inners in the Hands of an Angry God?is a haunting sermon given by Jonathan Edwards. The sermon explains how people need to fear hell and the power of God. He says that God holds us from the wrath of hell everyday and could let go at anytime. The main purpose for this speech according to Edwards, was to awaken the unconverted persons of the congregation. The sermon goes on to further explain the application of the subject matter. .
Edwards explains the wrath of God. He says to not be afraid of death, but only of dying and being cast into hell. On page 480 he says God holds us over the pit of hell, "much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire.?He tries to explain how powerful God is by comparing His power to that of a king on earth. On page 481 Edwards says, "All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing.?The people of the time knew the great power of their king, and to have their king described as a "grasshopper?really made the point relevant to their lives. .
In another point, Edwards speaks of God's fierceness and power. He says God will "inflict wrath without any pity.?On page 479 he describes the wrath of God as "great waters that are dammed for the present.?In a bold description of God's tremendous strength on page 482, Edwards says "He will crush you under His feet without mercy; He will crush your blood, and make it fly and it shall be sprinkled on His garments.?.
Edwards goes on to explain how God is more than willing to inflict his wrath upon His enemies. He quotes Isaiah on page 483: "And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire.?On page 480 Edwards says, "you are ten thousand times more abominable in His eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.?By describing God's hatred in this way, the people can compare their hatred of a serpent to God's hatred for sinners.
