Preview

Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
876 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is a sermon given by Johnathan Edwards, a preacher and a theologian. Published in 1741, Edwards’ sermon is one of most defining pieces of literature during the First Great Awakening in the United States. The Day of Doom is a poem written by Michael Wigglesworth, a Puritan minister. The poem became wildly popular in Puritan New England when it was published in 1662. Both texts discuss the themes of divine judgement and punishment. Edwards’ sermon illustrates that it is God’s will that keeps evil men from being sent down to hell. Wigglesworth describes the Day of Judgement in which God will decide who will be saved who will be sent to hell. These pieces of religious literature both describe a harsh God who has ultimate judgement and no mercy when it comes to punishment. “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is sermon that deals with the concept of wrath. Edwards states that at any moment men will be sent down to hell and they should be living in peril because, “As he that walks in slippery places is every moment is liable to fall” (Edwards 430). The only reason why they are not in hell yet is because, “God’s appointed time is not come” (Edwards 430). It is God’s judgement that casts men into hell at any moment. These statements instill a sense of fear into the audience. Edwards …show more content…
In their texts, God is a being with ultimate, divine power who is not merciful in regards to punishment. They both use harsh language and frightening imagery to illustrate their portrayal. In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edwards believes that God uses his divine judgement to determine when people get thrown into hell and that sinners will be punished for eternity. In The Day of Doom, Wigglesworth believes that God predetermines whether people will be saved or if they are sinful. Both texts are still influential today in terms of analyzing divine judgement and
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Imagery Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Imagery Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

    In the sermon, “Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards utilizes imagery as one of the rhetorical devices in order to scare his audience back to the pious ways of the first generation Puritans. Edwards’ vivid descriptions of hell and eternal torment are examples of the emotional appeal pathos. He uses figurative language including metaphors, similes, and personification to illustrate this unfortunate scenario in the minds of his listeners. For example, Edwards’ states, “The devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up…” (8-10). In this example the audience can clearly imagine the horrors of hell, which encourages them to look to God for salvation, thus also making use of logos as the audience rationalizes and considers the situation. Hell is described as a “world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone…” (19-10), among many other things. The speaker/writer’s depictions of hell work to keep the audience members on their toes so they remember what they are doomed for if they dare to stray further from the Church or anger God even more than they have already done so. The rich imagery in this sermon is significant to the uniqueness of the piece because Edwards’ uses this literary device to scare the audience into compliance, and it serves as a main support for the author’s overall purpose, which is to get people to solidify ties to the…

    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparing Bradstreet And Jonathan Edwards
    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Comparing Bradstreet And Jonathan Edwards

    In Edwards’ sermon, he writes, “there is nothing between you fom hell but the mere pleasure of god.” He conveys hatred in his writings towards his readers, who are sinners in his eyes, and warns them to get right with God or else be deemed to hell. “It is true that judgement against your evil works has not been executed hither to.” / “Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead.” / “But your guilt in the meantime is constantly increasing.” This is evident that Edwards feels viciously angry towards mankind, because it is overwhelmingly sinful, even though he is a sinner…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Summary
    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Summary

    Have you ever heard a motivational speech and while it was going on you felt so motivated, but when it was over you did not know what to do with yourself? In Beyond Scared Straight, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," and "Can Kids Be Scared Straight?" all three authors try to persuade people to do the right things in a forceful tone, but there are reasons why appeals to fear is not the best motivational force. Some reasons why appeals to fear is not the best motivational force are that people might not get scared, are not afraid of the negative consequences, and do not want to nor know how to change.…

    • 739 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Analysis of John Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Analysis of John Edward's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

