God affects them.

In the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards he demonstrates imagery, personification, and repetition. Also, Edward persuades his audience by using a powerful tone to affect their perspective.

Throughout the sermon, Edwards uses figurative language along with imagery to frighten

In "Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God," Jonathan Edwards implements his purpose; puritans who are sinners must purify themselves to be saved by God. Jonathan Edwards applies imagery and repetition in his sermon to support his purpose. He uses these particular rhetorical devices to portray an image of intimidation. Jonathan Edwards sermon displays imagery to terrify the sinners. The sermon states, "...loathsome insects."

The only thing holding them from hell is God’s hand and if he lets go, you drop to hell. It says you hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about and ready to burn you into pieces. The story compares sinners to a spider web trying to stop a rock. The sermon ends with the remark “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.”, which means God's wrath is coming, do your utmost to escape before it's too

During the past weeks of school we've talked about the techniques that Jonathan Edward used in his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", in which Edward's uses dramatic comparisons to portray the wrath of god, in a way that people of the time could grasp. Edward's would use methods that illustrated what would happen if they continued to sin and disobey god.

In the passage, Jonathan Edwards uses metaphors to describe hell in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. First, a quote from the passage “Tis a great furnace of wrath.” (Edwards 21)The quote states that the furnace represents hell and the great fury it holds. In addition, another quote from the passage “Full of the fire of wrath.” (Edwards 21)The quote illustrates that hell is filled with fire and chaos. The final quote from the passage “The flames of divine wrath flashing about it.” (Edwards 21)The quote says that hell has godly flames blazing with rage. Therefore, the passage used metaphors to describe