Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

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”.

Respected Puritan minister, Jonathan Edwards in his Sermon, “Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God (1781), Elaborates on the negatives of being a repentant sinner. Edward’s goal is to inform people that sinning can be dangerous. He adopts a serious tone in order to establish a constant fear within Sinners and Non Sinners reading. Using the heavy caution within his readers let him establish a successful Sermon with the help of examples.

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

Jonathan Edwards write a famous sermon titles “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. In this sermon, sinners all over the world are targeted. They are being warned that god will stand sternly judging their actions. It is also seen in the sermon that the sinners’ punishments will be much harsher than they would think. In order to deliver these messages, Edwards uses three different tones; threatening, cautionary, and unsympathetic. These tones are formed when he uses specific words and phrases that represent those tones.

Edwards uses words like “wrath” and “omnipotent” to display the power that God posses, and chooses negative connotation words to describe the relationship between God and man (para. 15, 46). Making the comparison of the relationship between God and humans like a spider web or thread, the author wants the audience to know that it can be broken at any time, and that the “pit is prepared” down in hell for sinners (para. 17). Edward chooses diction that leaves humans hopeless, and at the mercy of God. He wants the audience to know that God is always in control, using words like “if God should permit” and “the mere pleasure of God” (para. 13, 7). Additionally, Edwards uses diction to portray God as merciless and immoral, saying that has God is “without pity” and “will have no compassion upon you” (para. 41). This leaves the audience despaired, and they feel as if they have no choice but to reestablish their relationship with God, or certainly face an “everlasting destruction” at any time God pleases to (para.

Edwards’s uses strong, powerful diction to clearly get his across to the spectators. Jonathan Edwards repetitively uses the word “omnipotent” to visibly tell his audience how powerful God is. Along with that, he repetitively uses the phrase “God’s wrath” along with words such as “fury, despair and destruction”. Edwards actually describes God’s wrath by commonly using words as dreadful, glowing, wickedness, black and vengeance. By the usage of these words and phrases, Edwards indicates that God is angered and furious of our actions. However to point out God’s generosity, Jonathan Edwards commonly uses the word “mercy”. By using the word “mercy”, Edwards indicates that since God made his worshipers, he is giving them an opportunity to repent and amend their ways or destruction is unpreventable. Mr. Edwards also uses words as “mourn, howl, hopeless and sober,” to specify the listeners reactions upon hearing Edwards’s sermon. Edwards use of influential words leave the spectators mourning and groaning in great despair. Edwards employs all these words through the emotional appeal of ethos. This is what causes a great impact upon the listeners at the church.

Figurative language is another important factor for the story. In the story, he talked about wickedness in a person’s body. “Your wickedness makes you as it were as heavy as lead.” This will make you think that the amount of wickedness in one’s body is equivalent to the weight of lead. This might persuade people to go be “reborn” since they would want to get rid of most of that wickedness. Another example is the comparison of a person to a spider. “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider.” Edwards use this to say that we’re no different than spiders in God’s eyes. We could be squished or dropped to our doom in a mater of seconds. Edwards also compared God’s wrath to the great waters. “The wrath of God is like great waters that are damned 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

The fear of eternal damnation turns people against one another when in life-threatening trials. God’s wrath is being contained upon them as these test occur. In “Sinners in the hands of an Angry God” and “The Crucible”, Edwards and Miller use metaphors, imagery, symbolism, and allegory to display how they unveil their message with fear and persuasion.

In using these metaphors, Edwards is enabling the reader(s) to understand the tone by putting it in a situation and context, which is more easily correlated. Subsequently, he uses imagery in the opening paragraph stating that when men are on Gods’ hands and they could descend to hell. Natural men are held in the hands of God, over the pit of hell knowing that you might descend into the abyss at any moment should scare you. God chose to save you until he wants to let you slope into an eternity of sweltering flames.

First, Edwards uses repetition of intimidating imagery to give weight to his language. For example, he uses God’s anger to add a frightening effect to his sermon; Edwards creates this effect by using God’s  “anger…, towards [natural men]” as a scare tactic. Moreover, he extends the scare tactic to how God’s “wrath towards you burns like fire.” He once again declares God’s wrath, but this time adds fire, which personifies God’s rage in an unnerving way. The usage of fire further adds to the magnitude of Edwards’ word. And in all honesty, Edwards paints an extremely horrifying picture of how God’s wrath might effect and intimidate a

In the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Jonathan Edwards utilizes repetition, imagery, and personofication to cause fear and explain what happens when God is provoked by disobedient followers.

In Johnathan Edward's, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards has a particular style of writing that conveys an underlying purpose when delivering the sermon. Throughout the sermon, he uses multiple writing techniques and tools to engage the listener more, and to assure the listeners believe and trust him. Edwards purpose of writing and delivering the sermon, is to warn his people and to whomever else wants to agree, that they all must show their remorse of their sins to God before it is too late. Every sentence in the sermon, is based around scarring the people even more and more. Edwards accomplishes this by using certain diction and structure, a certain tone, and persuasive figurative language.

In 1742, Jonathan Edwards undertook the task of crafting a sermon that would be powerful in the eyes of both believers and unbelievers. The result exists today as his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The sermon differs from traditional sermons both of his time and in modern times. Rather than depicting the merciful and loving God of the Christian faith, Edwards brings to light a wrathful and angry God. He takes a look into the human condition while justifying the wrath of God. However, this is not the image of God that one is intended to take away from this message. While the language and imagery of the sermon were intended to cause feelings of hopelessness and fear, these are not the emotions that Edwards intended his audience to leave with. In his sermon, Edwards identifies the human condition and man’s depravity while justifying the building wrath of God only to use such harsh and violent imagery to paint a picture of a merciful and just God.

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards used phrases and parallelism that could simply move his listener or reader. Edwards described his view of a vengeful God and the consequences of sin with such strong emotion and vividness that it was sure too shaken up most, if

Edwards shows how powerful God by saying that “the wrath of God is like great waters” this is also symbolism as well as a simile. Edwards kind of portrays God as angry all the time. In this