    Through metaphors and similes used in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, the speaker, Jonathan Edwards, convinces the reader of the power of their sins. The powerful figurative language used by Edwards helped to convey the terror of God’s wrath on those who do not fully devote themselves to their faith. One of the greatest images in this passage is the idea that one’s good deeds are like a spider’s web, delicate and fragile. In contrast, the sinful transgressions of a being equate to the falling rock on an unequivocal path towards the spider’s web. This depiction clearly indicates that the power of one’s good deeds have no effect on the power of one’s sins. The use of a spider’s web to symbolize one’s benevolence conveys that a person cannot possibly have a strong connection with God if they rely on only their good deeds to carry them to the Promised Land: they must also fully dedicate themselves to their piety to truly create an enduring bond with the Lord. In addition, Edwards also communicates a spectacular simile to the audience in this passage. To delineate the potential of God’s fury to the reader, Edwards compares a human being to a spider being held in palm of God’s hand over the fiery pit of Hell. From this statement it can be inferred that God only saves those who truly earned his forgiveness; and as for those who did not totally commit themselves to their spirituality, the Lord could easily drop them into the pit of Hell with indifference. Lastly, Edwards compares God’s wrath to a bow and arrow towards the end of the passage. When a person commits a sin, the bow is bent, forming tension which will eventually need to be released, causing the arrow to strike its target. In this analogy, the arrow represents God’s fury, while the target represents the sinner. It can also be inferred from this comparison that the sinner has few options for retribution and faces certain damnation. In each example of figurative language in this passage, Edwards successfully…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Jonathan Edward
    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of Jonathan Edward

    Jonathan Edwards uses an effective method called the “fire and brimstone” approach, which basically used scare tactics to keep people from straying away from the church. Jonathan Edwards was a master at using literary devices, which horrified but intrigued his audience. He (Edwards) wrote in second person to make each individual feel responsible for their own sins, this strategy allowed Edwards to speak to large groups. Edwards also used extended metaphors to help his audience realize the full extent of their sins. An example of this imagery is, “ The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty the course, when once it is let loose.” (Sinners 1). This metaphor shows the extent that Edwards goes to show parishioners of what God is capable of doing to the Human race if they do not seek salvation.…

    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Analysis of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Analysis of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

    Jonathan Edwards once gave a sermon titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. As a priest it was his duty to persuade his congregation to live a just life free of sins. It was his responsibility to strengthen his congregation’s belief in God and to always guide them down the righteous path. These ideas eventually served as the foundation/ purpose for delivering this speech to the public. In his speech he focuses on the ideas of hell, predetermined destinies, and an angry god. He constantly repeats these topics throughout his speech while incorporating very powerful and dark diction and imagery. His word choice and imagery truly has an impact on the audience. It manipulates the reader’s /listener’s subconscious and leaves them terrified of what future lay ahead for them if they continue to live an immoral life. For example, in paragraph two, sentence four, he states “There is a dreadful glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of; there is nothing between you and hell but air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.” From this sentence alone you are given the impression that the author has a very angry, ominous, condescending, indignant, judgmental, and pessimistic tone. He does all this in an effort to show that God is a very powerful, all knowing being that has control of all aspects of life and death. Although he is understanding and watches over his followers, he has an inescapable grasp and is capable of showing no mercy to sinners. I personally like this piece because it truly persuades the reader/listener to second guess their every move in order to follow the path to virtuousness. I also really enjoyed their powerful use of imagery because with every phrase they used my mind was capable of conjuring up dark images of God’s almighty power and wrath as well as the fiery pit of hell. After closely analyzing this speech and the time…

    • 383 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Handout SInners
    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Handout SInners

    One key point Edwards addressed in his sermon is that those without the guidance of God will be doomed to hell unless they choose a holy path. This can be seen in almost all religions today, including Christianity and Islam. They tell their followers that those who do not have faith in God will be condemned to hell and that the only way to be saved is by converting and believing.…

    • 267 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Persuasion Analysis
    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Persuasion Analysis

