The Natural Imagery on Sinner's In the Hands of an Angry God
     The Inability of Man and The Sovereignty of God
The natural imagery in “Jonathan Edwards’s Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” depicts man’s inability to save himself. Edwards’ sermon uses these images to relate to the congregation the sovereignty of God in salvation and the nothingness of man apart from His saving grace. The sermon’s purpose was to “destroy his listeners lethargic assumption that once they were members of the visible church they were also quite surely regenerated children of God” (Perkins 92, n.4). The sermon used graphic imagery, not just to instill fear, but more importantly, to convey the truths which have been forgotten. Jonathan Edwards built very deliberately into the sermon the sort of fearful imagery from which the awakened sinner, hopefully, would be unable to keep his distance. The lost are already guilty of sin and deserve nothing better than death. They are unable in every way to come to Him apart from His grace. Their hands have no strength when the Creator’s hands of justice rise. He is helpless, impotent, unable, and lacking strength and power and it is God alone who delays the execution.  They are at God’s disposal and He may, at anytime, pour His wrath upon them. “This is the wrath of an infinite God (Perkins, pg. 98).”
“Imagery in its literal sense means the collection of Images in a literary work. In another sense it is synonymous with trope or figure of speech. Here the trope designates a special usage of words in which there is a change in their basic meanings (Imagery, Harmon & Holman).” First, references to insects show the danger for the lost.  Insects are used to depict the dreadful state of the lost. It is only when man realizes his condition before God, then will he understand his inability to come to Him. Secondly, the sermon uses the image of a lost person like a spider held in the hands of God over the fire.  It is God’s hand alone that keeps the spider from falling into the flames.  The ugly creature has no hope in itself because it is despised and feared.  God has no reason to keep this despicable thing in His hand.  It would be better to let it fall in the fire.  Thirdly, not only are the lost like a spider, but they are also like a grasshopper (Perkins, pg. 99).  They are worthless and are nothing in comparison to God.  The lost are nothing more than a pest (Perkins pg. 96).  It would be less of a burden to get rid of them.  Fourthly, the lost is also likened unto a worm (Perkins pg. 98).  The worm is weak and crawls around in the dust all day.  All one has to do is step on it, and that will be the end of the worm.  The worm can do nothing to defend itself except hide, but the lost cannot hide from God.  Therefore, the lost are in constant danger of death.

Finally, references to natural disasters are another way the sermon reveals the total inability of man.  These disasters depict the fierceness of God’s anger towards the sins of the lost.  First, God’s wrath is like a flood waiting to be let loose on the lost.  The sins of the lost build up the fierceness of the flood and when the water comes, nothing will be able to withstand it. God holds the waters back, but the waters are increasing more and more by the moment. God is not shown here as a terrible Deity, but rather, as a restrained and patient Deity who keeps out of hell those who, by the weight of their own sin, deserve nothing better. All God has to do is remove His hand and the fierce waters will wipe away everything in its path (Perkins, pg. 97). God’s wrath is also like a whirlwind (Perkins pg. 97). The wind of God’s anger will blow away the lost like a pile of leaves and until they repent, their destruction is sure.  Like a piece of paper in the face of a tornado, so are the unregenerate sinners in the face of God’s wrath.  The wind will come suddenly and scoop the lost into Hell.  Finally, God’s wrath is like a storm (Perkins pg. 97).  It has come to execute judgment upon the wicked.  The storm hangs above the sinner’s head and waits for God to signal the attack.  Nothing can save the wretched men except repentance. 

The imagery in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” shows the dangerous state of the lost.  The sermon drew his figures from simple nature and ordinary human experience. God can choose to destroy the lost at anytime and the lost would not be able to stand in God’s judgment. The sinner is depraved, corrupted and will not come to God. He was born to be doomed and will be. The lost souls’ position is defenseless against the wrath of God and only by His Sovereign purpose will He save them.