"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a famous sermon delivered by Jonathan Edwards in 1741 during the First Great Awakening, a religious revival in colonial America. This movement was characterized by fervent, emotional preaching and a renewed emphasis on personal salvation. In addition to being a Puritan preacher and theologian, Jonathan Edwards was also a prolific author and intellectual whose sermons and writings significantly contributed to American religious thought and literature during the colonial period.

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is the quintessential "fire and brimstone" sermon of the Great Awakening as it employs intense, vivid, and frightening imagery to depict the torments of Hell and the precarious position of sinners. Edwards uses this imagery to create a sense of fear and urgency, emphasizing the consequences of sin and the wrath of an angry God. The sermon is a classic example of this preaching style, which aims to instill a deep sense of terror and repentance in the audience.

Edwards begins his sermon with a line from Deuteronomy, "Their foot shall slide in due time." He explains that this passage means that God intends to punish the unbelieving Israelites, who were chosen by God and had access to His teachings and blessings. Despite God's miracles, they still went astray. The chosen biblical quote suggests that their punishment and destruction will come at the right moment due to their wrongdoing.

Edwards goes on to make several points on this theme. The first point is that the Israelites were constantly in danger of facing God's punishment, much like someone who walks on a slippery surface is always at risk of falling. This concept is also found in Psalm 73:18, which says that God placed these wicked individuals in precarious situations and would eventually be cast down into destruction. In other words, the Israelites' sinful behavior put them on a dangerous path, and their downfall was inevitable.

Edwards also suggests that people could bring this punishment upon themselves through their actions without needing anyone else to punish them. Continuing the previous analogy, Edwards says that

he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.

Edwards continues, proclaiming that wicked people have not fallen into Hell and continue to exist because God has not yet decided it is their time to face punishment. Here, he reaches one of his main points.

There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of Hell, but the mere pleasure of God.

He emphasizes that it is not due to external factors, constraints, or moral obligations. It is entirely up to God's discretion when and if they are condemned. This underscores the Puritan idea that human salvation or damnation is ultimately in the hands of God, with nothing else influencing that outcome.

Now that Edwards has described the slippery slope to Hell, he transitions to make ten points about the nature of God's wrath against sinners. His first point describes the absolute nature of God's power and the ease with which He can cast sinners into Hell. Edwards proclaims that God encounters no obstacles, unlike human rulers who may face challenges when dealing with rebellious individuals. Edwards compares this to crushing a crawling worm or breaking a fragile thread — it is just as easy for God to cast His enemies into hell.

Edwards then asserts that wicked individuals fully deserve damnation, and divine justice does not hinder God from using His power to destroy them at any moment. Providence calls for an infinite punishment for sinners, and "the...