    Throughout Edwards’ six hour sermon, he made many connection from what he was talking about to real life scenarios. One of his more prominent connections in the sermon was about a dam and the floods of water that it is holding back. Edwards states on page 88 “The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present: they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose.” The longer you sin, the greater and more powerful the wrath of God will be. Once the dam crumbles under the pressure there is nothing that can stop the liquid stampede that follows. Truly, the first persuasive technique that Edwards used in “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God” is making connections to…

    • 817 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Metaphors In Jonathan Edwards
    • 224 Words
    • 1 Page

    Metaphors In Jonathan Edwards

    Jonathan Edwards preached his sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” at a time of religious revival. In his sermon Jonathan Edwards uses many techniques, his biggest one being metaphors. Edwards uses his metaphors to reach out to his followers as well as to the sinners. One of the images Jonathan Edwards portrays is the image that Gods wrath is a “ bow”, ready with an arrow to pierce the sinners. Another striking image that Edwards delivers to make the sinners change their ways was the comparison of God's wrath to “great waters” that will rise up, destroying the sinners. Edwards used these and many more metaphors to convey the image of God. In doing this, many people understood the weight of God's wrath. Using metaphors, Edwards not…

    • 224 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Themes In The Minister's Black Veil
    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Themes In The Minister's Black Veil

    Edwards development of this passage, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” comes off as rude or maybe brutal. “Thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell” this sentence taken from Edwards passage symbolizes that God is holding us up, God is protecting us and serving as a shield. God is the one thing that can keep you from hell. The congregation more than likely felt intimidated and I’m sure there was tension in the room. But if you think about it he’s…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Jonathan Edwards Sinners
    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Jonathan Edwards Sinners

    Referring to the article “Sinners in the hands of an angry God,” which is the work of Jonathan Edwards, a religious scholar who acknowledges the idea that the Israelites sinned and were wicked in the eyes of God. According to Edwards, the Israelites were God`s chosen people, and they were privileged to live by the grace of God. As a result of their wickedness, there was an impending danger because the wrath of God was upon them. Despite this imminent risk of vengeance from God, they were given an opportunity to amend their wicked ways. Edwards argues that the situation was worsen since God had said that the Israelites were prone to fall even without being thrown down. He goes on to claim that the path the Israelites followed was too dangerous for them to handle and argues that due to the magnitude of the sins they committed, it would lead them to their ultimate destruction.…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis
    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis

    Damned or not Damned! A unique look at “Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God”…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
    • 3534 Words
    • 15 Pages

    Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

    Jonathan Edwards’ sermon ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God’ is a window into an age fraught with religious controversy and moral confusion. The sermon was riddled with horrifying imagery and threats to instill fear into the audiences of Puritan Minister, Jonathan Edwards. The movement of religious revivalism that occurred in part because of Edwards caused the Puritan society to think of God as a vengeful, torturous God, of whom to be afraid. The Puritans fear of God and being condemned to hell forced them to live in accordance with God’s will in hopes of spending eternity free from sin, living in salvation with Christ. Sinners is a work grounded in the concerns and struggles of its time, and it offers insights into a significant period of cultural transition in American history (Winslow 193). Simultaneously a conservative and a revolutionary text, the sermon hangs between the new and the old, science and Scripture, individual freedom and sovereign authority.…

    • 3534 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of Angry God Analysis
    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of Angry God Analysis

    The Puritans have been here since they arrived to the shores of the Native lands starting to influence others. As the Puritans believes were taken to consideration or the people were left to judgment. Although, they were very anti-Catholic, but they were still biblical, such as Dr. Laura who is a talk show host, radio personality, philanthropist, medical professional educator and in video called, “Letters to Dr. Laura” one of the questions was about the ability to own slaves. In her influential show advises, that in “Leviticus 25:44” states that I may indeed process slaves both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. (Laura) “A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians” said a professor.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards
    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards

    In Sinners in the hands of an angry god, Jonathan Edwards does not show individualism instead he gives all the power to God, and none to the individual. One quote that shows Edwards giving the power to god is. “That the reason why they are not fallen already and do not fall now is only that God's appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics